Galapagos Aggressor III Trip Report
Galapagos Aggressor III Trip Report
5th – 12th of December 2019
Thursday 5th of December 2019
(test dive at Punta Carrion in the Itabaca Channel)
As we were staying in Puerto Ayora we took a taxi to the Itabaca Channel. I was told a bus was no option so we just hailed one of the many Toyota Hilux taxi’s driving around town. Fantastic cars but not really environmental friendly in my opinion. The standard price for this 42km trip is 25USD. We arrived at 12 o’clock sharp and were greeted by Stephan the cruise director. A Mexican couple was already waiting and after an English couple arrived we were taken to the Aggressor III by zodiac.
Stephan showed us our upstairs room number 7 which was quite big and comfortable. It had a huge window but as everybody was walking by constantly we kept the blinds closed for most of the time. We always try to spent as little time as possible in our room just change clothes after diving and sleep. Soon the other guests arrived. A nice mix of Americans and Australians. We had the boat briefing, dive briefing and also a fire drill just as I was checking out the jacuzzi. 
The other passengers did a check dive from the big boat in the Itabaca Channel. The water looked really greenish and the viz couldn’t have been more than 1 meter. Cause both of us had ear problems from the diving trip on the Calypso the week before, there was no need for us to do this check dive. Besides one of the dive guides on the Calypso, Sebastian, was now scheduled as a dive guide on the Aggressor III. We enjoyed a bit of sun (finally) on the top deck and looked at the sea lion swimming by and an occasional turtle passing. There were also pelicans and boobies.
In the evening we had a top deck BBQ dinner where the dressed up crew introduced themselves. Than the guests introduced themselves and expressed their expectations for the week. This was the only time on this trip that mosquitos really bothered us. For the night we moved from the side of the channel into the middle and parked next to a huge vessel. This ship produced a really loud monotonous humming sound that made a nice romantic stargazing impossible. It also blew the chance of having a nice quiet first night as the sound made it well into all rooms.
Friday 6th of December 2019
1 dive at Punta Carrion (Santa Cruz Island)
1 dive at Bartolomé Punta
When we get up at 4.45 food smells are already coming from the kitchen. After a lot of cloudy mornings (see Calypso trip), finally clear skies and a nice sunrise. Too bad the loud monotonous sound is still there! 7.15 a long briefing. Each of us is given a Nautilus Lifeline, Dive Alert and a dive flag/SMB. Dive times will be 55 minutes, 30 meters max. Then we start moving. Our first dive will be around the corner at Punta Carrion.
Dive 1: Santa Cruz Island – Punta Carrion
Time: 8.34
Dive time: 59 minutes
Depth: 29,1 meters
The viz is okay for Galapagos standards about 10m. Same goes for the temperature about 23 degrees Celsius. We both dive double 7mm and still think it’s chilly. Viz and temperature will get better once you get to Wolf and Darwin. On this dive we’ve seen a glimpse of a big shark. 2 small Galapagos sharks stayed with us much longer. A few eagle rays swam past in the blue and a big manta flew over us. Furthermore turtles and moray eels. We end our dive in a big school of black striped Salema.
As soon as everybody is back on board we start moving to Bartolomé Island. While hanging out the swimwear I get to see a family of 4 (of which one baby) whale size in the wake behind the boat. As they are moving away from the boat I have not been able to determine what they were but they were so much bigger than the bottlenose dolphins that showed up later riding the bow waves of the boat for a few minutes. The wind is picking up and so are the waves.
Dive 2: Bartolomé Punta
Time: 13.18
Dive time: 42 minutes
Depth: 25,4 meters
Lousy viz max 7m. Little current. Temp about 23 degrees Celsius. A small and a medium size Galapagos shark, a big ray, turtles and moray eels. Some fish, some corals. 
After the dive the real fun starts when we’re taken to the Island for an afternoon hike up 372 steps to Bartolomé Summit. There are already several boats anchored as this is a very popular site for Galapagos cruises. Cloudy skies and very windy, but great views. As an official guide Walter has tons of information about the place and is eager to share all of it. Before we go back to the boat we do a panga ride to Pinnacle Rock and look at a few sea lions and 3 penguins. Guess the mandatory 2 meter distance to animals does not apply to the zodiac. With all camera’s having zoom these days, it’s not necessary to get so extremely close to a lonely penguin or resting sea lion. Fish are jumping from the water and some boobies are diving in to catch them. As soon as we’re back on board we start moving again and pass Cousins Rock where we’ll do our last dive of the trip.
