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Dive Review of REINA SILVIA in
Galapagos Islands

REINA SILVIA, Oct, 2005,

by GINO DUBAY, TN, USA . Report 2285.

No photos available at this time

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Accommodations 5 stars Food 3 stars
Service and Attitude 5 stars Environmental Sensitivity N/A
Dive Operation 5 stars Shore Diving 1 stars
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ N/A
Beginners 1 stars
Advanced 5 stars
Comments Everything you have ever read in Undercurrent or any other dive publication regarding the Galapagos Islands is;...Understated. Just GO! Trips such as this are becoming pricey to say the least. We all want the most "Bang-for-the-Buck" possible. The choice destination of Darwin/Wolf Islands, should be that,...Maybe not. Ever been at a fabious dive area & have a BAD experience due to boat,crew,food,DMs or shipmates?...Me Too. Well I have learned to trust Aquatic Encounters(Marc Bernardi) for my bookings when I can. They book the best boat,Reina Siliva, which has the very best DM,Victor Mendina,for starters. This is my 4th major adventure w/Mark and he has the uncanny ability(luck?)of finding strangers & friends to put together a boatload of funloving,serious,responsible,interesting divers who can't wait for their next trip together.This was Bernardi's 54th tour group to the Galapagos,...the experience shows everywhere. Victor Mendina is a certified DM & naturialist,expert photo pro,and someone I am proud to have met. This man can SMELL Whale Sharks! Our group encountered(not saw) 9 WSs during the 2 1/2 days allowed for us to anchor at Darwin. Not to count the Hundreds of Hammer Heads per dive (so many,so often, they became a nussence!) Then 10's of seals,morays, turtles,...all really BIG too. All this is of course in addition to land trips to observe Sea Lions within reach,Boobies, Giant tortous. This is a special place,...we divers are fortunate to experience it,...and lucky it will be preserved for those who follow us. A PS; Shortly before the publishing "cut-off" date, I took a Silver Banks whale trip. If you book 1 of the 2 trips Aquatic Encounters(Aquatenctr@aol.com) plans each year, your experence with "The OGRE"(who shall remain nameless)encountered there, will be much more enjoyable.

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 251-500 dives
Where else diving Turks&Caicos, St Thomas, Belieze, Little Cayman, Palau, Truk, Wakatobi, Papua New Guinea
Closest Airport Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather windy, cloudy Seas choppy, currents
Water Temp 68-74°F / 20-23°C Wetsuit Thickness 5
Water Visibility 40-75 Ft/ 12-23 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile yes
Enforced diving restrictions Don't touch the Whale sharks
Liveaboard? yes Nitrox Available? N/A

What I Saw

Sharks Lots Mantas 1 or 2
Dolphins 1 or 2 Whale Sharks > 2
Turtles > 2 Whales None
Corals 1 stars Tropical Fish 4 stars
Small Critters 4 stars Large Fish 4 stars
Large Pelagics 5 stars

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subject Matter N/A Boat Facilities N/A
Overall rating for UWP's N/A Shore Facilities N/A
UW Photo Comments [None]
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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