2019-10-01 Wanderlust

Asinglescallopedhammerheadsharkisabizarre

sight,withitscuriouscephalofoil–thescientiŽic

termforthewidehandlebarskullformation

enhancingwidevisionandelectroreception.

HoweverthesightofhundredsofT-shaped

silhouettesupto4mlongschoolingaboveyouas

youŽinalongunderseawallsandaroundsoaring

rockpinnaclesispuresubaquaticscienceŽiction.

Toexperiencethissurrealspectacle,join

aliveaboarddivetourtoWolfandDarwinislands,

volcanicspecksover100kmnorthofthemain

Galápagosgroup.Here,atdivesitessuchas

ElArcoandElArenalo’DarwinandSharkPoint

nearbyWolf,youcanexpecttoencounterlarge

numbersofthesesleekpredators–butrest

assuredthey’remoreinterestedinsmallŽish

andsquidthanhumanprey.Watchforother

underseacreaturestoo,suchaseaglerays,sea

lions,Galápagossharksandsilkysharksand,

ofcourse,maketimetomeettheisland’sother

inhabitants:gianttortoises,algae-munching

marineiguanas,penguins,courtingalbatrosses

anddancingblue-footedboobiesarejustafew

ofthequintessentialspeciestospothere.

Toptips:VisittheGalápagosIslandsbetween

DecemberandMayforthebestchanceofseeing

bigschoolsofhammerheadsandmobularays.

Flyingwithin 24 hoursofmultipledivescanbe

dangerous–allowatleastadayafteryourlast

divebeforeleavingtheislands.

Alsotry:Cagedivewithgreatwhiteso’Port

Lincoln,SouthAustraliaorGuadalupeIsland,

Mexico;snorkelwithbaskingsharks,Hebrides,

north-westScotland.

122

WHEN?

Thebesttime

forahammerheadshark

encounternearWolf

andDarwinislands

isbetweenJune

andNovember.

Theclassic:Cage-divewithgreatwhitesharksoGansbaai,SouthAfrica

Thealternative:SwimamonghammerheadsintheGalápagosIslands

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ALTERNATIVE SECRET WILDLIFE EXPERIENCES

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