PETER HUGHES SKY DANCER, a superb 4-star luxury yacht -- Galapagos Islands scuba diving vacations.
( All photos on this web page are © Copyright Peter Hughes Diving, Inc. + Sky Dancer. )

Peter Hughes M/V Sky Dancer.
Galapagos Islands diving vessel.

HERE IS an EXCITING FIRST-PERSON NARRATIVE from FERNANDO, a DIVING GUIDE
on the PETER HUGHES SKY DANCER in the GALAPAGOS ISLANDS, on a typical cruise:

July 5 -- -- Wolf Island, 1st Dive: We enter the water right in the center of a large school of Hammerheads. Plus we also got engulfed by a huge school of skipjack tuna, which is the biological indicator for whale sharks in this area. Other Zodiac dive group saw one 30 Foot Whale Shark. 2nd Dive: Whale Sharks for everybody this time, divers very excited. PM Dives at The Arch: Whale Shark Heaven. At least eight sightings on each dive. Two animals at the same time not rare. I can identify at least six different animals from their markings.

July 6 -- -- Darwin Island: Many sightings of Whale Sharks, deep and shallow. The divers are great about not touching or trying to ride the whale sharks, so they approach us with no fear. Fantastic for all. Plus they are curious about the shape of our Zodiacs as they come right in and try to nudge the boats! Safety Stop on the second dive particularly memorable. Curious Silky Sharks our constant companions.Then a pod of dolphins decides to "buzz" us and hang around for a while. Then a couple of Whale Sharks come by when we are getting in the tenders and just won't take "no" for an answer. Everyone grabs snorkels and/or their SCUBA gear for extra time with the Whale Shark who just didn't want to leave. Incredible.

July 7 -- -- Wolf Island at The Arch: Three more dives, all with frequent encounters with these 25- 45 foot animals who are the size of an 18 wheel truck! Plus their remoras, jacks, and accompanying cast of freeloading characters. The divers are actually getting "used" to seeing Whale Sharks on every dive!

Note from Peter Hughes: Many thanks to Fernando for sharing his observations, experience, AND passion for Whale Sharks. And, for anyone lucky enough to have been diving with Fernando, they know just how good he is! The number of whale shark encounters have increased dramatically over the last couple of years since the institution of the "No Touch, No Ride" rule and it should be noted that Fernando was an early and eloquent supporter of this very sensible guideline.

Each year, from June through September, Wolf and Darwin Islands in the Galapagos play host to large numbers of Whale Sharks. It is as close to a "guarantee" as you can get in the diving world. Contrary to popular opinion, the Whale Sharks are not herbivorous plankton eaters. They eat a wide range of fish, floating crustaceans, and the like. And while they may "loll" on the surface, they are excellent divers who have been recorded in excess of 3,000 feet in search of food."

(Many text blocks & all photos appear courtesy of our longtime friends at Peter Hughes Diving Inc.)

GALAPAGOS ISLANDS: SCUBA DIVING LIVE-ABOARD VACATION --
  Located approximately 580 miles West of Ecuador lies the Galapagos Islands, a naturalists wonderland. These enchanted islands provide a natural habitat for numerous species of unusual wildlife. They were made famous by Charles Darwin during his studies over 120 years ago & were the inspiration for his "Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection". The bio-diversity of the Galapagos is spectacular. The islands are volcanic in origin with rare ecosystems of flora & fauna with coexisting aquatic & terrestrial wildlife. These 13 primary islands, 5 smaller islands & numerous islets & rock formations are part of the Ecuadorian National Park System & World Heritage Site. They play host to over 400 endemic species of wildlife throughout the island chain. The Galapagos Islands are the crossroad for the Equatorial Counter Current & colder Humboldt Current of South America, thus providing an area rich with nutrients & food for the numerous marine creatures. Whales, dolphins, sea lions, sharks, turtles & jacks join the many other species crossing your path as you cruise through these prolific waters.

Peter Hughes M/V Sky Dancer,
Galapagos Islands: Lido Deck.

Peter Hughes M/V Sky Dancer,
Galapagos Islands: Main Deck.

Peter Hughes M/V Sky Dancer,
Galapagos Islands: Dolphin Deck.

