Beluga

There is magic in the Galapagos Island. The kind of enchantment which unites an eighteen-year-old daughter, on the cusp of leaving for college, a fifteen-year-old son who is fascinated by animals and photography and us--their parents--who, being from Alaska, love active adventures. On so many moments on our trip, we were all united with the same sense of awe, beauty and wonderment. Of course, the sea lions captivated us with their love of play (we saw one bite the tail of a marine iguana just to be ornery). The inquisitive Nazca boobies waddled up and delighted us. However, there is one memory that stands out; snorkeling and seeing hammerhead sharks coolly cruise by below. There was collective squealing through the snorkels as we pointed out the sharks, who are so distinctive in appearance and smooth in movement. Later that day, at dinner, that was the memory which elicited excitement and the feeling of "Did we really just get to do that?".

Our whole family loved Read More