The following information was sent to me from Galapagos Yacht Agency in early March 2008 as many yachts gathered in Panama before the Pacific crossing, as I tried to sort out the various options having heard alarming rumours.
BRING YOUR CREDIT CARD!
The mail in full reads:
There are two options for visiting the Galapagos Islands with your own boat.
On arrival the park allow you 20 days in one port of Galapagos. This can be the port of Santa Cruz, San Cristobel, Isabella or Floreana. You may visit only one port with this permit. From the port you can then use local cruise boats to tour the islands. For this there you have to pay the park entrance fee of $100 per head and also the fees for navy and immigration.
If you wish to navigate the island in your own boat then you have to obtain a special permit called an autograph permit. This allows you 15 days to travel in the national park areas, the cost of this is $200 per day per head for the days in national park areas, plus the $100 park entrance fee, navy fees and also GOS fees for obtaining the autograph permit.
The main change recently is that is not possible to navigate between the inhabited ports without the autograph permit.
If you do not wish to obtain the autograph permit then I recommend coming straight to Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz, here you can find many agencies offering day tours, weeks cruises and diving tours. There are also small supermarkets for re-supplies and specialists in yacht supplies.
Please let me know how you wish to proceed. If you wish to obtain the autograph I will send you a break down of the GOS fees and the documents that are required.
I hope this helps clear some confusion and look forward to your response
Signed G O S.
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