Galápagos
Island Hopping in the Name of Science
The sound of the bell rang through the boat as Daphne Major, one of the Galápagos Islands, came into view. We peered over the top of our books recognizing how the sketch of this rocky island was nothing compared to the beauty that was before us.
It was here that Charles Darwin studied his finches, and four different currents meet to create the most diverse ecosystem on our planet. We were experiencing the heart of science in the Galápagos Islands.
After spending nine days living in the Galápagos Islands on our tour boat, we were less seasick, more tan, and full of insight about the natural history of this place. As 13 biology majors, we came to spend winter break off the coast of Ecuador to study the diversity of life on the islands.
One day, our afternoon snorkel was at a place called Devil's Crown. While some of us eagerly jumped in to get the first sight of the white-tipped reef sharks, others hesitantly slipped into the water noticing that the sharp rock formations did indeed look like the devil's crown. Once under the surface, we could see a diverse whirl of color that was hidden from above. We couldn't get enough of the chocolate-chip sea stars, and we never wanted to leave the sea lions who decided to swim with us.
Every day was a new adventure, with hikes through highlands, discussions about species diversity, and lots of fresh seafood and fruit. Seeing the rare vermillion fly-catcher, a stunning red and black bird, more than made up for the day the frigate bird pooped on one of us. The group smiled the biggest when we we saw the pair of penguins sitting on the rocks. Hammerhead sharks, blue-footed boobies, marine iguanas, and Pacific green sea turtles only skimmed the surface of what we observed. Not only did we get five credits, but we also experienced the creative work of God through the mystery of the Galápagos Islands.
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