M/Y Sky Dancer is our Dive Liveboard. The nine-person crew includes your captain, 2 dive instructors or divemasters/ naturalists, and 6 crewmembers on hand to ensure that your Galapagos voyage transcends into a treasured adventure.
Radiant fish and bizarre animals emblazon the waters around the Galapagos and exhilarate divers and snorkelers. Seventeen percent of the fish and 35% of the marine invertebrates in the Galapagos are found only in this isolated archipelago. The abundance of otherworldly underwater animals evokes a sense of exploration and mystery.
Swept by both the cold waters of Antarctica and warm currents from the tropical Pacific, the Galapagos' colorful marine life embodies an unusual mixture of species. Here, penguins swim with tropical fish and iguanas feed underwater. The marine animals exhibit the same bold curiosity and lack of fear characteristic of terrestrial wildlife.
To conserve this wealth of sea-life, the Galapagos Marine Resources Reserve (GMRR), with waters totaling 27,000 square miles, was signed into law in 1986. The law protects marine life 15 nautical miles offshore. In 1998, the Special Law for Galapagos extended the off-limits restrictions for industrial fishing to 40 miles offshore.
Excellent diving in the Galapagos includes the renowned northern Islands of Wolf and Darwin, famous for their schools of hammerhead sharks, giant manta rays and whale sharks. In between dives, walk the shores and marvel at volcanic rocks dotted with rare plants, seabirds, and reptiles.
"At times, the schooling fish were so thick that you couldn't see through them …and they seemed to stretch from one end of your mask to the other. We had schools of skipjack tuna surround us, almost blocking out the sun. Hammerheads were our constant companions on nearly all of our many dives. The Galapagos is loaded with big marine life: golden rays, eagle rays, giant mantas and enough white-tipped and Galapagos sharks to fill a logbook!" -Peter Hughes, Peter Hughes Diving, Inc. 2000.
The dazzling realm beneath the sea captivates curiosity as much as the islands themselves. Discover both onboard the M/Y Sky Dancer, our 16-passenger, 100-foot first class dive live-aboard. Custom-designed in 2000, the M/Y Sky Dancer offers the newest and best-equipped vessel for scuba diving in the Galapagos.
The Sky Dancer's accommodations include eight comfortable staterooms located on two decks. Each cabin features two twin beds, private head/ shower, mirrored cabinet, wardrobe, full-length mirror, window or portlight view, bathrobes, hairdryer, toiletries and fresh towels every day.
The Sky Dancer is fully air-conditioned. Its interior features teak paneling and furnishings, a dining area, a fully stocked bar, and a main salon with an audio/video entertainment center. On deck, ample space is allocated for personal dive gear storage, a photo and video film lab, light tables, daily E-6 processing, and open deck space for sunbathing. Divers appreciate our large dive platform with fresh water showers, fresh water rinses, dive deck assistance and photo and dive equipment rental services. Zodiacs will ferry you between exquisite dive sites and the anchored yacht. Most underwater forays are drift dives. The Sky Dancer offers up to four dives per day on a pre-planned, yet flexible itinerary.
Fine dining, a Sky Dancer specialty, offers both international and Ecuadorian cuisine. Enjoy the Galapagos in style with the creature comforts Peter Hughes Diving is well-known for. Wake to a morning coffee service that draws you toward a breakfast buffet. After every dive, wrap up in fresh warm towels, and snuggle into plush, terrycloth bathrobes found in each cabin.
The nine-person crew includes your captain, two Dive Instructors or divemaster /naturalist, and six crewmembers on hand to ensure that your Galapagos voyage transcends into a treasured adventure.
