Master Liveaboards was founded so that we could take you to the best dive locations in the world, providing an unsurpassed liveaboard diving experience, delivered by one of the most experienced teams in the diving industry. The first vessel in the fleet will take you to a place that is the top of many a diver’s wish list…The Galapagos Islands!
The Galapagos Master, formerly known as Deep Blue, will be refitted and upgraded by the experienced boat building team to offer you a spacious and stylish liveaboard diving experience in The Galapagos Islands. Launching in May 2015 they have a full range of both 7-night and 10-night dive trips available. Each cruise will spend a minimum of 3 days at Darwin and Wolf Islands as well as offering land excursions during the itinerary. Explore The Galapagos Islands to their fullest with the Master Liveaboards team.
Diving the Galapagos
The most spectacular pelagic diving on the planet! The Galapagos is one of those rare places where you can dive through hundreds of hammerhead sharks to find a whale shark cruising along. Toss in silky sharks, sea turtles, giant morays and schooling fish in their thousands… And that’s just the first dive at Darwin! At Wolf Island you can expect huge Galapagos sharks and eagle rays up close whilst dives at Cabo Marshall will put you face to face with giant manta rays and inside a school of millions of black-striped salemas. Mola mola (sunfish) may be seen in the depths too. Macro life is plentiful. Black coral bushes shelter seahorses, blennies, nudibranchs, hawkfish and frogfish. Sea iguanas are a unique sight, along with speedy penguins and playful sea lions. This is but a mere taste of why divers consistently proclaim the Galapagos to have the healthiest marine life in the Pacific.
Galapagos Liveaboard
Built of steel and with a cruising speed of 12.5 knots the Galapagos Master is set to be the most eco-friendly, dive liveaboard in the Galapagos Islands. She has 9 well-appointed modern cabins, a spacious interior and generous outside space for relaxation and dive gear preparation. Our experienced crew of 10 is waiting to welcome you aboard and show you the best of the Galapagos, both underwater and on land.
Galapagos Itinerary
On a typical day we offer up to 4 day dives however the 4th day dive may be substituted for a night dive when the boat is anchored within a sheltered cove. A 7-night itinerary provides for between 18-20 dives, whilst during our 10-night itineraries, up to 30 dives will be possible.
The diving day aboard the Galapagos Master is scheduled as follows:-
Light Breakfast followed by a briefing and Dive 1 Full Breakfast, relaxation period, briefing and Dive 2 Lunch, relaxation period, briefing and Dive 3 Snack relaxation period, briefing and Dive 4, where possible Dinner To allow our guests to explore the Galapagos to its fullest, on days 2, 7 and 10, dives 3 and 4 will be substituted by an island visits at North Seymour, Santa Cruz or Isla Isabela.
Diving in the Galapagos can be challenging, even for the experienced diver. At many sites currents can be strong and visibility may diminish due to currents and an influx of nutrients. We highly recommend our guests have training beyond beginner level and a minimum experience of 50 dives, preferably in similar conditions.
Water temperature ranges from 21-30°C (70-86°F) between December and May when manta rays are more commonly sighted. However it drops to an average of 16-24°C (60-75°F) between June and November when the Humboldt Current comes up from the south, bringing with it plankton; making this the best time for seeing whale sharks. Thermoclines can also be expected and divers are advised to bring suitable thermal protection.
Yacht Information
Built in 2004 the yacht, known as Deep Blue, is set to join the Master Liveaboards brand and undergo a full refit in November 2014.
The refit will be supervised by the experienced yacht builders of Worldwide Dive and Sail, Jan & Frank van der Linde, who have also brought you the Siren Fleet. Communal areas comprise of a spacious indoor lounge, on the middle level, with cushioned bench seating and plasma screen for movie and photo viewing.
Adjacent to the lounge is our indoor dining area complete with cocktail bar. An indoor camera set-up station, with numerous charging points (US round pin plug) and storage drawers is situated to the rear providing ample room for a full photography charter group. Further camera preparation areas can be found on the rear deck next to the dive deck. The upper level has shaded outdoor bench seating with cushioned loungers from where our guests can enjoy the fresh air and views of The Galapagos.
For those who enjoy to relax in the sun there is the top level sun-deck or upper level bow area with additional cushioned loungers provided for your comfort. Guests are free to take advantage of the gangways on both the port and starboard sides to walk around the yacht or visit the Captain in his bridge on the upper deck.
The dive equipment set up is found on the aft deck of the lower level. We provide individual set up areas, with under bench storage for all your personal items. Rinse tanks are conveniently located for washing dive equipment and camera gear, whilst there are 2 shower heads for those wishing for a quick post-dive rinse down.
A further 2 deck heads are situated on the starboard side of the boat, just in front of the salon entrance.
Contact us for available sailing dates and rates. These trips book up well in advance and if interested in a charter then you must plan well ahead.
FACES OF THE SEA SCUBA HOLIDAYS 