Swimming with a Sea Turtle

Today we landed on Santa Fe Island, the only place on Earth to spot the rare Santa Fe iguana. These unique land iguanas make up the second of the three types in the Galapagos, with the elusive pink iguana being the last, found only on a remote volcanic crater that’s off-limits to visitors. So with todays sightings, I’ve officially met all the iguanas I’ll get to see on this trip.

Our hike on Santa Fe brought us close to not only the iguanas but also playful sea lions - one even had a go at a co-travelers backpack! Afterward, we snorkeled in the islands bay, where the underwater world amazed us again. We spotted white-tipped sharks, and at one point, a sea lion darted through the water, playfully chasing them. Stingrays glided along the seabed, but the highlight? Swimming with a sea turtle for the first time in my life. It was huge - its shell as big as a persons torso - and had survived a shark attack, missing one of its front flippers. Watching it move gracefully despite its injury was a humbling sight.Läs mer