MIAMI – The visionary, small ship travel company Ecoventura announced that Peter Hughes has been named president of a newly created company, DivEncounters, Inc. that is serving the growing dive market in the Galapagos and elsewhere. Santiago Dunn, president and owner of Ecoventura, is an owner-partner, along with Hughes of DivEncounters, Inc.
Peter Hughes recently resigned as President of Peter Hughes Diving, Inc. He had built his live-aboard dive boat company from scratch over the past 25 years. In 2008 he sold his company to Wayne B. Brown who retained Hughes as president of the company after the purchase. The two worked together over the past two years.
“I felt the time was right for me to resign and move on,” said Hughes who subsequently became a partner in the start-up company DivEncounters, Inc. and is supervising operations of the M/V Galapagos Sky, ensuring a continuing high standard of operation. Hughes has also re-established his long-standing relationship w/ Scubapro, the dive manufacturing company “of first choice,” according to Hughes.
Dunn said that his company for years offered a dive operation that was affiliated with Peter Hughes Diving, Inc., but that establishing DivEncounters, Inc. is in line with his company’s mandate to manage as many elements as possible of a sustainable-minded vacation in the endangered Galapagos.
M/V Galapagos Sky, owned by Ecoventura, will offer seven-night dive trips year-round to the northern islands of Wolf and Darwin. Cruise rates from $4595 per person (double) include cabin accommodation, all meals, snacks, beverages, filled tanks, weights, weight belt, up to four dives per day on 5.5 days for 7-night cruise, land excursions, service of naturalist guides/dive masters, transfers in the Islands between airport and dock (on cruise dates) and all other customary services and amenities.
Accommodations include eight private en-suite cabins with two twin or one king size bed with window view or port light, private head/shower, mirrored cabinet and wardrobe, bathrobes, hairdryer and toiletries. M/V Galapagos Sky is fully air conditioned and features a spacious lounge area and fine dining. To access current rates, schedules and itineraries you can log onto: http://www.galagpagossky.com.
“We’re looking forward to announcing a number of vessel improvements and upgrades to M/V Galapagos Sky,” said Dunn, adding that other comparable live-aboard and destination resort dive and snorkel offerings are also being developed.
DivEncounters, Inc. plans to exhibit at three upcoming major consumer dive shows: May 15-16, Scuba Show in Long Beach, CA; May 21-23, Dive & Travel Expo in Tacoma, WA; and Nov. 17-20 DEMA in Las Vegas, NV.
For information on M/V Galapagos Sky please email Allison Seymour [email protected]. To receive a copy of Ecoventura’s 2010 catalog, including dive trips, please call toll-free 1-877-232-3483, or e-mail [email protected].