Dive Traveller
CDRS started a captive breeding program in 1960, and with the help of concerted conservation efforts throughout the Islands, the gentle giants are steadily recovering from the brink of extinction. Tour the tortoise pens to view different subspecies hailing from various islands, noting differences in overall body size, carapace shape, and neck length-- a great example of evolution at work. Afterwards, drive up to the misty highlands in the island’s interior to photograph wild tortoises lumbering through grassy fields and enjoying mud baths. Though I’m usually only interested
in blowing bubbles underwater, spending time tromping around Galapagos topside really helps make this trip extra unforgettable. At North Seymour Island, I find prehistoric marine iguanas crawling out of the ocean onto the lava rocks to soak
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up the sun while land iguanas march across the path to climb trees and feed on the leaves. Proud male frigatebirds nestled in scrub inflate their shockingly red throat pouches trying to impress the ladies. I witness the mating maneuvers and fancy footwork of the blue- footed boobies staggering about as if drunk. The comical courtship antics of this charismatic bird with ridiculously blue feet-- lopsided high-stepping, contortionist yoga- like poses with wings raised sharply and back stiffly arched -- has me burning through digital film. Darwinian weirdness and wonder is all around me.
Spoiled for Choice More than a dozen dive sites ring Santa Cruz and are visited by day boat dive operators out of Puerto Ayora. North Seymour and Gordon
completely oblivious to the pelagic passersby over my shoulder
I was missing the big picture,
Top left: Black striped salema
fish. Above left: A Galapagos
Shark can grow
up to 10 feet (3m) long. Middle: Scalloped
hammerhead
Rocks are both favoured for shark encounters with whitetips and hammerheads, and healthy throngs of grunts and goatfish. Mosquera’s boulder piles are adorned with bushes of yellow black coral and orbited by schools of blue-striped snapper. On the sandy plain garden eels sway back and forth, and countless sea stars are littered about in artful disarray. Diamond and marble rays glide overtop. Though the land-based diving operations out of Santa Cruz will content some, hardcore members of the scuba tribe should book a multiday live-aboard cruise through
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