GALAPAGOS DIVING SITES you'll VISIT on the PETER HUGHES SKY DANCER:
  In addition to the diving the magnificent underwater sites of the Galapagos Islands your days are filled with island exploration & discovery. See fur seals & sea lions playing on the sand, marine iguanas swimming to group gatherings, giant land turtles feeding, penguins diving from rocks, booby birds performing mating dances, flightless cormorants courting & scores of other species of flora & fauna catching your eye during surface intervals.

Most experienced divers will agree, Wolf & Darwin are the best diving sites in the world! Sightings of the whale shark is common here. There are no land visitor sites here, just serious diving. At the Northern Arch at Darwin, Hammerhead sharks are not uncommon, nor are bottlenose dolphins. The reef contains many warm water varieties of fish found nowhere else in the Islands & is the most consistent place to see Hammerheads.

Wolf Island -- One of those magical islands, with several dive sites to choose from. If you want to see sharks, you are at the right spot. This is a place for schooling hammerhead sharks, large aggregations of Galapagos sharks, & occasionally whale sharks. Seeing dolphins, large schools of tuna, spotted eagle rays, barracudas, sea lions & sea turtles is common. The bottom is littered with hundreds of moray eels, many of them free swimming. Being several degrees warmer than the central islands, you can look for many representatives of the Indopacific underwater fauna.

• Currents: Normally from southeast, but variable. It goes from moderate to very strong. Eddies & down drafts associated to some dive sites. The south side of the island feature strong surge that is potentially dangerous if divers don't surface out in deep waters. Trust your guide & do as he recommends.
• Water temp: Dec - April: 76 - 82 / May – Nov: 74 – 76 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Thermoclines: at around 65 ft, but highly variable.

Darwin Island -- Considered by many experienced divers as the very best dive site in the world, The Arch at Darwin island honors its reputation. It is warmer by a few degrees than the central islands. In one single dive you can find schooling hammerhead sharks, Galapagos sharks, large pods of dolphins, thick schools of skipjack & yellow fin tuna, big eye jacks, mobula rays, & silky sharks. From June to November, we can almost guarantee whale sharks in numbers of up to 8 different individuals in one single dive. The presence of occasional tiger sharks, black & blue marlin & killer whales, ads on to this amazing diving experience. If you still have time to look for smaller stuff, you'll find octopus, flounders, & an enormous variety & abundance of tropical fish. Darwin Island is the biggest jewel on the Galapagos Crown.

• Currents: Normally from southeast, but variable. It goes from moderate to very strong. Current splits right in front of The Arch. Drifting south-southeast is potentially dangerous due to shallow reefs & the difficulty to cover that area for search. Trust your guide & do as he recommends.
• Water temp: Dec - April: 76 – 82 / May – Nov: 72 – 78 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Thermoclines: at around 65 ft but variable.

Cousins Rock -- To the North of Bartolome, Cousins is an interesting wall dive. Visibility is just fair most of the year. A dive site with a bit of everything for every taste. You can find white tipped reef sharks, hammerhead sharks, sea lions hunting, fur seals, & many sleeping sea turtles. A high light is a resident school of up to 30 spotted eagle rays. If you are interested in macro photography, look for sea horses, frogfish, lobster, arrow crabs, cup coral, blue crabs, long nose hawk fish, coral hawk fish, nudibranchs, etc. It is superb for night or day diving.

• Currents: prevalently from northeast. It goes from moderate to strong. Occasionally very strong, coming from the north. No worries, however, just come reasonably fit & your trip will be a sea breeze.
• Water temp: Dec - April: 74 –78 / May – Nov: 65 – 72 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Thermoclines: variable from 65 to 90 ft.

The Northern Channel -- In the south side of Seymour Island & no deeper than 50 feet deep, the northern channel is superb. It features an enormous "field" of garden eels, stingrays, a school of spotted eagle rays, white tipped reef sharks, & thick schools of grunts, snappers & goatfish. When Dr. Silvia Earle described Galapagos as "the fishiest place in the world", she had probably dived this dive site.

