Sea turtles, stingrays, fish & sharks surround diver in Galapagos

Solon is a seasoned scuba diver who lives in the Galapagos Islands. It is here that he works, calling the ocean his "office". With 35 years experience as a dive guide and roughly 15,000 dives under his belt, he is as at home in the water as Aqua Man is.

Solon has a dream job, escorting guests on adventures beneath the waves, sharing the awe and wonder of the underwater world. Solon is also a fantastic teacher, sharing his vast knowledge of the reefs and the animals that live there. Solon teaches a respect for the ocean and the complex web of life that we are responsible for protecting.

Perched on a rock ledge, Solon was showing his divers the animals near Wolf Island. It's a remote corner of the world where three strong ocean currents come together, supporting a diversity of life that is unlike any other. Hammerhead sharks, Galapagos sharks, whale sharks, and spotted eagle stingrays drift slowly past, curious about the awkward humans who visit and observe them. In 30 seconds, Solon records two spotted eagle stingrays that approached him curiously, a majestic sea turtle, coronet fish and a Galapagos shark. His respectful approach allows Solon a close look at the marine life and they regard him with curiosity. For nearly eight years, Solon has been seeing this eagle ray with the abnormally developed wingtip. It often swims straight to him out of the blue, circles in front of him, or regards him closely before moving on. The eagle ray seems to recognize him and can distinguish Solon from other divers.

The sights and experiences in the Galapagos Islands are unique and unparalleled. Even for Solon, seeing eagle rays, sharks, sea turtles, and fish all at once was a wonder to behold.