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Galapagos adventure

Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2019 10:22 am
by oldsalt
Many of you know I had to give up diving. Life, while diminished, hasn't ended. I will mark my 75th birthday here at the equator, visiting the Galapagos. While snorkeling, a 5 meter manta ray passed beneath me. Plankton obscured the visibility and I was forced to shoot down, but I got a picture to show I was there.
manta
manta
I had better conditions when I saw these three sea turtles swimming away.
sea turtles
sea turtles
While snorkeling, we also saw sharks, penguins, flightless cormorants, sea lions, marine iguanas, and a mix of the normal tropical reef fish. The bottom is primarily bare lava - no coral.
Above the surface we have tortoises, land iguanas, and many birds. I'll leave you with this shot of a blue footed booby, because it is so much fun to say.
booby
booby
-Curt

Re: Galapagos adventure

Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2019 11:05 am
by Tom Nic
So happy that you are able to experience this!!

Re: Galapagos adventure

Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2019 1:00 pm
by Gdog
Curt, that is very cool. I love that you chose to continue your love affair with the ocean, and not allowing your no longer diving to interfere with that. I envy you going to Galapagos!

Re: Galapagos adventure

Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2019 3:34 pm
by Penopolypants
What a grand adventure! I'm so glad you're getting to experience Galapagos!

Re: Galapagos adventure

Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2019 5:48 pm
by ScubaJess
Amazing!!!! What an adventure! So cool you got to see all those beautiful critters!! I love the blue footed Bobby!!! Wow!! How's the coffee down there? Safe travels!

Re: Galapagos adventure

Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2019 6:08 pm
by YellowEye
Very cool! Awesome!

What's a flightless cormorants? Do they just swim and dive? :)

Re: Galapagos adventure

Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2019 7:54 am
by Jan K
Happy Birthday Curt. What a perfect way to celebrate.
How many people can say that they got pictures of Manta, turtles underwater while swimming with them. I for one do not discount snorkeling. What counts is that it is you who sees that on your own eyes. I am younger, but would love to snorkel along side of you right now instead of preparing for yet another snow apocalypse...
Keep on living as you managed so far. From your posts here on NWDC, you got the formula right! :)

Re: Galapagos adventure

Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2019 9:32 am
by oldsalt
YellowEye wrote:Very cool! Awesome!

What's a flightless cormorants? Do they just swim and dive? :)
That's right. They are endemic here. I was unable to get an underwater picture of them, but they are amazing when they are hunting. Here's a group of three. Notice the vestigial wings.
cormorants
cormorants
Curt

Re: Galapagos adventure

Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2019 11:33 pm
by Scubie Doo
What a cool experience. Thank you for sharing this. Happy birthday.


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Re: Galapagos adventure

Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2019 7:11 pm
by Scubak
How wonderful that you were there and able to enjoy your adventure...
I hope to get there soon.
Thankyou for sharing...
Kirsten

Re: Galapagos adventure

Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2019 12:23 am
by H20doctor
to be be 75 years old and able to go on a Vacation to the Galapagos islands is Incredible .... congrats my friend