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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Hot'Lanta... home of the Falcons!

    Galapagos travel advice

    Figured I might as well mine the DBR collective mind...

    Got any advice about a trip to Galapagos? My family is going next weekend for 10 days (2 in Quito, 8 cruising around the Galapagos islands). Has anyone on the boards been before? Anything special I need to know?

    I have purchased a GoPro as I hear I will be closer to seals and sea turtles than at any time in my life and I really want to get good pics of them!

    -Jason "if there is an interest, I will try to post some photos at some point during the trip or after I get back" Evans
    Why are you wasting time here when you could be wasting it by listening to the latest episode of the DBR Podcast?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    Toronto
    No advice except to treasure every moment. It's an incredible journey. One of the best travel experiences of my life.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Hot'Lanta... home of the Falcons!
    Quote Originally Posted by TomJoad View Post
    No advice except to treasure every moment. It's an incredible journey. One of the best travel experiences of my life.
    I have been to China where I climbed the Great Wall and the Potala Palace in Tibet.
    I have been to Africa where I took safaris and saw lions hunt.

    I am told this will put both of those to shame. I can't wait!
    Why are you wasting time here when you could be wasting it by listening to the latest episode of the DBR Podcast?

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by TomJoad View Post
    No advice except to treasure every moment. It's an incredible journey. One of the best travel experiences of my life.
    Could not agree more. It's been a few years since I went with my daughter and still the memories are vivid.

    Be careful with the sunblocks as protecting the environment is vital in the Galapagos. I'm sure your touring group has recommended threat free lotions, etc. Hats and even portable umbrellas help block the brutal, intense sun. Long sleeved sun-shade shirts would be a good call, too.
    Nothing incites bodily violence quicker than a Duke fan turning in your direction and saying 'scoreboard.'

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Deeetroit City
    If you plan on being in the water, have reef fins - the currents are BRUTAL!


    Any investment to upgrade your photography equipment will be considered well spent. EVERYTHING will seem like a Kodak moment. But I'm dating myself ...

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    New Jersey

    Boobies!

    I want to see some pictures of Blue-footed Boobies!
    Rich
    "Failure is Not a Destination"
    Coach K on the Dan Patrick Show, December 22, 2016

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Bethesda, MD
    Spectacular place. My favorite image is seeing the marine iguanas climb out of the ocean to create the world's biggest lizard pile. The boobies are cool, too.

  8. #8
    I didn’t know...HAD to do this 😂😂😂😂😂

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hgE6GwnzQMU

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Bethesda, MD
    Quote Originally Posted by tteettimes View Post
    I didn’t know...HAD to do this 😂😂😂😂😂

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hgE6GwnzQMU
    Cool video. The most amazing thing about the blue-footed boobies, to me, was the force with which they hit the water in their dives. I feel concussed just thinking about it.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Oregon
    Been there. Unforgettable! Tip: take a wetsuit, maybe a farmer John as the water is a bit chilly and the snorkeling is special. Take lots of film (oops, dating myself).

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Chicago suburbs
    It will be unforgettable!

    My only advice is to take advantage of any and all opportunities presented to hike, snorkel, kayak, ponga rides and anything else.

    Wonders are everywhere except on the ship.

    Enjoy!

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Hot'Lanta... home of the Falcons!
    Quote Originally Posted by Ranidad View Post
    My only advice is to take advantage of any and all opportunities presented to hike, snorkel, kayak, ponga rides and anything else.

    Wonders are everywhere except on the ship.
    This was the best advice! At one point, exhausted from many days n a row of adventures, we almost skipped our last snorkel opportunity. Most of my family had begged out, but my oldest son said to me, "dad, we are never going to snorkel in Galapagos again." That sold me and we had one final, amazing undersea adventure that featured a school of manta rays swimming around us, dozens of sea turtles, and our first encounter with seals (we saw lots of sea lions, but not many seals).

    Not sure if this will work, but I posted some photos and videos on Facebook.

    Quote Originally Posted by Rich View Post
    I want to see some pictures of Blue-footed Boobies!
    Ask and ye shall receive. This is one of the better photos I took...



    -Jason "I hope you all will note the hat I wore most of the trip" Evans

    Why are you wasting time here when you could be wasting it by listening to the latest episode of the DBR Podcast?