• Currents: from east. It goes from moderate to strong. When surfacing, water accelerates on top of the shallow part of the reef causing quick drifts. Make your safety stop holding to a rock.
• Water temp: Dec - April: 74 –78 / May – Nov: 68 – 72 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Thermoclines: at about 45 ft.

North Plaza -- In our normal itineraries, this dive site is the best way of ending your trip on board Sky Dancer. Its shallow waters are home for a rookery of playful young sea lions.

• Currents: none, sometimes, water motion associated to tides.
• Water temp: Dec - April: 74 –78 / May – Nov: 68 – 72 degrees Fahrenheit
• Thermoclines: none.

Gardner's Seamount -- This place features the biggest biodiversity of the archipelago. During a dive here, you can see anything from the smallest barnacle blenny to whale sharks. Common inhabitants of this seamount are large schools of yellow & dog snappers, Mexican goatfish, moray eels, sting rays, spotted eagle rays, white tipped reef sharks, pacific burr fish, guinea fowl puffers, bulls eye puffers, box fishes, king angelfish, three banded butterfly fish, barber fish & 3 species of grunts. If you venture in to the sandy bottom you may find red lipped batfish.

• Currents: normally from southeast. Variable, but mostly moderate.
• Water temp: Dec - April: 74 –78 / May – Nov: 68 – 72 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Thermoclines: at around 45 ft.

Enderby Island -- A great dive site. If you stay above 50 ft, you can see thick schools of king angelfish; yellow tailed surgeonfish, puffers, grunts, snappers & groupers. It is also a good place for hammerheads & Galapagos sharks. At the end of the dive, on the wall, you can find sea horses clinging on to the branches of the black coral.

• Currents: normally from south east. Variable, but mostly moderate.
• Water temp: Dec - April: 74 –78 / May – Nov: 68 – 72 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Thermoclines: at around 45 ft.

Champion Island -- One of the nicest real drift wall dives in Galapagos. You can easily glide along side the island escorted by a group of friendly sea lions. You can also look around for sharks, rays & sea turtles. If you are interested in small creatures, look for sea horses, long nose hawk fish & coral hawk fish.

• Currents: normally from south east. Variable, but mostly moderate.
• Water temp: Dec - April: 74 –78 / May – Nov: 68 – 72 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Thermoclines: at around 45 ft.

Devils Crown -- A shallow dive site that features thick schools of all kinds of tropical fish. Groupers, snappers, grunts, Creole fish, rays, shrks, morays, jacks, sea lions & turtles mingle together in a chaotic frenzy of sea life. Hold on to a rock & enjoy the show.

• Currents: normally from south east, variable from moderate to very strong.
• Water temp: Dec - April: 74 –78 / May – Nov: 68 – 72 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Thermoclines: none.

Roca Redonda -- The word unpredictable was specifically created to describe this dive site. It is the peak of an enormous underwater mountain. It is famous for its Galapagos sharks, schooling hammerheads, & large schools of barracudas & underwater fumaroles. It is also famous for its overpowering down draft & surge, & its dramatic & sudden fog. It is not a place for beginners.

• Currents: Variable in both direction & strength. Very strong surge. Unpredictable downcurrent.
• Water temp: Dec - April: 74 –78 / May – Nov: 68 – 72 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Thermoclines: normally below 45 ft.

Tagus Cove -- Cold water dive (sometimes as low as 62 F.). It is excellent for sea turtles, & macro subjects such as red lipped batfish, & the endemic "camotillo" a species of fish restricted only to Galapagos waters. While making your safety stop, keep an eye out for penguins or flight less cormorants coming your way. On the deep sandy bottom you can find saw fish & devil rays.

• Currents: none.
• Water temp: Dec - April: 70 –76 / May – Nov: 62 – 72 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Thermoclines: variable, but normally below 65 ft.

North Seymour -- A nightmare for underwater photographers...."what lens should I bring along...??" . . . because it's great for everything, from tiny nudibranchs to Mantas, including every different type of ray you can think of (spotted eagle rays, marble rays, golden eagle rays, stingrays). It is also great for "piles" of sleeping white tipped reef sharks, sea lions, sea turtles, etc. Good for all sorts of rays all year round & especially good for Mantas from December until April. Lots of white tipped reef sharks rest on the sandy spots. Good place for sea lions, sea turtles & hammerhead sharks. Several thick schools of grunts & snappers live associated to the reef.

