Dive Review of Reina Silvia in
Galapagos Islands

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Reina Silvia, Jun, 2004, by David Vik, Illinois, USA . Report 1396.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity	N/A
Dive Operation		Shore Diving
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$	N/A
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	This trip was everything I had hoped for and more! It exceeded my expectations, (which were high) so bonus points for that accomplishment. The boat is in excellent condition overall, obviously well maintained and cared for. The rooms are adequate, with additional closet space and private bath. Air conditioning in the rooms very good, and adjustable to suit taste. Meals were excellent, and matching dining room service. I have been on many liveaboards throughout the world and this was certainly one of the best overall. The diving is done from 3 zodiacs (nice spacing for 16 divers); the drivers are attentive, and right there for you upon completion of the dives. I had one dive where I was caught drifting the "wrong" way at Darwin (toward the outside of the arch), but the zodiac driver was right there and didn't miss a beat. Kudos! Diving highlights: Our naturalist/dive guide was Victor Mendia, and he was outstanding!! He knows how to time the diving/land tours to avoid the big cruise ships. Shot professional quality trip video. Best dive guide yet. Northern Islands(Darwin): 7 different whale sharks (with 15 separate encounters) including one 45 footer with 4 bottlenose dolphins swimming around her (on video!); "hundreds" of scalloped hammerheads (one dive produced the famous "hundred hammerheads in silhouette" shot); many galapagos sharks, including a nose to camera bump (his curiosity, not mine!); "thousands" of fish...best single dive site yet Archipelago: Sea Lions, turtles, white tip reef sharks, sea horse, schooling mobula rays, eagle rays, and snorkeling with galapgos penguins. Wear your 7mm, be in shape, and have at leat 100 dives before you go to Galapagos. You simply won't enjoy it if you don't have the skills. The land tours for surface intervals are amazing. Being up close and personal with the blue-footed boobies, frigates, pelicans, sea lions, iguanas, and giant tortise will produce amazing photos, and even better memories. I booked with Aquatic Encounters and will certainly repeat in the future. Marc Bernardi is knowledgeable, friendly, and the trip mechanics went smoothly. Watch the luggage weight coming back to the mainland from the islands, and don't be afraid to "ship cargo" for your overweight bags, it went smoothly. (from mainland to the islands the overweight bags were "overlooked", the return out of the islands was not, so be prepared).
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	251-500 dives
Where else diving	Southern California, Texas Gulf, everwhere in Caribbean, Hawaii, Micronesia, Polynesia, Andaman Sea, Mexican Baja
Closest Airport		Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather	cloudy	Seas	currents
Water Temp	65-75°F / 18-24°C	Wetsuit Thickness	7
Water Visibility	25-75 Ft/ 8-23 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	no
Enforced diving restrictions	Depth limits encouraged; we were treated as adult, advanced divers
Liveaboard?	yes	Nitrox Available?	N/A
What I Saw
Sharks	Lots	Mantas	Squadrons
Dolphins	Schools	Whale Sharks	> 2
Turtles	> 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	Separate camera rinse tanks. No official camera table/area. We used the dining room tables (there were more than enough tables to accomodate us, both sitting for meals as well as extra tables for equipment)

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Dive Review of Reina Silvia in Galapagos Islands

Reina Silvia, Jun, 2004,

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

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

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

Dive Review of Reina Silvia in
Galapagos Islands