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Liveaboard Diving in Wolf Island

What to expect on a Wolf Island Liveaboard.

Wolf and Darwin islands are the most remote in the Galapagos archipelago. They sit over 160 kilometers/100 miles from the main island of Isabella on the Darwin-Wolf volcanic ridge. Wolf Island is named after the famous geologist Theodor Wolfe and is the more southerly of the two. The waters around Wolf Island have been recognized as some of the best dive sites in the world for many years.

The shape of the ocean floor means nutrient-rich currents flow around the island, bringing a huge array of sea life with it, including, of course, the larger pelagics. This spectacular parade of wildlife includes shoals of thousands of hammerheads, Galapagos sharks, tiger sharks, dolphins, and, in season, the magnificent whale sharks.

The island is closed to land visits, and the surrounding waters are highly protected. Due to the threat of illegal fishing, the Galapagos National Park Service has a dedicated floating barge, the 'Tiburon Martillo', close to the two islands. Along with a fleet of patrol boats and a surveillance aircraft, this barge helps deter finning boats drawn here by the sheer numbers of sharks in this jewel of the Galapagos Marine Park.

Daily Schedule

Morning

Early mornings are a stable feature of any Galapagos liveaboard, and once again, you will be up before 6 am for a light breakfast and maybe a coffee. The dive briefing will be highly informative although it might be hard to concentrate when you start hearing things like 'shoals of hammerheads', 'tiger sharks', 'loggerhead turtles', 'dolphin pods' and 'the occasional orca'. Try to keep up, though; the conditions in Wolf and Darwin can be some of the roughest, and the currents are very strong, so you will want to know what is happening. If you haven't already, your BCD will be fitted with a GPS location device just in case.

You will be dropped at the first dive site by the Panga tender. Which sites you visit are very weather and current dependant. If conditions are good, the first up is usually El Derrumbe and The Landslide. Here is a huge rock reef where you can look out into the blue and see the iconic hammerhead shoals passing by, hundreds strong. The dive will normally be around 50-60 minutes, and you still won't want to come up. Don't worry, after a proper breakfast and surface interval you will be dropped back at The Landslide for dive two and more amazing diving.

Afternoon

If the first half of the day is spent at the Landslide, you will move on to The Cave or Shark Bay after lunch. The choice of sites will be at the mercy of the conditions, but either way, you are in for two amazing dives whichever you visit. The pangas will drop you off and pick you up from the main boat for both dives.

Evening

During the warm season, the fourth dive can be scheduled as a night dive instead of an afternoon. For the rest of the year, the liveaboard will anchor up for the night or, if conditions permit, start sailing to Darwin Island. Either way, stay on the deck as much as possible; there is always much to see. Dolphin pods are often still around, and huge red kites often come and hitch a ride on the handrails of the boat.

Wolf Island Underwater

Hammerheads, Galapagos sharks, tiger sharks, mantas, tuna, dolphins, the list goes on. Wolf has everything divers visit Galapagos for, it is truly breath-taking diving. The landslide is a boulder-strewn reef which, you guessed it, resembles a landslide. This reef falls into the blue, and you can sit on the edge here, hold on, and witness one of the most amazing aquatic shows on earth. You will be surrounded by more sharks, turtles, and shoals of rays than you ever imagined. The landslide is also a great place to get close to the hammerheads. If you wait on the reef, they often swim up so close you could almost touch them.

The Cave is a stunning cavern and a series of swim-throughs with beautiful, soft white corals. This is a great place to see hammerheads and the shy Galapagos sharks. The current here is strong, making outside the caves the ideal hunting ground for tuna and almaco jacks.

Shark Bay is again home to hammerhead sharks, tiger sharks, and legions of turtles. The bay starts around 10 meters / 33 ft. and is shallower than other dives so divers can play with friendly sea lions. Further along, around 20 meters / 65 ft., you can see hammerheads and shoals of rays. The current here is high, and the swell is quite strong, especially close to the shore, which can often lead to an unexpected drift dive.

