Our Galápagos trip in July 2021 was truly extraordinary! With our amazing naturalist guide who grew up in Galápagos, Lourdes Pesantes (Lulu), and the fantastic crew of the Bonita, we were fortunate to be one of the few visitors here as a result of the decrease in travel due to COVID. It felt like we had the Galápagos all to ourselves and the animals “seemed so happy” to see us!

In the Galápagos, it’s not hard to take amazing photographs, as animals are so used to humans. The snorkeling at Tagus Cove off of Isabela Island was spectacular! Sightings included pufferfish, Mexican hog fish, rainbow wrasse, chocolate chip sea stars and several other types of sea stars, sea fans, orange cup coral, Galápagos red conch, green sea urchins, pencil sea urchins, sea cucumbers and lots of Pacific green sea turtles. They swam around us, unafraid! Lulu took a deep dive down with the underwater camera to get some good shots for us.

Photos by Lulu Pesantes
Story by Page Keeley
Galápagos Islands | Professional Development for Science Educators