GALAPAGOS

The Galapagos Islands are quite literally a land of fire and water. This chain of islands rise out of the crystal clear ocean almost 600 miles from the coastline of Ecuador. Formed by volcanos found underneath the sea floor, there is diverse wildlife both on land and in the surrounding pristine ocean. Some of this unique biology is endemic to the Galapagos and even to just one of the 127 islands, islets and rocks that form this archipelago.

Exploring these islands with two other avid adventurers, I treked through mountain rainforests and mangrove swamps, climbed into volcanic craters and walked miles of sand witnessing the diversity of these islands firsthand. In the ocean we paddled a hundred yards behind the wave break in order to surf for hours at a time. When the seas were calm, we took off on a local fishing rig to scuba dive in some of the most pristine and unpolluted waters on earth. From seals, hammerhead sharks and sea turtles in the water, to giant tortoises, pink flamingos, lava lizards and marine iguanas on land, the animals we encountered and the memories we documented are some of my all time favorites.