Setting sail from Port Baltra, Galapagos Aggressor III is a diesel-powered yacht that runs weekly trips. The ship boards at 1 p.m. on Thursdays, and guests check out at 8 a.m. the following Thursday. Accommodating up to 16 guests across eight cabins, the ship offers two styles of accommodation. There are four deluxe staterooms with two twin beds and three portholes. The four master staterooms have queen beds (twin configurations offered) with a large window. All cabins include a private bathroom, shower, hair dryer, TV, climate control, and a safe.
Guests can relax in the salon, sun deck, chaise lounges, bar, library, and hot tub. Nightly entertainment includes diving, fish identification, presentations, movies, and games. Guests are welcome to bring their own movies and presentations. American meals, barbecue, and local cuisine are offered on board. Breakfast consists of fresh fruits, hot entrees, cereal, and juices. Soup, homemade bread, salad, and sandwiches are served during lunch. Dinner includes chef-prepared meals such as salads, vegetables, seafood, beef, chicken, and homemade dessert. Drinks include juice, soft drinks, water, iced tea, coffee, and a limited selection of complimentary local beer and wine. It is recommended that guests bring their own liquor.
While the ship runs from Thursday to Thursday, each week varies depending on tides, currents, and the weather. Typically, guests spend their first night at orientation before diving off the northeastern coast of Santa Cruz. Following the first night, each day consists of several dives and the occasional trek on land. For example, the first full day on board includes two-morning dives at Punta Carrion near Santa Cruz Island. Afterward, guests will hike on Bartolome before taking a tender to Pinnacle Rock. From June to December, the middle of the week includes up to four daily dives. This includes dives at destinations like Wolf Island and Darwin in the morning, afternoon, and night. Once the ship reaches the Itabaca Channel, guests will take a private bus tour through the Highlands, where tortoises roam.
With a diver-to-guide ratio of 8:1, the Aggressor offers personal lockers, 80 cubic feet tanks, weight belts, weights, Nitrox, and DIN adapters on request. Guests are encouraged to pack their own masks, fins, snorkels, regulators with pressure gauges, depth gauges, dive computers, buoyancy compensators, lights for night dives, batteries, dive gloves, spare masks, whistles, mirrors, and safety devices. Galapagos waters range from 18 ? (65 °F) to 29 ? (85 °F), and 5 mm to 7mm wetsuits are recommended. Support for photographers includes an iMac for photos and two guides that coach divers on their photography. The yacht also has a charging station and a large camera table for equipment. The Galapagos Aggressor offers nitrox for EAN-certified divers but does not support technical diving or rebreathers.
Narrative text and photographs courtesy of Aggressor Adventures.