Leopard Trails Wilpattu
Recently refurbished, the 106-foot Humboldt Explorer offers regular 7-night dive cruises in the Galapagos Islands. The luxurious vessel provides its guests exceptional amenities, plenty of space and ease of diving. There are eight cabins for a maximum of sixteen divers. All cabins are air-conditioned and have two twin beds that can be converted to one queen-size bed, private bathrooms, windows with ocean views and flat-screen televisions. Six of the cabins are on the lower deck, the remaining two on the main deck.
The air-conditioned salon on the main deck includes dining tables, TV, CD/DVD, video library and lounge area. Sunning/viewing areas, ample seating and a hot tub are located on the top deck.
The dive deck is equipped with individual gear bins, camera table, recharging station, air and nitrox filling stations, tank racks, and a separate fresh water rinse tank for underwater camera equipment. The Majestic Explorer is also equipped with a satellite telephone for emergency calls worldwide.
The partially covered sundeck has a jacuzzi and ample seating areas, the main deck features a dining area and a lounge with a bar. The large dive deck features a camera table with a charging station, individual storage and rinse bins. Diving is conducted from two large inflatable rigid hull pangas which are easily boarded from the dive deck. Dive itineraries include the Wolf and Darwin Islands. The Humboldt Explorer offers Nitrox.
Registry: Pto Baquerizo Moreno, Galapagos Islands
Length overall: 111.5 ft (34 meters)
Beam: 21.3 ft (6.5 meters)
Draft: 8.2 ft (2.5 meters)
Tonnage: 169 ITC
Main engines: Detroit Diesel 6V92, 350 hp
Generators: 2x Perkins 73 kw
Maximum Speed: 10 knots
Fuel Capacity: 5,300 gallons (20,000 liters)
Range: 1,800 nm
Accommodations: 16 passengers in 8 air-conditioned rooms on main and lower decks, all with private bathrooms and showers. All rooms except rooms 3 & 4 (forward below deck) can be converted to either one queen bed or two twin beds. Up to 7 crew and 2 guides in crews' quarters.
Safety Equipment: Life rafts (2), life rings/strobes, life vests/strobes, emergency position locator, flares, oxygen and first aid equipment
Air Systems:2 electric Bauer compressors with nitrox membrane, producing 32% nitrox, bank storage
Tenders: Rigid hull inflatables (2), used for passenger transport and diver pickup
Accessories: Diving Equipment
Monday: San Cristobal (1 Check Out Dive at Isla Lobos)
Guests fly to the Galapagos Islands from Mainland Ecuador, arriving in the late morning. The dive guides will meet the guests at the airport and escort them to the Humboldt Explorer. Guests will board the vessel after 1:00pm, have lunch and listen to the briefings. After the briefings, the Humboldt Explorer will depart for a short crossing to Isla Lobos for a check out dive and safety briefing. After dinner the vessel will depart to the next scheduled destination.
Tuesday: Punta Carrion (2 Dives)
6:30 and 9:30 dives
Sightings include rays and schools of fish.
Afternoon North Seymour land visit. Walk the path around North Seymour Island to see the large colonies of Blue Footed Boobies and Frigate Birds. Sighting of Sea Lions and Marine Iguanas are also common.
Depart for Northern Islands. (16+ hour transit)
Wednesday: Wolf Island (4 Dives)
6:30, 10:30, 2:00 and 4:30 dives. Possible night dive.
Sightings often include hammerheads, whale sharks, eagle rays, sea lions, Galapagos sharks and silky sharks.
Night anchor at Wolf Island.
Thursday: Wolf Island (2 Dives)
6:30 and 9:30 dives
Transit to Darwin Island (2 Dives)
2:00 and 4:30 dives
Sightings often include hammerheads, red-lipped batfish, eagle rays, sea lions, Galapagos sharks and silky sharks.
Friday: Darwin Island (4 Dives)
6:30, 10:30, 2:00 and 4:30 dives
Sightings often include hammerheads, whale sharks (in season) eagle rays, Galapagos sharks and silky sharks.
Transit to Wolf Island
Saturday: Wolf Island (3 Dives)
6:30, 9:00 and 11:00 dives
Sightings often include hammerheads, whale sharks (in season), eagle rays, Galapagos sharks and silky sharks.
Long transit to Cousin’s Rock (20+ hours)
Sunday: Cousin’s Rock (1-2 Dives)
6:30 and 9:30 dives (number of dives dependent on travel time from Wolf Island)
This is a great macro diving with an excellent chance of seeing sea horses, sea lions and eagle rays. Lunch will be served while transiting to Santa Cruz (3 hours). Travel by bus to the Santa Cruz Highlands to visit the giant tortoises in their natural habitat. Visit the town of Puerto Ayora and the Darwin Centre on your own. Dinner on your own in Puerto Ayora. Return to the Humboldt Explorer at 8:30pm.
Monday: San Cristobal
Depart the vessel by 9 am. Guests are free to visit the beach in town to see sea lions and marine iguanas in their natural habitat or take a short walk to the Interpretive Centre. Transfer back to the airport for flight back to Quito or Guayaquil.
Please note that these itineraries are examples only, and will change depending on local regulation, weather and logistics at the Captain’s discretion. Currently, each week the itinerary includes the same islands. The order of the island visits, however, is dictated by the Galapagos National Park and may vary weekly.
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