galapagos underwater

Now that we are on our way to winter I can't help but think back on my wonderful vacation to South America back in August. Diving the Galapagos Islands was chilly, rugged and challenging but wow, was it ever worth it! What the Galapagos Islands lack in lush reefs and walls it makes up in nutrient-rich currents and unusual creatures...

Our home for a week was the luxurious dive vessel the SV Sky Dancer:

The best diving was at the remote Darwin's Arch:

We went to Darwin in search of the gigantic Whale Sharks that migrate there every year to feed. After leaving the zodiacs and submerging we kicked to a rocky underwater outcropping to wait for these gentle giants.

First we were delighted to see a school of Spotted Eagle Rays cruise by:

Soon afterward we were excited to see several large Hammerheads swim over to check us out:

Finally, out of the gloom came the bus-sized Whale Shark! We divers were dwarfed by this magnificent creature:

Not only does the Galapagos boast large pelagics, it also has one of the weirdest creatures I have ever seen. The Red-Lipped Batfish liked neither to swim nor to walk, it prefered to stand on its odd fins and glare at us: