ABOUT US

Back in 1995 it just wasn’t possible to dive in the Galapagos without the time and experience to take a liveaboard dive boat. Seeing this and combining our diving, naturalist guiding and varied marine industry backgrounds, two friends bought one boat, a handful of equipment and armed with a love for Galapagos diving, Scuba Iguana was born. Even better – day trip diving was born! Suddenly we were able to share these unique ecosystems with divers from beginners to dive veterans whether they had 1 or 5 days to spare.

Today, we take pride in being the most experienced dive center in Puerto Ayora, safety conscious and professional when diving in these, at times, challenging waters and known for making sure you have a fantastic day out with us.

Did you feel like Charles Darwin under water?

If after your dive the answer is ‘yes’ or even ‘a little’ then we’ve really achieved our goal. The Galapagos is like almost nowhere else on earth and we want to share with you both the wonders to see and how it all fits together: – why do the brown striped snapper gather in clouds of thousands? Why do the yellow tailed surgeon fish hunt in packs to invade the territory of one tiny damselfish? Our team has a wealth of naturalist knowledge, as well as many years’ Galapagos diving experience, to help bring an extra dimension to your diving.

Understanding and preserving Galapagos ecosystems is at the heart of who we are and why we still dive 20 years later. We don’t believe in cutting corners or short term thinking and work closely with the National Park and Charles Darwin Center on a range of projects. These range from courses for local fishermen, to ecology workshops to sea clean-up. We also run an ongoing volunteer program to develop young divers and professionals and ultimately a community in harmony with its surroundings. When you dive with us you become part of ensuring the Galapagos can be enjoyed for many years to come.

We hope you’ll come and join us for an adventure.

Best

Mathias Espinosa & Jack Nelson

Scuba Iguana Owners

“If we don’t care about protecting the planet we should go and live on the moon!”

Our team

Our Team make it all possible. From answering your booking questions to ensuring your equipment is in the best working order to finding those hammerheads if they’re about, everyone at Scuba Iguana is committed to making sure your experience is exceptional. Get to know us a little here.

  • Veronica Clavijo

    Scuba Iguana’s pillar!

    General Manager for 24 years, Veronica is the axis on which the Scuba Iguana planet turns smoothly from reservations to regulations. She came to the Galapagos almost 32 years ago and loves the peaceful island life.

  • Mathias Espinosa

    Owner and Founder

    Mathias is an accredited Naturalist Guide and diver with over 20 years’ experience in the Galapagos. He was chief guide on the Agressor liveaboard fleet for 6 years, is an underwater cameraman and photographer and in 1999, working with the Smithsonian Institute, he featured in the IMAX movie ‘Galapagos’.

  • Jack Nelson

    Owner and Founder

    Jack has been working in Galapagos tourism since 1967. He is a marlinspike seaman, navigator, diver, hotelier and Naturalist Guide. He is also an avid sport fisherman.

  • Jessica Zapata

    Managers assistant/ sales agent

    Hi, I'm Jessica Zapata. I was born in the magical Galapagos Islands, a place that has cultivated in me love and respect for nature. For the past eight years, I have been working in the administrative area of Scuba Iguana, where I have the opportunity to contribute to the preservation and promotion of the marine environment that I appreciate so much.

  • Lisa Lindzus

    Sales Agent

    I am a rescue diver and have been getting people excited about exploring our beautiful islands under and above water with Scuba Iguana since 2016. Besides sales, I take care of many other aspects in the field of marketing. Born and raised in Germany, I have traveled extensively in Europe and Latin America, have a degree in Cultural and Social Anthropology and also work as a translator. I live in Galapagos with my husband, the former sailor of Scuba Iguana ;) and our son.

  • Sabine Troppmair

    Sales Agent

    I'm Sabine, a Brazilian psychologist who has been living in the Galapagos Islands with my son for 12 years. I've been a Scuba Iguanas sales agent since 2018 and I really like to work with guests on the best possible travel program. I know that Galapagos is a kind of bucket list trip and how important it is to plan well, whether it's a day trip or a full itinerary.

  • Virginia Betancourt

    Sales Agent

    I am Virginia, in love with the ocean and everything it offers us. I was born in the Galapagos Islands, studied Environmental Management and recently started diving, a wonderful experience that I recommend to everyone. I am part of the Scuba Iguana sales group. It is a pleasure to serve others and make their experience unforgettable.

  • Paulo Tobar

    Dive Guide/ PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer (MSDT)

    I am Paulo Tobar, PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer. I have been working with Scuba Iguana since 2002, where my passion for ocean exploration began. Since 2004, I have been a Dive Master, which to date has allowed me to guide countless divers through the Galapagos Marine Reserve. The marine life of the islands is threatened, so I want to encourage divers to take care of the marine ecosystems through Citizen Science while enjoying unique encounters on each dive.