• Currents: prevalently from south. It goes from moderate to very strong.
• Water temp: Dec - April: 74 –78 / May – Nov: 68 – 72 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Thermoclines: at 45 ft & sometimes also at 75 ft.

Isla Lobos -- The best check out dive in the world. 20 ft of water, scores of friendly sea lions come to join the divers in their first dive in Galapagos. It is good for garden eels, some tropical fish & stingrays. Sea turtles & Eagle rays are found frequently. We have seen a couple of times marine iguanas grazing underwater.

• Currents: none, sometimes, water motion associated to tides.
• Water temp: Dec - April: 74 –78 / May – Nov: 68 – 72 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Thermoclines: none.

Punta Vicente Roca -- The best macro/ night dive site in Galapagos Islands, with a big variety of invertebrates ranging from sponges to octopus, plus red lipped batfish, frogfish, sea horses, port jackson sharks, etc. It can be cold (as low as 62 F). The list of invertebrates that is found on this wall dive is endless, from the simplest sponge to really beautiful flat worms. Also you can find sea horses, frogfish port jackson sharks, red lipped batfish, & the endemic "camotillo". At the beginning of the dive keep your eyes open for "mola mola" or moon fish.

• Currents: none.
• Water temp: Dec - April: 70 –76 / May – Nov: 62 – 72 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Thermo-clines: variable, but normally below 65 ft.

Gordon's Rocks -- An exciting dive. Manta rays, spotted eagle rays, Galapagos sharks & hammerheads are common sightings. Its unique underwater topography allows for ever changing conditions in terms of currents & surge. You can find sea turtles & seasonally, a large school of up to 50-cow nose or golden eagle rays. The best dive site in the Central Islands.

• Currents: from south east. Variable from moderate to very strong. Due to the peculiar underwater topography, there is the presence of eddies & downcurrents. Surge can be magnified inside the caldera of this very eroded underwater crater.
• Water temp: Dec - April: 74 –78 / May – Nov: 68 – 72 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Thermoclines: normally below 65 ft.

Cabo Marshall -- A good dive site. Hammerheads & mantas are a common sight. Chevron barracuda, snappers, groupers, & occasionally, thick schools of the endemic brown stripped salema are part of the resident underwater fauna. The infrequent presence of oceanic white tipped sharks, blue & black marlin make this a dive with lots of potential surprises.

• Currents: normally from the south east. Variable from moderate to very strong.
• Water temp: Dec - April: 74 –78 / May – Nov: 68 – 72 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Thermoclines: normally below 45.

The M/V Sky Dancer features two MK V Zodiac brand inflatable dive tenders of 6.5 meters in length (21.5 feet) & 2.5 meters in width with a stainless steel ladder at the stern & 40 hp 4-stroke engines for maximum efficiency & a smooth, quiet, low exhaust ride.

Each tender accommodates up to 8 guests on each, plus a driver. Each tender will also carry two dive masters on board: One is a Naturalist guide (and a qualified dive master) & the other is a dive professional approved by the National Park. One guide will assist with shooting video or photos. On land tours a guide will even carry a sun reflector to assist guests with taking well lit photos of land fauna without the use of a strobe (which is prohibited by the Marine Park).

Tenders will be boarded from either the port or starboard sides of the Sky Dancer via a ladder from the Dive Deck. Our experienced crew will be available to assist with the boarding & disembarking process to & from the dive tenders. Guests get on board in full dive gear (except for fins & mask). Cameras etc. will be handed down by our crew. Guests will then don fins on the short ride to the dive site. For divers who require special assistance we will endeavor to provide it. Backward rolls from the tender will be the most convenient way to enter the water. To re-board the tenders, guests may remove their gear in the water & hand it up to the driver, then they will either hoist themselves up onto the tender or use the ladder placed over the stern. All tanks & gear will be transferred back onto the Sky Dancer & to you place on the Dive Deck by the crew between dives.

