A Dream Come True
From a young age, I was extremely fascinated by the ocean and the sea life that occupy it. I was glued the TV when Animal Planet featured episodes on coral reefs or the Galapagos Islands. My dream was to one day, dive with the sharks and sea lions in this remote paradise. That dream became a reality when my Mom, Aunt Lynda and cousin Matt took a seven day cruise to the Galapagos Islands.
This was not the typical cruise you may have been on with drink packages and rock walls to climb. This cruise was intended for nature enthusiast that were looking for an up close experience with the wildlife. The ship only help 50 passengers, that woke up at 8:00 AM every morning, spending half of the day in the water and the other half exploring on land. The limited groups size allowed us to observe the animal’s behavior in their natural habitat without scaring them. As a result, we were able to witness some incredible moment that resembled the TV episodes from my childhood.
The Sea Life We Encountered
The Galapagos Island offer a unique abundance of wildlife, with some species only found on the islands. We encountered countess animals, from a school of hammerhead sharks to the famous Galapagos Iguanas that spend equal time on land and sea. The islands are protected as a nature reserve by Ecuador that prevents fishing and disruption of the almost untouched ecosystem. Because of these strict laws protecting the animals, they have thrived and the density animals was tremendous. Without the fear of human, we were able to get closer to the wildlife than I could ever imagine.
Every day was a new adventure, in a different section of the islands. Typically, we started the days in the water, snorkeling along the shallow coral reef. We encountered schools of curious sharks and sea turtles that gracefully glide through the water. My personal favorite were the agile sea lions that swam circles around us at almost ever dive spot. The sea lions had so much personality and energy which made every dive a fun one. They have no fear of humans, so to them we were just another species in their world. Some swam close to us that we could reach out and touch them as they zipped past our fins.
Another unexpected species we encountered was the Galapagos penguin. While exploring on land, our guide pointed out 2 penguins breaking the surface will hunting for sardines. They swam so fast and gracefully through that water that we had a difficult time keeping up with them. We followed them up and down the coastline till they swam back out to deeper water.
Deeper water is where we encountered a school of hammerhead sharks in the cove of a sunken volcano. Our guide took us to this spot with the intention of finding these giants. We arrived at out launch location and the guide splashed the surface of the water in an attempt to gain the sharks attention. Sure enough, when we entered the water we noticed countless hammerheads in the distance. They appeared more shy than I anticipated and most kept their distance. A few were curious enough to come closer so we could appreciate their size. One swam directly under us witch appeared to be between 6-8 feet. My adrenaline level was high at this point and made for an unforgettable experience.