  • Edison Alban

    Dive Guide/ PADI Instructor (OWSI)

    My name is Edison. I was born and raised in Galapagos, a region that has been instrumental in my development as a freediver, cyclist and professional diver. As an underwater national park guide, I have extensive experience as a photographer and diving instructor. My passion is the study of the marine environment and I strive to provide my clients with exceptional and safe diving experiences they will never forget.

  • Gaby Cabrera

    Dive Guide/ PADI Instructor (OWSI)

    My name is Gaby Cabrera and I came to the Galapagos Islands as a child. As the daughter of a diver, I made my first dive at the age of 14 and was thrilled by this new world and all its diversity. I trained as a diving instructor and was finally given the title of Galapagos Marine Reserve guide. I gained my first experience as a dive guide together with my father in our own dive center, and I also had the opportunity to work on board of dive cruisers in the northern part of the islands. Today I am part of the big Scuba Iguana family.

  • Javier Mahauad

    Dive Guide/ PADI IDC Staff Instructor

    Hola, I am Javier. I was born in Quito, Ecuador and studied Contemporary Arts with a minor in Photography and Arts Philosophy. I started diving at young age, following the steps of my brother and have been obsessed with the underwater world ever since. I have now been working in the dive industry for 12 years and I specialize in providing assistance and equipment for film crews such as National Geographic, Disney +, among others. I am CEO of Galapagos Rebreathers a company that specializes in providing rebreather support on the islands.

  • Sebastian Barrera

    Dive Guide/ PADI Instructor (OWSI)

    My name is Hector Sebastian Barrera Diaz. I started diving when I was 12 years old and fell in love with the ocean. Diving helps me to appreciate and admire God's creation, which is the most important thing. I am a dive guide for the Galapagos National Park, a PADI instructor and I help with the conservation of the islands. My wish is that our dive guests return home happy with a wonderful underwater experience.

  • Daniel Solis

    Dive Guide/ PADI IDC Staff Instructor

    Living in the Galapagos since I was 5 years old allowed me to cultivate a deep love for the ocean at a very young age. I did my first dive at 8 years old, and have been working as a dive guide in the Galapagos Marine Reserve for the past 15 years. I am passionate about establishing a safe and fun environment for the passengers, as well as consistently implementing good conservation practices and education during my dives. My favourite parts of my job are getting to meet new people from all over the world and spending time in my favourite place: the Ocean. But I am also incredibly grateful to my work for putting me in a position where I am able to actively collaborate with Galapagos Conservation Projects via data and information sharing between biologists and guides.

  • Natalia Cifuentes

    Dive Guide/ PADI IDC Staff Instructor

    Hello, I am Natalia, your Galapagos dive guide! With plenty experience guiding, teaching, and living scuba diving in the Galapagos, I've become deeply connected to this extraordinary biosphere reserve. What captivates me the most, is the unparalleled underwater biodiversity, a result of species converging from around the globe. As a certified guide of the Galapagos Marine Reserve, I've gained invaluable insights into the delicate ecosystems and species interactions. This knowledge empowers me to provide safe and unforgettable diving experiences while fostering a appreciation for the marine environment.

  • Sebastian Cedeño

    Assistant/ PADI Instructor (OWSI)

    Hi, I'm Sebastián, assistant diving instructor at Scuba Iguana. I started in the world of diving 8 years ago, as a volunteer at Scuba Iguana with the first diving certifications and experience in different areas. Today I work in the dive center, as a sailor, or as an assistant instructor, always ready to help and give a good service to make you live one of the best experiences in the world that is diving.

  • John Mantilla

    Assistant/ PADI Instructor (OWSI)

    Have a good day my friends, I'm John, employee of Scuba Iguana, born in the islands I started as a volunteer years ago and now I work as an OW PADI Scuba Instructor also as a sailor or sometimes in the office helping with the preparations for the upcoming trip. Every day is a new adventure down there!

  • Anderson Moreta

    Assistant/ PADI Instructor (OWSI)

    I have always loved the sea, but I could never have imagined working in the depths and seeing hammerhead sharks, sea turtles, sea lions, starfish, whale sharks and garden eels on a daily basis. I did my open water course at Scuba Iguana out of love for the sea. Then one thing led to another, I continued and within a year I reached the level of PADI Dive Master. I loved teaching everyone what I had learned in the underwater world. Finally I did my instructor course and now I teach diving courses and my instructors are now my colleagues :)

  • Enrique

    Captain

    After 30 years living and fishing in the Galapagos Enrique has extensive knowledge of the seas, dive sites and surrounding environment. If you keep an eye out you can also see him playing volleyball in the town center at the weekends.