Last weekend, I went on a snorkel trip to Kicker Rock, Isla Lobos and Punta Pitt, all points on San Cristobal Island. To say that it was one of the coolest days of my life is a complete understatement!
At Kicker Rock, also called Leon Dormido (sleeping lion), as with all of our destinations that day, I was the first to jump in the water and get snorkeling. The biggest deterrent when you get ready for the jump is the temperature of the water, which despite the wetsuit, gives you a nice chill when it touches your body. I sat on the side of the boat, flippers hanging down, and plopped myself into the water. When you first feel the cold, you let out a peep, then bob about, kicking your legs so that you stay vertical for a minute or so. Once more people had entered the water, I put my face down, eventually following our tour guide into an area where the rock is sliced, so you snorkel in the 15 foot space between the two sides of the rock. The first thing to catch my eye was a green turtle, which was half floating, half swimming near the rock's edge. It was incredible to watch it at such close range (about 6 feet). It would propel itself with a stroke of its flippers, and then glide along in the water effortlessly, just like in Finding Nemo! We also saw Galapagos sharks while at Kicker Rock...
After lunch, our group headed to Isla Lobos, which was definitely my favorite part of the tour. This was the third time that we'd gotten into the water that day and the temperature was a particular shock this third time...I let out a yelp similar to that of a baby sea lion when I hit the water. It wasn't long after I jumped in that I spotted a sea turtle floating near by. There is something really thrilling about being the first in the group to spot something - it's as if all of the other people disappear and it's just you in the marine environment, no matter how naturally unsuited for it you may be. The turtle just went about swimming, and I went about watching, until a dark, sleek creature bubbled past me. The sea lions had arrived. I have seen TV shows, movies, documentaries with sea lions before and I've been in water with big marine mammals (dolphins) before, but nothing compares to swimming with Galapagos sea lions. In the water they play with each other, and investigate snorkelers, check out fish, communicate with each other and looked me literally in the eye, while playfully blowing bubbles in my face.
At Kicker Rock, also called Leon Dormido (sleeping lion), as with all of our destinations that day, I was the first to jump in the water and get snorkeling. The biggest deterrent when you get ready for the jump is the temperature of the water, which despite the wetsuit, gives you a nice chill when it touches your body. I sat on the side of the boat, flippers hanging down, and plopped myself into the water. When you first feel the cold, you let out a peep, then bob about, kicking your legs so that you stay vertical for a minute or so. Once more people had entered the water, I put my face down, eventually following our tour guide into an area where the rock is sliced, so you snorkel in the 15 foot space between the two sides of the rock. The first thing to catch my eye was a green turtle, which was half floating, half swimming near the rock's edge. It was incredible to watch it at such close range (about 6 feet). It would propel itself with a stroke of its flippers, and then glide along in the water effortlessly, just like in Finding Nemo! We also saw Galapagos sharks while at Kicker Rock...
After lunch, our group headed to Isla Lobos, which was definitely my favorite part of the tour. This was the third time that we'd gotten into the water that day and the temperature was a particular shock this third time...I let out a yelp similar to that of a baby sea lion when I hit the water. It wasn't long after I jumped in that I spotted a sea turtle floating near by. There is something really thrilling about being the first in the group to spot something - it's as if all of the other people disappear and it's just you in the marine environment, no matter how naturally unsuited for it you may be. The turtle just went about swimming, and I went about watching, until a dark, sleek creature bubbled past me. The sea lions had arrived. I have seen TV shows, movies, documentaries with sea lions before and I've been in water with big marine mammals (dolphins) before, but nothing compares to swimming with Galapagos sea lions. In the water they play with each other, and investigate snorkelers, check out fish, communicate with each other and looked me literally in the eye, while playfully blowing bubbles in my face.
They are curious and playful, darting past you in a flurry of bubbles, twirling around beneath you and then speeding toward your face to look you in the eye before repeating the investigative process. My favorite moment was when one of the sea lions and I came face to face, literally eye to eye with me floating on my belly and the sea lion directly beneath me, rolled on its back. We (me and the sea lion) stayed in that position for what felt like a minute (probably 10 seconds or so) looking at each other as I felt like I might not just be a human and the sea lion might not just be a sea lion...we were just sort of there looking at each other. Obviously indescribable, but so, so cool. And, best of all, it was captured on film.
No comments:
Post a Comment