Melanie’s Trip Experience Leader, Claudia, took this video on a giant black manta ray they swam with in the Galápagos Islands during O.A.T.’s Ultimate Galápagos Exploration & Ecuador's Amazon Wilds adventure.
By Melanie Shepard, 5-time traveler from Duluth, MN
The nose of Floreana Island in the Galápagos jutted out in the distance. "Get going!" Our dinghy driver urged in his broken English. After adjusting my mask, I swung my legs over the raft's side and slid into the cool water. My husband, Alan, was not far behind. Up ahead, Claudia, our Trip Experience Leader, waved. We propelled over to her using our fins to scissor through the water. During our snorkeling outings, I always tried to stay close because she knew where to find the secrets of the underwater world below us. Claudia was like a fish, diving to take shots with her underwater camera and swimming back and forth to check on the group.
A map of the Galápagos archipelago, which travelers can visit on O.A.T.’s Ultimate Galápagos Exploration & Ecuador's Amazon Wilds adventure.
We gradually snorkeled along volcanic rock cliffs and coral reef outcroppings, peering down into the misty green water that became turquoise when the sun showed. Occasionally, someone would point down or raise an arm to alert others of a sighting. At first, not much happened, but then the underwater world opened up to us. Alan touched my arm and pointed to a sleek sea lion swimming beside him. It twisted and curled, somersaulting in the water.
Sea lions are a common sight when snorkeling in the Galápagos.
A large school of striped salema fish engulfed everything in its wake. Deep purple tang fish with bright yellow tails darted around us. Below them was a chocolate chip sea star clinging to the coral reef, its brown knobs jutting out. Claudia dove down to capture a picture of it. Turning sharply, she took some shots of a bright blue and yellow school of king angelfish. The Pacific green sea turtles were out in force. These ancient creatures waved their flippers at us as they plunged to rest on the rock bottom.
A Pacific green sea turtle—like the one that waved at Melanie in the Galápagos.
I spotted Claudia descending once again with her camera ready. Then I saw it. A giant manta ray, with a wingspan three times my height, swam gracefully below us. Its triangular shape seemed as smooth as black velvet marked by white tips and a white collar at the neck. As it slowly glided through the water, I floated serenely about it. It moved on to dazzle the others but returned one last time to soothe my spirit.
Go snorkeling and keep your eye out for a giant manta ray on O.A.T.’s Ultimate Galápagos Exploration & Ecuador's Amazon Wilds adventure or New! Immersion in Ecuador: Quito to the Galápagos.