Top Tips for Wolf Island

The current is strong, and the reefs are covered in barnacles, so wear gloves for protection. Also, watch out for hogfish always biting at loose barnacles, even if your hand is in the way.
When hammerheads are on the reef, stay low and as still as possible, and you will get some real close-ups.
The conditions can be rough at Wolf's surface, and pulling yourself back on the panga is a challenge. Stick to the back of the boat where the inflatable is lower.
If the current eases, slip out into the blue for your safety stop, chances are you will run into shoals of sharks and sometimes dolphins.

Getting to Wolf Island

Wolf is usually the second stop for liveaboards after Punta Carrion, and the sail is an evening and overnight sail. The waters can be a little wild in places, but don't worry; this is what Galapagos liveaboards are built for. When you arrive, you will start to feel how remote and special this place is. Sitting up on the deck for an early coffee, you can see the pods of dolphins surrounding the island, a host of sea birds, and rays breaching if you are lucky.

Wolf Island Diving Reviews

9.1 Superb
144 Verified Reviews

8.8 Fabulous
Jane S
United States

Fantastic diving, good water temp and above all, great schools of sharks!

Diving Wolf Island in August on the Humboldt Explorer

10.0 Exceptional
Jennifer R
United States

AMAZING. Big current, but the first spot we started to see the big fish...

Diving Wolf Island in August on the Galapagos Sky

9.6 Exceptional
Laura R
United States

Insanely amazing! Some strong currents, but it didn't matter when you get to see tons of hammerheads, Galapagos Sharks, Silkies, eels galore, spotted eagle rays, massive turtles and yellow fin tuna, and the largest schools of fish I have ever seen in my life!

Diving Wolf Island in December on the Humboldt Explorer

8.4 Very good
Igor T
United States

Amazing, so many seals, sharks, hammerheads (schools of 60), sea horses, octopus, lobsters, 4 different types of sharks, etc. It's like diving in an aquarium.

Diving Wolf Island in February on the Humboldt Explorer

9.6 Exceptional
Steven W
United States

I have never dived a better place than Wolf Island - the quantity and variety of marine life was without peer in this world, in my opinion. This has to be the best, if not one of the best, dive sites in the world.

Diving Wolf Island in February on the Galapagos Aggressor III

8.4 Very good
Gary W
United States

Over the top! The largest groups of hammerheads seen here

Diving Wolf Island in March on the Humboldt Explorer

9.2 Superb
Patick W
United States

Good but strong currents. Saw schools of hammerheads, green turtles, fine-spotted morays, white tip sharks, galapagos sharks, hogfish, schools of big eyed jacks and steel pompanos and lots of small stuff along the wall dives.

Diving Wolf Island in February on the Nortada

8.8 Fabulous
John G
United States

Exceptional. Tons of hammerhead sharks. Visibilty in afternoon not very good. Did a night dive and a very large cave dive here as well. Water pretty warm in Feb. Did not like Elephant Ils. dive lots of current and not many critters. Did same dive sites at least twice.

Diving Wolf Island in February on the Nortada

8.4 Very good
Amanda C
United States

Fantastic, the best diving of the trip. Dolphin pods, schooling hammerheads, better visibility than other sites. Saw a whale shark here too.

Diving Wolf Island in June on the Humboldt Explorer

9.2 Superb
Alicia I
United States

World-class, I was giggling into my regulator the whole time

Diving Wolf Island in December on the Humboldt Explorer

9.2 Superb
Ryan L
United States

Current & surge at Landslide. Hammerhead, Galapagos Shark, Rays, Turtles. Anchor Bay is nice for a night dive.

Diving Wolf Island in October on the Galapagos Aggressor III

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Liveaboard Diving in Wolf Island

What to expect on a Wolf Island Liveaboard.

Daily Schedule

Wolf Island Underwater

Top Tips for Wolf Island

Getting to Wolf Island

Wolf Island Diving Reviews

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