Galapagos Through the Eyes of a Mammal Trainer
My friend Christina is a mammal trainer and has been waiting for this trip all her life. When we started planning this trip back in July of 2019, I knew it was going to be a big deal for her and her friends. Until I saw her take that first step on the islands, I really had no idea just what it meant to her. Here is her quick recount of the the week:
A Lifetime of Waiting for a Week in Paradise
From a young age I knew I wanted to be a marine mammal trainer. Not only to build a relationship with some amazing animals, but to also be an advocate for conservation. To protect our planet so that their wild counterparts would not only survive but thrive in their environments. So, I geared all my studies towards the sciences, and in college majored in Environmental Policy/Marine Biology. Naturally going down that route, I learned more about one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet, the Galapagos Islands. I knew one day, I would have to see these unique islands, where Charles Darwin honed the theory of evolution.
After three years of planning (thanks covid), the trip of my life was here. We flew into Quito, Ecuador and the next day flew onto the islands. Bags were sprayed and shoes disinfected as to not bring any unwanted critters that might destroy a fragile ecosystem. Greeted by our G Adventures guide Johnny, we were whisked to an upgraded ship called the Yolita, where we would spend the next 5 days exploring, eating, and honestly napping!
We wasted no time. After lunch on the first day, we went for a hike on North Seymour, our first of several islands. Stepping off the panga (the small dingy we used to travel from the Yolita to the islands) was emotional. I’m not ashamed to say I cried at several points on the hike. Almost every animal we wanted to see we saw on that very first day. From iguanas to sea lions (my personal favorite), and even the world famous blue footed boobies.
This is no vacation for those seeking lounging on the beach. This was an adventure. We ran four activities a day, from hikes, to snorkeling, to panga rides around islands, to stepping out on the deck for bird watching. And every time we came back to the Yolita, drinks and snacks were waiting for us to recharge before the next excursion.
And while nothing is mandatory, you can skip excursions in order to stay on ship to rest, you don’t want to miss anything. We saw the endangered wave albatross flying back to the islands for nesting season, endangered spotted eagle rays feeding and breeding in the shallows, a tiger shark patrolling the coast for sea lion pups, and had the opportunity to swim with sea turtles, sea lions, and white tip reef sharks.
While we only saw the south and eastern islands, it filled my nature loving soul to the brim. We are already talking about going back to see the islands we missed. If you are a nature enthusiast and adventure seeking soul yourself, don’t miss the opportunity to see these magnificent islands!
