Galápagos: Cousins – Diving with Sea Lions & Blennies
“Dutchie and I joined a scuba diving liveaboard (diving cruise) for 7N/8D.
The itinerary included seven days of scuba diving across the Galapagos archipelago (Ecuador): Punta Carrion, Wolf Island, Darwin’s Arch & Island and Cousins Rock”
Our last dive in the year 2017 happens to be in Galapagos (Ecuador). The dive site called ‘Cousins’, it’s a large rock with sea lions as its main population. Our first five meters depth started with the sea lions playing around under the water. They keep jumping and swimming towards us, then quickly they move up to the surface. Again and again, just like they invite us to play with them.
It is fun to see their activities under the water but unfortunately I bring a camera with macro lens, I have no luck in capturing these playful sea lions. But thanks to Dutchie’s GoPro, we can share the moment with you on this blog 🙂
The water temperature is 20-21 degree Celcius. I can feel the cold water coming through my 5 mm wetsuit and 3 mm neoprene jacket. I don’t wear a hood and gloves during the dive – which are highly recommended to use for cold water diving. Luckily I don’t get easily cold nowadays, thanks to weekly training in 23-25 degree Celcius swimming pool. The training makes me easily adapt to be in the cold water. However, don’t be like Indah when scuba diving in the cold sea water.
I was told there is numerous macro marine life in the dive site. My attention goes to the blennies, cute fish with large round eyes. They are Panamic Fanged Blenny, common blenny fish from Galapagos to Peru. Thanks to Rumi, a Japanese scuba diver in our group, she finds tiny blennies hide in the holes of rocky slopes. It’s fascinating to see these tiny blennies. I am not sure what blenny species are they. Mind you, there are numerous blennies species in Galapagos and I am not a marine biologist. After seeing their cuteness, blennies become my new sensation after the nudibranch and clownfish.
Aside from them, fishes who are great in camouflage can be seen in this dive site too. They are doing well at hiding themselves right in front of your nose. Scuba divers, watch out, do not touch rocks without looking carefully, you don’t want to get their venoms when touching them accidentally. Can you see a scorpionfish in the following picture?
Galapagos Diving
indahs: dive, travel & photography 
Beautiful pics, you wouldn’t like diving here though if 21c is cold, its common for me to dive in water that is 12-13c here in California 🙂
Great shots Indah. I love the ones of the different blennies, nice lighting.
sea lions are the most amazing of creatures! so playful! 🙂
What an amazing experience, I remember swimming with sea lions once in Lima, the youngest ones were curious and friendly, the older ones kept their distance. Your captures are amazing!.
Indah, you simply never cease to amaze 🙂 You have this innate ability to capture the underwater world, bringing the feeling to us. And also…the Galapagos, what a dream place this must have been.
It was a dream destination – glad to be able to visit the islands. Thank you so much, Randall!
Fabulous shots..I love that starfish, I’ve never found one like that.
Thank you so much! Some of the starfish are having amazing colors – their colors could be inspiration for any designer 🙂
Great pics…all of them…still trying to se the Scorpionfish in the last shot…thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much, Kirt!
Loved seeing the video Indah. We had this experience snorkelling in the Sea of Cortez and it will be a life long high light. Such amazing in the sea. Wow! Loved seeing this.
Thank you so much, Sue!