It was a beautiful afternoon when we arrived at the island of Bartolome aboard the Santa Cruz II Galapagos cruise. The sky was clear on this particular day and, upon arriving at Bartolome, we instantly went out in search of the prized Galapagos penguin – a famous inhabitant of the archipelago and big member of our BIG15 group of iconic species – that happens to live right here on this beautiful island. We arrived at the coast and, within pretty much no time, we managed to quickly spot this unique little penguin – the only species of penguin that lives north of the equator!
Dolphins in Galapagos, Ahoy!
Everyone was super happy to get to see this fantastic animal. But the archipelago had not finished its show for this particular day, as a sudden call on the radio from the Santa Cruz II informed us of numerous dolphin sightings! Immediately, our Naturalist Guide pulled out his binoculars to scan the horizon and verify.
Sure enough, there were dolphins swimming about.
This made us immediately put a pause to our originally-planned panga ride (coastal exploration), and we swiftly changed the direction of our dinghy and within minutes found ourselves within arms length, practically, of this magnificent spectacle. We must have spent over half an hour enjoying these eclectic creatures as they jumped out of the water and swam close to us. Dolphins in Galapagos never fail to delight us!
Things like this are not always predictable in the Galapagos. We might not be able to plan for them, but we definitely know how to take advantage of an unexpected situation so that our passengers can enjoy it aboard the Santa Cruz II!
In many ways, nature is a beautiful and unpredictable canvas, upon which different colors of life are being painted, be it either by dolphins that are jumping around freely or cute little penguins that are ambling around happily. And the best part? They do it in front of us without any fear, as if we’ve been their friends for centuries – a truly magical experience that is unlike anything else and that can only really be experienced here in the Galapagos Islands. This archipelago is both alive and highly dynamic, never ceasing to provide unforgettable moments for both our guests and crew.
Today, it was dolphins in Galapagos we saw. Tomorrow, who knows? It could be killer whales, humpback whales or giant rays that we spot. In the end, we can only let nature roll the dice and allow the enchanted islands to enchant us.
In case you’re wondering, this all happened aboard our Northern Galapagos Islands itinerary or, if you’re ready to go, start talking to a Galapagos expert!
