Millions of years of evolution

Spotted Eagle Ray-one of dozens
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Providing chaotic ocean currents that left us feeling more like amoebas in a flushed toilet than divers at sea, the Galapagos has been the most challenging place to dive thus far.  We completed three exhausting dives (all within one day), with currents that went up, down, sideways, diagonally, and at times, were nipple-erecting cold.  To undergo such environments, you are given a 7 mm wetsuit, full with hood, gloves, and booties, all of which makes you feel like you have a half dozen beachballs tethered to your arms and legs.  I pictured myself looking more like the Michelin man than a seasoned diver, and probably appeared as clumsy while trying to maintain neutral buoyancy.

Sea lion posing
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Why go through all these troubles?  For starters, and enders, currents of these magnitudes bring an abundance of life like no other.  Never have we experienced a 15-count eagle ray squadron grace our presence and never have we witnessed one of the premier creatures of evolution like the hammerhead shark.  How many hammers did we see?  Four dozen, maybe more, ranging from 6 to 9 feet in length.  Absolutely incredible.  Trying to get quality photos of these creatures furthered my appreciation for professional photographers of the deep.  The currents spun me around and beat the living snot out of me.

Trying to get quality photos of these creatures furthered my appreciation for professional photographers of the deep

Evolution's little handy work
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If that didn't take the cake, our dive intermissions were spent playing with sea lions which I mistaked for seals (I'll have to look more into this).  This was an experience that was truly unique.  The curiosity and playfulness of these creatures is something you would find only at Seaworld, and now Galapagos.  Difference here is that we were the ring masters with no marine biology degree.  The eagerness of the animals to watch and then mimic whatever we did made me wonder if they had an intelligence greater than what scientists had given them.  Pretty cool stuff.

Playing with the sea lions, or seals?
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Well, it hurts to type as my fingers are shriveled up prunes, mind you, along with one other important appendage on my body.  Tomorrow we set sail to seven different islands over eight promising days, bringing us closer to land wildlife, most importantly, to the blue-footed boobie.

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