Saturday 7th of December 2019
4 dives at Wolf
When the alarm clock sounds at 4.45 we’re still sailing and rocking around. Big breakfast before diving, something I don’t like, but understandable as we’ll only have an one hour interval between the first and the second dive. For breakfast strawberry or peach yoghurt, several cereals and some fruits are available. Eggs, toast, pancakes, waffles can be ordered from the menu.
Dive 3: Wolf – the Point to Landslide 
Time: 7.56
Dive time: 58 minutes
Depth: 24 meters
Partially cloudy. We roll next to the Island and dive down to 5m and then slowly descent. Viz is good and the temperature is so much more pleasant. There’s a sea lion entertaining the other group but the hammerheads seem to be engaged elsewhere. Some swim up to the reef to get cleaned, some are out in the blue. We see 10 max at the same time. 2 mobula rays pass by. During the safety stop we spot the first turtle where normally a turtle is the first thing you see when you go down.
Dive 4: Wolf – Landslide 
Time: 10.12
Dive time: 61 minutes
Depth: 27 meters
Cloudy but still good viz 15-20m. Every entry here you’ll do next to the Island, swim to 5m and then slowly descend. Now it seems everybody is awake. Big schools of hammerheads out in the blue (to far out for the camera), lots of action at the cleaning station. Besides a coming and going of hammerheads groups of little fishes are spawning. Big Galapagos sharks are cruising the reef and we spot a turtle.
We have a long zodiac ride back to the boat and stop along the way to look at some birds (boobies, frigate). The Aggressor III is anchored in a bay. Not many waves here so we can enjoy our BBQ lunch at the top deck and a dip in the jacuzzi.
We rock and roll back towards Landslide on the big boat and get on the zodiac for the last meters to the dive site. Where the Calypso was usually parked in a calm area the Aggressor III always stays close to the divers. In my opinion the advantage is zodiac rides are short. Disadvantage however is lots of rocking while getting geared up. Another difference between the 2 companies is that groups at the Aggressor are not strict. When you’re ready you just go into the zodiac.
Dive 5: Wolf – Landslide
Time: 14.12
Dive time: 62
Depth: 27,6 meters
Fantastic dive with large schools of hammerheads passing in the blue, lots of hammerheads visiting the cleaning station, big Galapagos sharks cruising the reef, Silky sharks passing overhead. One of the Silkies has a piece of fishing line and a big lure hanging from its jaw even though shark fishing is not allowed in the Galapagos! An eagle ray couple swims passed us. She (big) in the front, he (smaller) follows in her slipstream. When we arrive back at the surface we’re greeted by lots of juvenile boobies. A fluffy booby chick was rescued from the water and is taken back to the boat with us. From previous trips, like the one to Socorro, I know that birds stranded on a boat have little chance to survive. I wonder how this will work out.
Dive 6: Wolf – Landslide
Time: 16.31
Dive time: 53
Depth: 21,9 meters
Because it is already 16.20 the dive time is restricted to 45 min max and dept to 20 m max. Big schools of hammerheads out in the blue. The 4 big Galapagos sharks are patrolling the reef and are cruising in between the divers not scared at all of bubbles. Later we hear the was a wounded grouper around they might have been looking for. On the safety stop there’s a small school of bigeye jacks that starts circling me. Oceanic triggerfish rise from the deep. Wahoo’s swim along with hammerheads. 2 tuna’s pass by. Heavy-hearted we climb into the zodiac.
And off we go to Darwin.
Sunday 8th of December 2019
4 dives at Darwin
4.45 we wake up next to Darwin Island. Still dark, cloudy skies, smells from in the kitchen, no boats around. As it gets lighter the birds start to get ready to leave the island. First dive, than breakfast. During the briefing the Aggressor III sails towards the Arch. We get in the zodiac for a short ride and roll in.
Dive 7: Darwin’s Arch – Sand to Theatre
Time: 6.39
Dive time: 55 minutes
Depth: 25 meters
We roll where the sand meets the rocks. Lots of hammerheads cruise the sandy bottom. Above us a big cloud of fusiliers that suddenly splits in 2 groups when a Galapagos shark swims by. We hang a while on the rocks and then get onto the sand. Be aware there is some kind of algae on the sand/coral that can cause irritation to the skin. If you get the stuff on you face you may get a rash. There’s a munching turtle on the bed of broken corals, hammerheads cruising on the bottom and 10-15 in the blue. A school of barracudas passes overhead. Than it’s back to the rocks and a nice stroll direction Theatre. There is hardly any current. Not much light either. Dive guide Walter found himself a new friend. An affectionate grouper that keeps circling him waiting to be petted. A group of 20-40 hammerhead in the blue. A Galapagos, porcupine boxfish, groupers, moray eels. We go out into the blue for our safety stop to find a big school of circling bigeye jacks. Wahoo’s next to it and behind those we spot a wall of hammerhead. We take a closer look. There must be hundreds. Viz in the blue seems to be better than close to the reef. Maybe 25m.
