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Marine Life of the Galapagos by Pierre Constant
Marine Life of the Galapagos by Pierre Constant
You can scuba dive in the Galapagos only if accompanied by an official naturalist guide. Pierre Constant went to Ecuador to become such a guide in 1980 and, though he now lives in Hong Kong, he has returned for regular visits ever since. So he knows his subject.
Some say that the Galapagos offers the best diving in the world. I wouldn't necessarily go that far, but it certainly is a very special place. However, anyone who visits will obviously be interested in the animals they see both above and below the surface.
Marine Life of the Galapagos is a diver's guide to its fish, whales, dolphins and marine invertebrates. Curiously, the index lists sea-lions and fur seals but these are omitted from the main text. Otherwise, it attempts to catalogue and describe all marine life from the mighty whale shark to the tiniest sea-slug.
I suppose that after a few visits the novelty of the sea-lions and toothed whales buzzing you wears off and you start to look at the nudibranchs! The foreword usefully explains why these islands provide such a rich marine eco-system.
The book is illustrated with colour photographs of most of the animals but these are presented, with some sketches, in the rather unromantic style of an academic textbook, more for reference than admiration. This is a tool to be used while on the islands, not just a souvenir.
Most dive sites are listed and many are shown as sketched plans. There is advice on the diving too, because some of it is quite advanced thanks to the strong currents prevalent in the area. It's pretty comprehensive. That said, I'll tell you all you need to know about diving in the Galapagos: go to Darwin and Wolf Islands!
John Bantin
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Marine Life of the Galapagos by Pierre Constant (Odyssey Guides, ISBN 9622177115). Softback, 308pp, £15.95
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