Galápagos

Famous archipelago
The islands became permanently inhabited after about 1910, mainly by fishermen and agrarians. Currently they have a population of about 22,000 and this is ever increasing, due to natural population growth and immigration. The standard of living is higher on the islands than on mainland Ecuador. The major sources of income are tourism and fishing.

Exceptional nature reserve
Due to the remote location of the archipelago, the animal species have evolved independently of their relatives on the mainland. The specific habitat and the lack of predators have resulted in some special developments: such that birds forgot how to fly, marine iguanas learned to dive and graze on the beds of seaweed and tortoises grew to enormous proportions. Underwater you come across many enlarged species: large schools of hammerheads, Galapagos sharks, turtles, dolphins, whale sharks, manta rays and sea lions.

Difficult diving
The diving in the cold waters around the Galapagos Islands is not recommended for beginners. You would need a 7mm wetsuit with a hood and gloves. The thick suits and extra weight make attaining neutral buoyancy difficult. Additionally, the water can be turbulent, and there are many distractions underwater. Before you can dive on the Galapagos Islands a check dive is mandatory. Academy Bay is the ideal spot for beginners and semi-advanced divers to acclimatise to the dive conditions.

Threats
The protected nature reserve of the Galapagos Islands is being threatened by the increasing number of tourists and residents. In addition, international overfishing and the increasing burden on the environment also play a role. As a diving tourist on the Galapagos you will wrestle with mixed emotions. On one hand you contribute to the problems by being there and on the other your tourist dollars help to protect the area against illegal fishing.