Galapagos Aggressor III, Galápagos

Trip of a lifetime!

The Aggressor exuded excellence at every opportunity. I was truly amazed. Diving was world class. Highly recommend this operator!

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Amazing service, amazing diving, amazing people!

Galapagos Exceeded Expectations

Drift diving, cave diving and side trips. Sharks! Sharks! Sharks! Galapagos, Reef, Hammerheads, Tiger and WHALE! Manta Rays, Pilot Whales, Dolphins, Eagle, Marbled and common Rays, Sea Lions, Fur Seals, Turtles, Eels and SO MUCH MORE. We are advanced/technical divers but this was our first trip to Galapagos. Liveaboard accommodations were the obvious choice to reach Darwin, Wolf and other remote locations. We chose the Aggressor III due to reviews and availability. The LiveAboard staff were easily reachable via phone and email during trip planning and offered guidance regarding hotels in Ecuador and flights to and from Galapagos and Ecuador. They were also able to prepare for and accommodate onboard equipment requests such as DIN tanks, air selection and tank size during the planning phase of our trip. FYI GEAR/EXPERIENCE LEVEL TIP: To stay SAFE and ensure all guests have an enjoyable dive experience on the Galapagos Aggressor I agree with most reviews here: Divers should have 100+ dives and experience in currents/drift diving. This should NOT be an inexperienced diver's early destination. Buoyancy control is a must. We struggled deciding on type of diving suits to bring but ultimately decided to forego drysuits and took our 7mil and 3 mil wetsuits. Water temperatures were generally warm (27C/81F) but inside the currents the temperature could be as low as 23C/73F. If you run hot a 3 mil would likely suffice but a 7mil was more than adequate and even kept my wife warm (who is a bit of a freeze baby.) Galapagos is a remote and protected marine reserve - wildlife does not scatter at the first sight of human presence. The birds, fish, turtles, seals and sharks were generally oblivious to our presence (you could actually swim INTO and WITH schools of fish AND SHARKS!) which was simply amazing. Galapagos had the entire western coast of the archipelago closed to vessels due to H1N1 concerns (still not sure whether there was actually an outbreak) so we missed the opportunity to visit sites known for Marine Iguanas and Mola Mola. Although this forced the captain and crew to alter their normal 7 day travel route they planned alternative dive sites to fill the gap that were fantastic on their own merit. On a couple of occasions during dive intervals Lenin (our dive guide) would spot an opportunity to explore the ocean surface to experience snorkeling with dolphins and pilot whales or ride the skiff into the middle of a feeding frenzy with boobies above and tuna below the waterline. We loved these impromptu adventures and the entire crew's enthusiastic approach to exploring and fully experience the islands. The food was fresh and plentiful during our stay with plenty to eat and yet very little waste by the chef and his staff. The menu throughout the week consisted of Ecuadorian/Galapagos dishes - fresh but not exceptionally seasoned. Winter (our Steward) was timely and courteous - greeting us for all meals, snacks between dives and beverages after our last dive each day. The entire ship, guest cabins and all restrooms were cleaned or refreshed by the staff throughout the day every day. The dive deck was kept organized with the help of our crew and had secured cabinets for charging and storing dive equipment. There was ample space for hanging rinsed gear on the dive deck and fresh warm towels were available after every dive. The positive attitude and welcoming demeanor of the staff and crew were more than enough to compensate for any deficiencies onboard - although I struggle to think of any! If you're well trained and considering a bucket list trip of a lifetime the folks at LiveAboard and the Aggressor III are capable and waiting for you!

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Dive sites, organization and service

Hammerhead Conveyor and Dolphins Schools

The diving at Wolf Island was spectactular. We encountered a hammerhead and Galapagis shark virtual train that went on for more time they we could stay. The school of sharks was about 50 feet top to bottom and reef out in the blue as far as visibility allowed to see. We sat on the rocks for more than 20 minutes to watch the converyor belt of sharks. Playing with schools of dolphins at the surface was pretty amazing as well. Groups of 6 to 20 would zip around while we were completing the safety stops. The boat crew was very attentive and anticipated most everything you would desire. Good food with loads of Hot soup to warm you after the cold dives. Sealions joined us regularily throughout the trips. One European diver said the species diversity of the pelagics were way beyond their expectations. The diving is at your own limits as the guides are probably staying deeper and longer than most divers can. Overall the lack of iguana diving was missed but what was available of next level for sure.

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Sharks, Rays and Dolphins

Superb pelagic uncrowded diving immersion in nature.

Unique location in the world to see pregnant whale sharks, tons of hammerheads to the point you get desensitized. All types of sharks, Galapagos sharks, silky sharks, white tips, even a Tiger. The animals are so unafraid of you and come up close, playful sea lions, eagle ray, turtles. Watching a tuna hunt was so cool! Land excursions to see the islands as well as the giant turtle farm was interesting. What I liked the most is how they treated their people. The current captain had 20+ years experience sailing those waters so knew we were in good hands. The steward was a former dive guide to the islands. The current dive guides were superb, handling up to eight divers each. Most of all the lack of diving with other boats kept the dive sites empty of other divers with just our group and the occasion seeing the other one in the water. The boat was really comfortable and steady for for the overnight crossing to Darwin Island. It had everything you needed, even working starlink in the middle of nowhere!

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Whale sharks, boat comfort with internet, talented dive guids

Definitely a trip of a lifetime, amazing!

Whale sharks, Sea Lions, and hundreds of Sharks (Galapagos, Silky, Scalloped Hammerhead, Tiger, and White-tipped Reef).

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Awesome Staff, remote diving, and the wildlife.

An experience of epic proportions

THE SCUBA This was my first liveaboard so I have nothing to compare it to but I had a blast! I fully enjoyed all the people on board - guests and crew. We had two very experienced divemasters that showed us schools of hammerheads, reef sharks, Galapagos sharks, silkies, a tiger shark, a baby humpback, sea lions, mantas, eagle rays, dolphins, and turtles. Unfortunately because of the bird flu, we were not able to go to the sites with mola mola and iguanas. It was a important lesson to dive with gratitude and accept whatever the ocean has to offer =) THE CREW Reuben the bartender provided us with the best post-dive snacks (empanadas, churros, fruit) and hot chocolate. The crew was so helpful in getting on and off the boat. Cabins were kept so clean and fresh towels were provided more often than I needed. Chefs were best at cooking up Latin cuisine and I wish they stuck with their strengths a little more because these were my favorite meals. THE BOAT The boat had everything we needed. I thought living on a boat for a week meant that the boat would feel small after a bit, but it felt like home. Spent a lot of time lounging on the top deck between dives. There was an iMac in the salon that was great for offloading footage from my GoPro in the evenings (it has multiple USB-A, USB-C, SD card ports). THE EXPERIENCE The team behind the Aggressor clearly put a lot of thought into the whole experience. I appreciated the two land excursions to explore the islands and how the whole crew pushed to make our final days on the boat truly special. Thank you for an unforgettable experience. I hope to be back someday.

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Endless hammerheads, Top notch crew, Experienced dive guides