Dive 8: Darwin’s Arch – sand
Time: 9.36
Dive time: 46 minutes
Depth: 28,3 meters
Little wind, flat sea, sunny blue skies and great viz when we roll in on top of the rocks next to the sand. All the barber cleaning fish cluster together behind big stones as if like being on a lunch break. A cloud of fusiliers that opens up when a silky passes. Lots of hammerheads everywhere. On the sand a turtle surrounded by surgeonfish. More hammerheads and then we lost the group. We pass a huge bed of starfish we’ve seen before but don’t find familiar terrain. In fact the sandy bottom here looks quite different and so does the rock formation. It is getting shallow, we start to feel surge and current and decide that after 40 minutes it’s time to go up. We use a SMB and the zodiac is there before we hit the surface. We found we drifted of a little towards Darwin’s Island into the channel between the Arch and the Island.
When everybody is again in the boat we go close to the Arch to find sea lions lying in the sun. The guides take pictures of everybody with the Arch in the background. They will give us these photos at the end of the trip. 
After lunch there is plenty of time to get in some sun and take a dip in the jacuzzi. More and more clouds are coming and by the time we’re ready for the 3rd dive the sun has disappeared but dolphins showed up. 1 does a somersault next to the boat.
Dive 9: Darwin’s Arch 
Time: 13.40
Dive time: 69 minutes
Depth: 19 meters
We drop at the very bottom of Darwin’s Arch, but the sea lions don’t come out and play. We find ourselves in a heavy surge and have to crawl into deeper water to get out of it. The viz is less than the dive before. Back on the sand hammerheads and turtles everywhere. We’re about to start our safety stop with hammerhead swimming under us on the sand when Walters starts banging his tank and points. Dolphins! We go after them first and then begin our safety stop. But now we hear the zodiac’s engine roar and try to figure out what’s up. Okay, they wanted to let us know, the dolphins are back. The whole family passes us by. The big one looks at us and nods. We’re the last ones out of the water.
We have one hour interval. The wind picked up and so did the swells. Cloudy skies.
Dive 10: Darwin’s Arch – sand 
Time: 16.09
Dive time: 55 minutes
Depth: 28,1 meters
Viz is like dive before. Big school of hammerheads. Lots of turtles. We pass the carpet of sea stars again but now still have the group in sight. We go back to the rocks. Above us we hear the zodiac. When we look up we see 3 silkies circling it. Later we found out it was the Australian getting into the zodiac that was the object of their interest. Ever since we were surrounded by 6 silkies on a safety stop in Cocos I’ve not been a great fan of these guys. We surface near the reef to find that there are big swells. 
Monday 9th of December 2019
2 dives at Darwin
2 dives at Wolf
We wake up and it’s cloudy and windy. Next to us a fishing boat. Again! There is a vessel sailing towards us. It’s not the big fishing boat. That one we’ll see later at Wolf with the other smaller boats. It is another liveaboard, an ex-fisherman who now takes out divers to look at fish.
Dive 11: Darwin’s Arch – sand
Time: 6.25
Dive time: 60 minutes
Depth: 31,6 meters
Very quiet. No fusiliers, only a few hammerheads. First a big one followed by a small one and then 3. After 10 minutes waiting on the sand we go back to the rock. Here is some fish. A school of tuna passes overhead. Then 10 hammerhead sharks. Cold water wells up from the deep and viz is not so great. We swim towards the Theatre and get into the blue there. We pass a Galapagos, an Oceanic Black Tip and a White Tip shark along the way. Until now there was very little current, but in the blue the current picks up. Strange swirls appear in the water and bubbles are coming back into our faces. We hang with Walter hoping to see loads of hammerheads but we don’t. We do see another school of tuna, jacks and some wahoo’s. When we surface we find ourselves surrounded by juvenile boobies and big waves. The zodiac leaves and the fishing boat comes to hunt the tuna.
Dive 12: Darwin’s Arch – sand 
Time: 9.22
Dive time: 61 minutes
Depth: 27,4 meters
Very cloudy, very windy and big waves when we roll on the sand. Viz deteriorated even more. Now you have to lay flat on your belly on the sand to see the hammerheads cruising. We go back to the rocks we’re there are plenty little fish, big groupers, turtles, a Galapagos, a lobster, a big stingray and a white tip. In the blue an oceanic black tip and several hammerheads swim by. Above us silkies and the big school of bigeye trevallies.