When the TAME or AEROGAL flight is scheduled for early arrival, our Sky Dancer crew will escort all guests to the Galapagos Interpretation Center after being greeted at the airport & before boarding the Sky Dancer. This gives our guests a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the oceanography & volcanic origins, plus a view a very nice exhibit on the human history of the Galapagos Islands.

Sunday: Guests are welcomed aboard at approx. 1:00. After a short period of relaxation & adjustment there is a briefing & mandatory "check out dive" at Isla Lobos. A land walk at Isla Lobos is also scheduled. Dinner at 7:00 pm followed by Orientation Slide Show.

Each weekday morning is greeted with morning beverage service to your stateroom & a breakfast cooked to order. Lunch is always buffet, but an elegant dinner will be served to the table. Each evening provides an opportunity for entertainment, education or other diversion.

Monday: 2 dives at Cousins Rock in the morning & a land excursion at Bartolome Island. Possible opportunity to snorkel with Penguins at Bartolome. Night dive at Cousins Rock.

Tuesday: Land walk at Punta Espinosa & possibly opportunities to snorkel with Marine Iguanas. 3 dives this day including Caleta Tagus Cove & Punta Vicente Roca, an excellent night dive.

Wednesday to Friday: These days will include diving at the remote Wolf & Darwin Islands with up to four or five dives per day on Wednesday & Thursday & two dives on Friday before returning to the Central islands.

Saturday: Two dives will be scheduled at North Seymour & possibly Gordon Rocks in the Morning with a visit to Puerta Ayora in the afternoon for shopping & a tour of the Charles Darwin Research Station.

Second Sunday: 8:00 am departure is preceeded by a continental breakfast buffet. Once guests disembark there is still an opportunity to visit the Interpretation Center at San Cristobal before boarding the flight back to Ecuador's mainland.

What is the best time of year to visit the Galapagos Islands? Any time is a good time to visit Galapagos. The large schools of rays & sharks, plus sea turtles, sea lions, iguanas & penguins are found all year round. There are two main seasons, but the exception is during an El Nino or La Nina phenomenon, which changes everything. Whale Shark Season, from April to November, is when the chance to see whale sharks is almost 100%, & when the water in the central islands happens to be the coolest. The water temperatures at Wolf & Darwin, where we spend most of the time is warmer than in the rest of the archipelago (74-78^F). The divers who choose to travel during the cool season will be rewarded by the almost guaranteed presence of whale sharks at Darwin Island. Warm season, when the temperature all over the archipelago goes from 75^ (at the central Islands) up to 80^ (at Wolf & Darwin) & when the chances to see whale sharks are 50-50%, & when there is more "rays" activity (Manta, mobula, spotted eagles, & golden eagle rays get together in sometimes large schools to mate). December to April is the warmer wet season with water temperatures ranging from the mid 70'sF to the low 80'sF. The general rule is that the warm season is not as windy as the cooler season.

How are the Galapagos diving conditions? There are several major currents that influence the water temperatures throughout the archipelago. It is a general rule that the northern islands (Wolf, Darwin, Marchena, Genovesa & Pinta) are the warmest. The central islands are cooler but highly variable, depending on localized upwelling (Santa Cruz, Santiago, Floreana, Espanola, Pinzon & Santa Fe). The coolest part is located on the western side (Isabela & Fernandina). Some currents run parallel to the coast & are greatly influenced by tidal change. There are also localized down currents & upwellings. Even though divers may be experienced, it is a good idea to follow the advice of the Divemaster.

What kind of wetsuit should I wear in the Galapagos Islands on Sky Dancer? The subject of exposure protection is a very personal matter depending on how each diver's body reacts to water temperatures. During the warm season, a 3 - 5mm full wetsuit is normally sufficient. The use of a small hood or "beanie" is definitely recommended. During the cool season, a 5 - 7mm wetsuit with a hood is advised. One can also bring a 5mm hooded vest for added comfort or use a dry suit with a light undergarment.

