Right in the middle of the action!
Swimming with sea lions is an unusual pleasure. Especially when the intelligent and playful marine mammals do not see humans as a danger, but as an interesting change. Sometimes you are ignored, then you have the unique chance as an onlooker to observe the social behavior of the colony. The sea lions, on the other hand, often look at you with interest and sometimes they even react happily to play. However, please never try to touch a sea lion. They are and will remain wild animals with very sharp teeth. If they feel pressured, they'll be right to bite. If there are small young animals in the water, the alpha male will temporarily deny access to the bay. In this case, you should wait quietly until the kindergarten has left the water again and instead the active youth populates the waves. Respect the animals and let them determine how close you are to yourself. If you follow this ethical principle, you and the sea lions can enjoy the meeting in a relaxed manner. It is a unique experience when you suddenly become the center of a colony and swim among them.
Become part of the colony and experience their joyful game ...
Swimming with sea lions - snorkeling in Galapagos, Santa Fe Island, Galapagos National Park, Ecuador
A game with sea lions - snorkeling in the Galapagos, Espanola Island, Galapagos National Park, Ecuador
A fast-paced game emerges and suddenly I'm right in the middle of it. The sea lions whirl around me at lightning speed. Incredibly agile, its streamlined, massive body shoots through the water. They turn, swim upside down, dive into the depths and effortlessly screw themselves back towards the surface at breakneck speed. I can't turn my head fast enough to keep up with their movements. Suddenly a sea lion shoots right at me. I reflexively pull my hands to my stomach, there is no time for evasive maneuvers. I hold my breath and almost expect a collision. At the last second the sea lion turns away and leaves me puzzled. Then he dives behind me and noses at one of my fins. I keep going down a little with the colony, swimming with it and letting it pass by. In my heart I hear the sea lions laughing. Like high-spirited children, we romp along the reef together. If I didn't have a snorkel, I would have a big grin on my face. Instead, my heart laughs with these great animals and I enjoy the hustle and bustle to the full. The heavenly feeling of being part of their world will be with me for a long time. "
A fast-paced game emerges and suddenly I'm right in the middle of it. The sea lions whirl around me at lightning speed. Incredibly agile, its streamlined, massive body shoots through the water. They turn, swim upside down, dive into the depths and effortlessly screw themselves back towards the surface at breakneck speed. I can't turn my head fast enough to keep up with their movements. Suddenly a sea lion shoots right at me. I reflexively pull my hands to my stomach, there is no time for evasive maneuvers. I hold my breath and almost expect a collision. At the last second the sea lion turns away and leaves me puzzled. Then he dives behind me and noses at one of my fins. I keep going down a little with the colony, swimming with it and letting it pass by. In my heart I hear the sea lions laughing. Like high-spirited children, we romp along the reef together. If I didn't have a snorkel, I would have a big grin on my face. Instead, my heart laughs with these great animals and I enjoy the hustle and bustle to the full. The heavenly feeling of being part of their world will be with me for a long time. "
Wildlife Viewing • Diving and Snorkeling • Swimming with sea lions • Diashow
Swim with sea lions in the Galapagos
You will meet sea lions on numerous beaches in Galapagos National Park. The Galapagos sea lions (Zalophus wollebaeki) living here are an endemic species San Cristobal the largest colony. Tours to the uninhabited islands espanola and Santa Fe offer good opportunities to snorkel with sea lions in clear water. Even on a day trip to Floreana or Bartholomew or on Galapagos cruise you can share the water with sea lions. The playful animals are unusually relaxed in the Galapagos National Park and do not seem to perceive humans as a danger. Diving in the Galapagos, with good sighting chances for sea lions, is offered among others for San Cristobal, Espanola and North Seymour.
Cruise ship On the north-west route you can also visit lonely and remote islands like Marchena reach. The island is known on the one hand for the Galapagos sea lions that cavort in the bay and on the other hand for Galapagos fur seals, who live in the lava pools of the coastal area. You can experience both types while snorkeling underwater. Fur seals, like sea lions, belong to the ear seal family.
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- Playful Sea Lion - Snorkeling Espanola Island Galapagos National Park
Swimming with sea lions in Mexico
California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) live in Mexico. The Baja California Sur offers you good opportunities to swim with them. La Paz is the typical point of contact for this. Here you can not only swim with sea lions, but also Snorkel with whale sharks.
A second possibility is at the very southern tip at Cape Pulmo. Here is a national park, which is particularly known as a good diving area for mobulas and large schools of fish. You can visit and observe the small sea lion colony of the national park as part of a snorkeling tour.
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- Swimming with Sea Lions - Snorkeling in Cabo Pulmo Baja California Mexico
Wildlife Viewing • Diving and Snorkeling • Swimming with sea lions • Diashow
Enjoy the AGE ™ Picture Gallery: Swimming with Sea Lions
(For a relaxed slide show in full format, simply click on a photo and use the arrow key to move forward)
Wildlife Viewing • Diving and Snorkeling • Swimming with sea lions • Diashow