And off we go back to Wolf Island. Despite the big waves they still serve soup for lunch before the buffet opens. We sail towards the sun. Wolf Islands looks beautiful. Too bad the 2 small fishing boats and the big fishing boat are also in the picture. I still find it hard to digest that you travel to the end of the world, pay a fortune for diving and still have fishing boats around. But than again, everybody onboard was happy to eat fish except us. We rather see fish underwater than eat them and overfishing and ghost nets are a serious problem we do not like to contribute to.
Dive 13: Wolf – Landslide
Time: 13.45
Dive time: 53 minutes
Depth: 27 meters
Rough water and a bit greenish on the site near the rocks. Viz is not so good 10 – 15m. Huge surge. But the hammerheads are there and also the Galapagos and turtles. We also see 2 flounders and a big black ray.
Dive 14: Wolf – the Point
Time: 16.08
Dive time: 64
Depth: 17 meters
The plan is to play with the sea lions at 5m, go deeper to look at the sharks and then back to the sea lions. The dive site is already in the shadow. When we roll there are 2 small sea lions and 2 big Galapagos swimming near the surface. Because of the surge we go deeper to look for hammerheads and see a few straight away. A big school of hammerheads passes in front of us. 6 juvenile African Pompano’s are cruising. A small eagle ray passes. When several minutes pass without hammerheads showing we go back to the sea lions. There’s a very playful one who likes to bite fins. He’s very interested in divers until he spots a Galapagos shark going near the sea lion nursery. He rushes to chase the shark away. We max out our dive time.
As soon as we’re all onboard the boat starts sailing again. Next stop Fernandina Island. We have dolphins swimming along and a bit of a sunset where the skies turn red. No soup for dinner.
Tuesday 10th of December 2019
2 dives at Cabo Douglas (Fernandina Island)
2 dives at Punta Vicente Roca (Isabella Island)
After a very bumpy night we still haven’t reached Fernandina. So breakfast and briefing first. It’s cloudy and windy. The little chick that’s parked under the camera table is still very much alive. Maybe we can drop it of at the Darwin Institute at Santa Cruz as one of the crew suggested.
Dive 15: Fernandina Island – Cabo Douglas
Time: 7.49
Dive time: 28 minutes
Depth: 26,4 minutes
Chilly water. Viz 7m. Sandy bottom with some rocks. We see a couple of Harlequin wrasse in white, orange and yellow and a turtle. We go looking for red lipped batfish. These little things seem to have been in contact with divers with big (camera)lights before and are not waiting around to be blinded yet another time. We make it a short dive an pass our chance to see a sea robin.
The viz from the boat is more spectacular. The mountains, the iguana’s on the beach, pelicans, flightless cormorants, sea lions and turtles. We also see the fin of a Mola Mola behind the boat but no effort was made to offer a closer look with the zodiacs. The sun doesn’t show and it’s still not warm. The Iguana’s are not going into the water yet. Under time pressure we do go in for a max 30 minute dive.
Dive 16: Fernandina Island – Cabo Douglas
Time: 10.33
Dive time: 30 minutes
Depth: 5 meters
Viz 5 to 7 m. Dept 3-5 m. I see 1 swimming iguana and 0 flightless cormorants and 0 penguins. This is the first dive I find and pick up 2 pieces of garbage. The only fun part of this dive is the sea lion that swims by every once and a while.
I feel very fortunate that we dived here last week with the Calypso under perfect conditions. Clear blue skies, sunny and warm with lots of iguana’s in the water. By the end of the dive there were too many to count. Plus I liked the zodiac ride along the shore offered by the Calypso prior to the dive. That’s when we saw a Mola Mola.
All aboard and here we go again towards Isabella Island. But I miss somebody. The little chick I checked before and after every dive is suddenly gone?! Can’t have died ‘cause it was very lively an hour ago. Later they tell us that the chick was dropped on Fernandina island by one of the crew members. B.S.
We’re now sailing with the wind and the waves which makes traveling more comfortable. It also feels warmer. When we get near to Punta Vicente Roca there are 2 other boats. Later more will arrive. It is a very popular spot for Galapagos cruises. Although landing is not allowed an abundant wildlife can be spotted from a panga. We also see people snorkel.