U. S. DIVE TRAVEL NETWORK   &   PETER HUGHES DIVING

PARTNERS   in   LIVE-ABOARD   DIVING   VACATIONS   are   PROUD   to   ANNOUNCE that   BOTH   of   our   COMPANIES   are   CELEBRATING   our   16th   ANNIVERSARY in   the   DIVE   TRAVEL   INDUSTRY   this   YEAR,   & here's the best part -- USDT & the DANCER FLEET are OFFERING a

"LIST   of   SPECIAL   DISCOUNTS   &   NEW   CRUISE   PROMOTIONS" !!

This is one of the most exciting announcements to come down the live-aboard pike in many years.  There now is another stellar vessel to choose from in the Galapagos Islands.  This beauty on the bounding main was named the Sky Dancer, Peter Hughes announced in late fall of 1999.  She was launched amid considerable fanfare in May 2001. We ran one of the first full-vessel charters & have loved this vessel ever since.

Having repped the Peter Hughes Dancer Fleet for many years now, we expect nothing less than sterling quality, as Peter has shown our clients time after time, each new live-aboard he introduces somewhere in the world.

We all know that the Galapagos Islands offer some of the world's most remote & exotic adventure diving, yet because of this destination's keen popularity among the diving world's elite, there often is a scarcity of prime live-aboard space for divers booking fewer than 4-to-5 months before departure.  Now the new option opens doors big time for diver travelers to this enchanted maritime sector of Ecuador, more than 500 nautical miles west of the mainland in the Big Blue Pacific.

This Galapagos diving project will be a joint venture with a new partner firm called Ecoventura, which already now operates 2 eco-tour luxury live-aboards in the Galapagos Islands.

The Sky Dancer, Galapagos scuba diving yacht extraordinaire, is 100 feet long & will accommodate 16 diving guests plus a crew of nine.  This vessel, as do most of the Peter Hughes Dancer Fleet, will offer Nitrox fills to properly-trained & certified divers, as well as the traditional E-6 film processing service.  The Galapagos diving charters will run from 7 to 10 nights, & they will depart from the town of San Cristobal in the Galapagos, cruising at 12 knots.  Among the many locales this vessel will visit are the remote & sought-after Wolf & Darwin islands, where divers will search for penguins, sea lions, turtles, hammerhead shark schools, stingrays & scads of B2-bomber manta rays. Galapagos diving always = big critter intensity 2 D max!

Each & every one of Peter Hughes Dancer Fleet's 4-star luxury diving yachts provides clients with turndown bed service every day, morning coffee served in your stateroom, bathrobes, sit-down dining with a choice of two entrees every supper, snacks every morning & afternoon, clean towels every day in your stateroom, removal of your tank as you stand at the diving platform after surfacing, daily E-6 color slide processing right on board, & around-the-clock hands-on service from a crew that will treat you like royalty on this Galapagos diving yacht.

All Peter Hughes Dancer Fleet vessels, including the Star Dancer, are equipped with air-conditioning in all staterooms & common areas such as salon & lounge (except the Sea Dancer, which has A/C in the cabins only).  All Peter Hughes Dancer Fleet vessels offer private en-suite bathrooms, hot freshwater showers, audio & video entertainment centers, nightly entertainment, light tables for slides, excellent photo & video labs, open-air sundecks with some covered areas for sun protection, lockers for your dive gear, spacious stern jump-off areas with 2 exit ladders & showers right there waiting when you surface, camera work tables conveniently on the dive deck, & rigid decompression bars underwater, to increase your profile safety (except Sun Dancer).

Every Peter Hughes Dancer Fleet yacht is also equipped with twin Diesel engines, plus two 110/208-volt & 60-cycle generators, ultra-modern navigation gear, radar, depth finders, GPS & Weather-Fax systems, VHF & SSB radios, desalination plants that pump out from 2,400 to 3,600 gallons of fresh water each day, rescue & chase craft ready at all times & powerful dual air compressors, so you never have to deal with an empty tank.  If Peter Hughes, one of the resident geniuses in the world of diving yachts, hasn't thought of one "i" to dot or one "t" to cross, we challenge you to find that iota & let us know.  These splendid Peter Hughes Diving vessels are the creme de la creme of world live-aboards, & their prices are just plain fair for the quality offered. This Galapagos diving vacation is not to be missed by scuba divers who claim they have seen & done it all, & who've consulted "The Jaded Guru" -- Bendar Dundat. Galapagos diving is an adventure extraordinaire.

