Galapagos Scrapbook: Santa Cruz Island

During the filming of "Galapagos Evolution," we began on one of the inhabited islands of the Galapagos called Santa Cruz. My favorite thing about this island was the way in which humans and animals coexisted so frequently in day to day life. Walking throughout the little town of Puerto Ayora you see this everywhere. Pelicans and a sea lion staking out at the local fish market. Apparently regulars, the fishermen work around them as usual, seemingly humoring their presence as you would a family dog. The sea lion even keeping his little chin on the edge of the table, trying to sneak scraps as the fish are cut up for sale. Marine iguanas scurry or are stepped around as people make their way across docks and sidewalks. Town walls echo the relationship this place has with the sea and its local marine life with colorful murals of sharks and sea creatures all over the place. Snoozing sea lions are just about everywhere, every surface deemed worthy of a nap. Shaded areas and benches are draped in pinnipeds, some softly snoring or making little movements with their flippers as they dream. I never saw anyone shoo them away. Actually, the hotel we stayed at named Red Mangrove even had a few little areas and lounge chairs which the sea lions have claimed as their permanent napping spots, the photos of which will have its own photo gallery as there are so many!

To see more you can now get Galapagos Evolution on iTunes, Amazon, Vimeo On Demand, and Google Play! It is directed by Roberto Ochoa He, narrated by Pierre-Yves Cousteau, and features fellow free divers Ocean Ramsey, Juan Oliphant, Guillaume Nery, Diran Devletian, the amazing scuba diver Leo Morales, and biologist Pelayo Salinas.

It was shot aboard the Nortada vessel with the Cressi team.

Arriving in Santa Cruz

The iconic tortoises at Darwin Station

I'm REALLY good at selfies.

My first glance at a male Iwa bird (Frigate). They're not so well loved in the Galapagos, as they steal from other birds, but we love the females that hang around the boats in Hawaii.

Ocean and the Iwa.

From the harbor at night you can see oceanic blacktip pups! They were so cute! Apparently there are usually rays here as well!

This spot was taken.