Galapagos Islands Diving

Wolf and Darwin Islands

Wolf and Darwin are names of islands in the north west of the Galapagos which are whispered reverentially by divers in the know. They are among the most exciting and unforgettable dive sites on planet earth. The often-reproduced image of the arch-shaped rock, so synonymous with the Galapagos, is part of Darwin. There are in fact several sites dotted around these 2 areas and any Galapagos liveaboards worth their salt will pay close attention to these sites.

Surface conditions and current can be tricky here, although since the Humboldt current has less effect this far north, water temperatures tend to hover around the low-to-mid 20s. There are therefore some warmer water species here. You can expect to see trumpetfish, trevally and barracuda.

However it is for the breathtaking Galapagos Islands diving that Wolf and Darwin are famed. Your breath may be taken way by the sight of vast schools of hammerheads plus eagle rays, Galapagos sharks and turtles. These sites can be so thick with action that it is difficult to recall all the species that have come into view but mackerels, manta rays and even dolphins might put in an appearance. If you are lucky (you are lucky to be in the Galapagos at all) you might have an encounter with a whale shark, especially between the months of June and October.

Highlights

Landslide, Wolf Island is a sloping wall on the edge of Wolf Island which features rubbly, crevice-ridden topography. Many creatures profit from the protection this affords, such as a variety of moray eels often seen slithering around on the hunt for a snack. In the blue you should look out for eagle rays and Galapagos sharks, as well as other larger and pelagic species. However the stars of the show are the dozens of scalloped hammerheads that often cruise around in the blue.

Darwin's Arch, Darwin Island is as well known as a topside photograph as for the extraordinary goings-on below the waves. This site covers a reasonable area and can be dived in different ways depending on the current, so it could in truth be subdivided into different descriptions. What is constant is the likely hammerhead action, where, unlike the normal schooling behaviour the sharks are here to be cleaned by parasite-nibbling angelfish.

Closer to the reef you can see swirling schools of fish including rainbow runners and mackerels, while into the blue you may encounter dolphins, a whale shark or even more hammerheads in schools. This is one of those dive sites in the Galapagos where you feel more and more privileged to be there with each new thrilling encounter.

Send your diving holidays enquiry

How to Dive Wolf and Darwin

There is only 1 way to get to these amazing sites for your Galapagos Islands diving and that is by liveaboard safari. This is clearly not an area for beginners. Current, choppy seas, jagged rocks and more may be enough to spook the less experienced diver. Those with good buoyancy, who are comfortable in the water and have done a few dives in differing conditions, will be too distracted by the outrageous marine action to notice anything else.

Diving Season

The Galapagos Islands experience equatorial weather with a wet and dry season. Wet season, from January to July is when you can experience more frequent showers often with sunny spells either side of the brief but impressive showers. Water temperatures around Wolf and Darwin tend to be between 24 and 28°C. Dry season, from June to December obviously has less rain but also tends to be cooler and under cloudy, but un-menacing skies. In this region this means cooler water approximately in the 20 to 23°C range.

Reef Summary

Good for: Large animals and advanced divers
Not so good for: Beginner divers and wrecks
Depth: 12 - 30m
Visibility: 8 - 12m
Currents: Can be very strong, not for beginners
Surface conditions: Can be rough
Water temperature: 20 - 28°C
Experience level: Advanced
Number of dive sites: >10
Distance: ~760 km northwest of San Cristobal (~25 hours)
Access: Galapagos liveaboards
Recommended length of stay: 7 - 10 days

• Galapagos tourist information

View a map of:
• Galapagos Islands  -  Ecuador

Scuba diving vacation enquiries

Back to diving in Galapagos index