All Peter Hughes Sky Dancer dive package prices listed here are subject to possible change in this steadily evolving travel market. Lodging, side tour & diving prices are traditionally stable, as are live-aboard package prices; however air prices can fluctuate daily. Until air tickets are issued, all airlines reserve the right to change airfares without notice -- an industry standard per FAA rules. We at U.S. Dive Travel will price-protect you to the utmost of our professional ability; & that has been our pledge for well more than one decade now. Our tropical vacation experts normally secure excellent wholesale discount air tickets for our clients who book early enough to secure limited seats in the best price categories. Remember please, the federal government has deregulated all U.S.-based airlines, so only they control their pricing -- not any travel professionals. Early is good when seeking the best air ticket rates.

Unless specifically noted, these above scuba diving packages on our Galapagos live-aboards are prices for only the live-aboard portion of your dive trip, in most cases reflecting double-occupancy rooms. On most live-aboards such as Peter Hughes Sky Dancer , there will be no triple-occupancy staterooms offered. International air tickets & commuter "island-hopper" seats are always extra above these land costs. Nominal service fees are also extra for air tickets & the dive vessel + side tour components. The baseline tariffs for all clients on Peter Hughes Sky Dancer & our other Galapagos live-aboards start at $45 per person for the Galapagos live-aboard package portion + $25 pp for the air tickets. Late-booking clients may receive slightly higher tariffs on these Galapagos diving live-aboards. Solo clients on our Galapagos live-aboards will always pay a single supplement to secure a private stateroom -- normally 50% - 100% more than the standard double-occupancy rate for the live-aboard of your choice.

The preferred payment mode for all of our Peter Hughes Sky Dancer clients is by cashier's check or wire transfer in U.S. dollars. All Galapagos diving clients living outside the USA or Canada will need to pay for their dive vacations via direct wire transfer only. No personal checks will be accepted for any reservation. Thank you for your gracious understanding. Our service level is the highest & our prices the lowest in this industry, & thus we need to preserve a reasonable margin. For published-fare air ticket bookings, USDT always accepts Visa & Mastercard. For ultra-discount wholesale air tickets, especially large group bulk fares, USDT accepts only cashier's checks or wire transfers, please, for all Galapagos scuba diving tours.

If you need more detailed information regarding any of these scuba diving vacation topics -- U.S. Dive Travel, dive travel, live-aboards, live-aboard, liveaboards, liveaboard, Peter Hughes Diving, Peter Hughes, Sky Dancer, Dancer Fleet, Galapagos Islands, Galapagos liveaboard, Galapagos liveaboards, Galapagos live-aboard, Galapagos live-aboards, Galapagos diving or Galapagos scuba diving -- please feel free to call our travel planners any time for more in-depth assistance. They have a wealth of data & experience to share with you re' U.S. Dive Travel, dive travel, live-aboards, live-aboard, liveaboards, liveaboard, Peter Hughes Diving, Peter Hughes, Sky Dancer, Dancer Fleet, Galapagos Islands, Galapagos liveaboard, Galapagos liveaboards, Galapagos live-aboard, Galapagos live-aboards, Galapagos diving or Galapagos scuba diving -- & we thank you for your interest.

Remember, all Galapagos diving vacation clients to all foreign destinations will be asked by local officials overseas, upon departing the airport on your final day, to pay a nominal government departure tax, usually between USD $35 - $40 per client. USDT cannot collect this tax beforehand, so you simply pay it down there, in your host country. Be sure to stash away a little cash for this final moment at the airport, after your Peter Hughes Sky Dancer adventure, so you'll get your exit visa stamped quickly with no fuss; & away you go. Try Peter Hughes Sky Dancer; it's a gem, folks. Best of luck with your Galapagos scuba diving vacation plans. We hope your Galapagos diving package is a safe & satisfying adventure. Blessings & best wishes with ALL your dive Galapagos scuba diving vacations.

Best fishes too!

>////*>   <*\\\\<

John Hessburg & Susan Hessburg, Mgrs.
U.S. Dive Travel Network.