Galapagos is for Friends

May and June, 2011

Earlier this month I returned home from a month long trip to the Galapagos Islands. This represents 13 trips there in the last 5 years. Why in the world would I return so often to the same location? The animal life of course is a big part, but it really is the people that I work with here that make it such a rich place to come to. Shown here are my good friends who make life on board the National Geographic Endeavour so tasty! A special thanks to Willy and the boys!
On this last run I had the distinct pleasure of again working with one of the top National Geographic photographers in the business, Joel Sartore. I first traveled with Joel and his lovely wife Kathy in Antarctica a couple of years ago, this time around Joel also brought his son Cole and daughter Ellen along, with Spencer staying home in Nebraska! Here is Joel up close and personal with a Galapagos Sea Lion on Gardner Beach.
CT Ticknor and I have been working together for over 20 years now, and have traveled the world in search of wild animals, magic places, and enchanting light. She is absolutely the light of my life and as I pen these words I am on my way to Oslo, Norway to meet up with her to teach photography once again, this time in Svalbard, Norway (images coming soon!)
Ralph Lee Hopkins is the head of the Lindblad Photography program and an exceptional photographer to boot! Ralph and I have been teaching photography for Lindblad Expeditions together for many years now, and I will see and work with him once again in the high Russian Arctic in July!
And of course the ship that carries us all to these amazing places in the Galapagos is the National Geographic Endeavour, shown here at dawn under a full moon. The beautiful place, the amazing people, and of course the incredible wildlife!

A special thanks to Fernando, Ximena, and Emma and Juan Carlos for all your help and support while CT and I "played" for a little while after teaching on the ship. Me ke aloha!