Best memory from the galapagos?

[seagal]

I am going to the Galapagos in July and I am getting very excited for my trip! Does anyone have any great memories they would like to share??? What about any suggestions for the trip?

THANK YOU!!!

 

[tstormdiver]

You aren't the only one excited about your upcoming trip. I'm going at the very end of Aug. I'm going to keep an eye out on this thread too! Thanks!

 

[ronscuba]

Best memory ? The totally AMAZING diving. Whalesharks, schools of fish, mola mola, hammerheads, eagle rays.

Tips ? Get in shape. Diving is not easy.

 

[kennedy]

We were there Dec 2009 and had a 40-60' (I say 60 - hubby says 40') pregnant whale shark just swim past us in a ripping current - like it was calm seas. AMAZING. The diving is amazing and it is rough diving - so as Ron suggested - make sure you are in shape - the currents are challenging at best! The schools of hammerhead sharks are amazing too - oh and the little Galapagos penguins!! You are going to have a great time!!! (if you have trouble with sea sickness..........go heavily armed!!!! - trust me)

 

[Doc]

Our best memory is by far the people we met and became friends with in Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz.

If you are going on a liveabaord, which is how most North Americans arrive, consider booking a few days to linger in this interesting little town.

In a few days time, you might tour one of the Lava Tubes with Oswaldo, who spent the 1960's on the "Magic Bus" with Ken Kesey and his times with Janis Joplin. He also worked for Pompeo Posar, the Dean of Playboy Photographers... back when. Now he has a Robinson Crusoe look and a wooden pickup truck!

Or, stop by SCUBA Iguana and meet Mathias Espinosa, the guy who Al Giddings featured in his 3D IMAX movie, "The Galapagos". He is also heard on Ry Cooter's album, Buena Vista Social Club.

As you wander the streets, you'll likely run into Frenchman Pierre Constant, photographic author of many artful books on the Galapagos. http://translate.google.com/transla...stant+galapagos&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en-us

If you are overnighting in Quito- be sure to see the straw market right next to the Hilton Colon... this is where they filmed scenes from "Proof of Life".

Rent the movie "Master and Commander" and then go stand in the spot in the Darwin Research Center where they filmed the tortoise scenes.

I'm getting to think Russel Crowe likes Ecuador !

After several liveabaords to the Galloping Pogos, we have decided that land based is not well marketed to us North Americans, but at about 30% of the cost~ it works pretty well!

Come for the critters... enjoy the locals.

 

[SelkieDVM]

I was there last fall and saw more cool stuff in one week than I had in my entire diving career previously. Have fun! My personal fav was the seal lions zooming around. I know, this is old hat for Cali divers and others but for me, it was just awesome. Oh yeah, not to mention the whale sharks, humpbacks, hammerheads, Galapagos sharks, silkies, turtles...

 

[DiveTheGalapagos]

I'm just back from a very roughing-it trip to dive Punta Vicente Roca. 2 days and 12 hours in a 30 ft boat in these waters in a very high sea, but...my first Mola Molas!! Found a spot to grab that was just rock and hung still in a serious surge. The bigger one seemed to come over to investigate...lingered as close as 1.5 meters and then left. Was also the first time I got to see marine iguanas grazing underwater. Pretty amazing. Am trying to upload some clips to YouTube now, but a one minute video from here (Isabela) takes literally 2 hours. 59 more minutes for the first clip. But hey, there's internet.

Darwin last fall...17 whale sharks in 2 days and hanging in a cloud of 300-400 hammerheads while they just swam around me. Snorkeling with 10 mantas. I wrote up my Top 10 from 2009 list (with a bunch of honorable mentions) in January. See here.

ps...RoatanMan. Mathias and Pierre both live in Isabela and are rarely in Puerto Ayora, so head over here to see them. Isabela is amazing. People say this is what Puerto Ayora was like 20 years ago. I love it here...sandy streets, crooked tree trunk street lights, everyone knows everyone, volcanoes, great snorkeling, good diving, and the most amazing Los Tuneles.

 

[octopuppy]

So MANY wonderful memories. Got to ring in the new century (2000) in the place where time stands still. Top 3 memories: watching baby albatros practice flapping and taking off on first flight. Knowing you're not supposed to touch critters but being snuggled and toe "snorfed" by BABY fur seals. Researcher at the research station placing #13 of VERY endangered tortoise in my hand, because I found where it had hatched. Have a fabulous trip!