Dive 17: Isabella – Punta Vicente Roca
Time: 13.33
Dive time: 44 minutes
Depth: 35,4 meter
We roll of the panga right at the corner and go down to 25m and wait for Mola’s to visit the cleaning station. We’re in the thermocline and it’s really cold but good viz 10 – 15 m. After a freezing 10 minutes we make our way along the wall and hit a little current. As soon as we level up the water gets warmer and the viz drops down to 5 – 7 m. The wall is nicely covered in coral. With a little luck or help from the dive guides you can spot seahorses, frogfish, lobsters and other macro life. To be honest, we didn’t travel to the end of the world and spent a small fortune to look for macro. For that there are plenty of cheaper and easier accessible places with warmer water and better visibility. Luckily every once and a while the sea lion comes around. I’m swimming along dive guide Sebastian when I spot the yellow tank of dive guide Walter 7 m below us. He turns away from the wall and starts banging his tank. I start kicking down all the way to 34 m to find myself in an cold water aquarium with in the middle a Mola Mola being cleaned. I drop behind a big rock covert in corals hoping not to scare the Sunfish away. It stays a brief moment but something or someone startles it and with 2 moves of the fins it’s gone. With only 4 minutes to deco I quickly go up higher but take a moment to look at the bullhead shark. Before we hit the surface we see several rays, turtles and a school of tuna. 
With only an one hour interval I don’t take of my wetsuit. We have fun looking at the many turtles in the water around the boat. Then a sealion draws our attention. It’s playing with something. It takes a while to find out what the object is that gets tossed around. Turns out it’s a fish tail.
Dive 18 Isabella Island – Punta Vicente Roca
Time: 15.45
Dive time: 51 minutes
Depth: 35,7 meters
As only few got a glimpse of the Mola Mola we try to go to the same spot again. On the way I spot a dead iguana on the seafloor. Does that count as a sighting as well? When we hit 30m there is no viz at all. So level up and start cruising. Seahorses, lots of rays. A school of parrot fish, barracudas, tuna, 5 eagle rays, huge turtles some looking for a place to spent the night, 2 sea lions chasing each other, yellow anemones and a sea anemone flower.
We surface next to the rocks with penguins, sea lions and iguana’s on them. No time for a touristic cruise along the rocks and the beach to look at the birds. It’s back to the boat and sail to Cousin rock. There is just a tiny bit of sunset light but it colours the dramatic coastline of Isabella Island beautifully. 
In the evening we have a toast with the crew, the iron diver award ceremony and a special dinner. The dive guides Walter and Sebastian made a wonderful movie report of the trip which is shown and can be bought for 65 USD. 
Wednesday 11th of December 2019
1 dive at Cousins Rock
After a bumpy night we find ourselves anchored in calm water. Briefing at 6.15.
Dive 19: Cousins Rock
Time: 6.37
Dive time: 50 minutes
Depth: 20 meters
We’re in the zodiac when Walter points out 3 bright pink flamingo’s flying by near the shore line. What a treat. We roll in the quiet but very cold water (19 degrees Celsius) next to the Island. Plenty sea lions on the rock and one also swims by frequently underwater. Viz is between 5 – 7 m. We make our way to the corner and pass at least 5 turtles, 1 octopus and schools of tuna and barracuda. On the corner we wait. The big school of fusiliers splits in two when the sea lion shoots up from the deep. We continue by cruising the plateau. Lots of fish on the bottom and huge schools of fish circling above us. An oceanic blacktip shark checks us out and speers of. 2 eagle rays pass by. Walter starts banging his tank and points. We start swimming and see a flock of 10 to 12 mobula rays. After this sighting we finish our last dive in the Galapagos.
Back on the boat we disconnect and rinse gear and put it up to dry. In no time we’re sailing again the long stretch to Puerto Ayora. We have breakfast and later lunch. In Puerto Ayora we’re picked up by a bus and taken into the cloudy high lands to visit tortoise sanctuary Rancho El Manzanillo. This time I brought my own socks for the rubber boots they make you ware. Walter is also on land a very relaxed guide. He doesn’t make us walk the whole route (we did that last week). We’re back in town at 17.00 which only leaves little time for souvenir hunting, beer tasting and dinner. The panga brings us back to the boat and at 23.00 we start sailing again.
Thursday 12th of December 2019
We wake up next to the gas station at Baltra Island. On this last day we are treated with a beautiful sunrise. It does not take long to spot a turtle, sea lions and pelicans. After breakfast a bus brings us to the airport and we pas a blue footed booby and an iguana on route. The airport is tiny but has a nice little outdoor coffee place also good for food. We envy the arriving passengers who start their Galapagos Adventure. 
As the plane takes off we fly over the Itabaca Channel where we see the Galapagos Aggressor III anchored and also the big vessel that made the monotone noise. Hope the new guests brought their earplugs!