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Raleigh
    Quote Originally Posted by JasonEvans View Post
    This was the best advice! At one point, exhausted from many days n a row of adventures, we almost skipped our last snorkel opportunity. Most of my family had begged out, but my oldest son said to me, "dad, we are never going to snorkel in Galapagos again." That sold me and we had one final, amazing undersea adventure that featured a school of manta rays swimming around us, dozens of sea turtles, and our first encounter with seals (we saw lots of sea lions, but not many seals).

    Not sure if this will work, but I posted some photos and videos on Facebook.



    Ask and ye shall receive. This is one of the better photos I took...



    -Jason "I hope you all will note the hat I wore most of the trip" Evans

    I'm most amazed you could get a boobie photo past the board filters.

    Seriously, sounds like a fabulous adventure.
    [redacted] them and the horses they rode in on.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Winston-Salem
    Quote Originally Posted by JasonEvans View Post
    This was the best advice! At one point, exhausted from many days n a row of adventures, we almost skipped our last snorkel opportunity. Most of my family had begged out, but my oldest son said to me, "dad, we are never going to snorkel in Galapagos again." That sold me and we had one final, amazing undersea adventure that featured a school of manta rays swimming around us, dozens of sea turtles, and our first encounter with seals (we saw lots of sea lions, but not many seals).

    Not sure if this will work, but I posted some photos and videos on Facebook.



    Ask and ye shall receive. This is one of the better photos I took...



    -Jason "I hope you all will note the hat I wore most of the trip" Evans

    That is an awesome pic!

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Undisclosed
    Great photos, Jason!

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Hot'Lanta... home of the Falcons!
    The photo I took that I like best is probably this one.



    That is a mated pair of Swallow-tail gulls fighting off a Frigate bird that was trying to steal and eat their baby. The furry ball behind them, under the rock, is their chick. About a half dozen Frigate birds kept on diving at the chick but the mom and dad never wavered and the Frigates eventually gave up.

    I wish I could take credit for this shot of a baby humpback whale breaching right near us... but I was merely an observer of it. Someone else took this photo. I was in the zodiac riding toward the whales furiously trying to get my camera ready.

    Why are you wasting time here when you could be wasting it by listening to the latest episode of the DBR Podcast?

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Chicago suburbs

    Our last ponga ride...

    Quote Originally Posted by JasonEvans View Post
    This was the best advice! At one point, exhausted from many days n a row of adventures, we almost skipped our last snorkel opportunity. Most of my family had begged out, but my oldest son said to me, "dad, we are never going to snorkel in Galapagos again." That sold me and we had one final, amazing undersea adventure that featured a school of manta rays swimming around us, dozens of sea turtles, and our first encounter with seals (we saw lots of sea lions, but not many seals).

    Not sure if this will work, but I posted some photos and videos on Facebook.



    Ask and ye shall receive. This is one of the better photos I took...



    -Jason "I hope you all will note the hat I wore most of the trip" Evans

    Hi Jason,

    SO glad that your son sold you on the last snorkel. We got up before breakfast our last morning for one last ponga ride.


    A flock of blue footed boobies chased, dove & repeat a school of fish for about 20 minutes right around us. Sharing that experience with my kids was priceless. SO glad I didn't decide to sleep in the last morning.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Hot'Lanta... home of the Falcons!
    Quote Originally Posted by Ranidad View Post
    Hi Jason,

    SO glad that your son sold you on the last snorkel. We got up before breakfast our last morning for one last ponga ride.


    A flock of blue footed boobies chased, dove & repeat a school of fish for about 20 minutes right around us. Sharing that experience with my kids was priceless. SO glad I didn't decide to sleep in the last morning.
    That is fabulous video. Seeing BFBoobies dive into the water was certainly one of the cooler things on the trip. They are like missiles.
    Why are you wasting time here when you could be wasting it by listening to the latest episode of the DBR Podcast?

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Chicago suburbs
    Video isn’t fabulous but does give a taste of the experience. Diving boobies are like missiles definitely wouldn’t want to be a fish!

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    New Bern, NC unless it's a home football game then I'm grilling on Devil's Alley
    I thought this would be of interest to JE and others who have been there.
    One of the most famous rock formations in the Galapagos Islands has collapsed into the sea.
    The top of Darwin's Arch, located in the northern part of the archipelago, fell as "a consequence of natural erosion," according to the Ministry of Environment for Ecuador.
    https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/g...ses/index.html
    Q "Why do you like Duke, you didn't even go there." A "Because my art school didn't have a basketball team."

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