Galapagos kid interviews
Two boat kids had two land kids on board for almost 18 days. Here’s what they think about the Galapagos
Floreana
💗 Amber · Age 11 · Visiting from Central Coast California
First-time sailor
🏴☠️ Pirate Name: Ambie Stormrider
Amber learning how to sound the conch shell for sunset
🌋 First Impressions Of the Galapagos
Before:
We did so much research before the trip that it wasn’t too much of a surprise.
Surprised by:
All the lava rocks and volcanos.
Favorite Island:
Santa Cruz, because we were there the longest. I felt comfortable and really liked it there. I really liked the strip!
🐢 Wildlife
Fav Animal and Why:
The manta ray. It was really magical - it almost jumped out of the water and was so big!
Any animal freak you out or surprise you?
The hammerhead was really cool and surprising.
If you could be any Galapagos animal, what would you be?
I would probably want to be a sea lion.
Coolest moment you had with sea life?
Swimming beside a sea turtle was really magical.
⛵ Boat Life
Best part: Being able to jump in the water.
Hardest part: All the mosquitoes and bugs!
Favorite snack: Peach rings or puppy chow.
🤙 Crew Life
What was it like joining Harbor and Aria on their boat?
It was fun! Such a new experience!
What’s been the funniest moment with the Kaikoa crew?
Sea lions got onto the boat and we had to chase them off.
What’s something you’ll miss most when you leave?
I’ll miss all the wildlife I can see from the boat.
🌎 Learning
What’s something new you learned out here that you didn’t learn in school? I didn’t expect to see this much marine life! It’s really amazing.
Do you think this kind of travel is a good way to learn?
This is a really good way to learn because it’s fun and educational.
What’s one thing you’d tell your friends back home about the Galápagos?
I will tell them I saw a giant hammerhead shark!
😄 Fun
Best day: Snorkeling - we saw hammerheads, so many fish, and baby hammerheads.
Worst moment: My mom had to pop a cyst on my ear (she is a doctor, so it’s okay).
Messiest crew member: The boys
Who would you trust to captain the boat?
Aria
🌅 Reflection
Three words to describe this trip:
Breathtaking. Magical. Awesome.
Boat ride back from snorkeling
Las Grietas
💚 MICAH · Age 8 Visiting From Central Coast California
First-time sailor
🏴☠️ Pirate Name: Pad Foot Bootie Face
Micah & Harbor are a month apart
🌋 First Impressions Of Kaikoa
Before you stepped onto this boat, what did you think boat life would be like? When I first got to Kaikoa, I thought it would just be swimming and it would be easy. This is hard. You have to check if it’s safe, you check the weather and you check the waves.
🐢 Wildlife
What is the COOLEST animal you've seen in the Galapagos so far?
A giant hammerhead while snorkeling. Hammerheads are long with a flat head and eyes on the ends. The head looks like a hammer and it’s grey.
🌋 The Volcano on Isabela island
What did you think of the volcano?
When I saw the Negra Volcano, I saw a giant pit with smoke and yellow spots.
It smelled like rotten eggs. The rocks were really hot. The sulfur was yellow with white smoke. It was so cool.
🌊 Moments I Won’t Forget
Favorite moment: Snorkeling and seeing a giant hammerhead, I can still picture it.
Funniest moment: Peeing on a volcano and doing the splits on a paddleboard and sliding off.
⛵ Boat Life
Best part: You can go to many different places.
Hard part: Making sure everything is safe and checking systems and weather.
Two wild dudes
Death walk back to the boat
💙 HARBOR · Age 8 · Has lived on the boat since Dec ‘24
🏴☠️ Pirate Name: Buck Tooth Bill
Harbor Man the volcano assistant
⚓ Boat Life Reality
Boat life is actually hard. It sounds easy, but you have to check engines, batteries, wind, it’s not a vacation, but it can still be fun. I also puke a lot and Dad assigns us things to help.
🐢 Wildlife
Favorite: Giant manta ray! They are so big.
If I could be any animal: An adult hammerhead.
Cool moment: Seeing a Galápagos shark with white tips.
🌋 Adventure
Riding in the back of the truck felt like a roller coaster. It was super bumpy with lots of hills and wind. Micah and I got to ride in the back of a truck on the RIM of a VOLCANO!
🌊 Moments I Won’t Forget
The manta ray whooshing under the boat. It was MASSIVE.
Most fun: Being the assistant for our tour guide at the volcano and I got to whizz on an active volcano.
⛵ Boat Life
Best part: The adventures.
Hardest part: Checking wiring and engines.
🌎 Learning
Sea lions are really playful and you can play with them.
Boat life is a good way to learn because we experience nature in person.
Santa Cruz
San Cristobal
🧡 ARIA · Age 13 · Has lived on the boat since Dec ‘24
🏴☠️ Pirate Name: Arisette Bluewater
Amber & Aria Hiking on Floreana
🌋 First Impressions
I thought the Galapagos would have more palm trees and big mountains and fewer people. I was hoping to see tribes like the Kuna. I got it backwards. It was really quiet, even though there were a lot of dive boats.
Favorite island:
I can’t choose. Each one had something different! I liked all the restaurants, exploring, beaches, and volcanoes.
🐢 Wildlife
I can’t choose! Sea lions, hammerheads, blue-footed boobies, turtles, bait balls…all of it.
Tiny purple jellyfish scared me when I jumped in.
If I could any animal, I’d be a young sea lion because they always look like they’re having fun.
⛵ Boat Life
Best part: Traveling and exploring new places.
Hardest part: Not getting seasick.
Weirdest part: Explaining we live on a sailboat.
Learned: Reading instruments and standing watch.
Favorite Snack: Citrus and Pringles.
🌎 Learning
Sea lions lay sideways in the water to regulate temperature.
Travel helps me experience different cultures. So, I am automatically learning.
I almost died hiking a volcano, haha, not really, but it felt like it. I don’t like heights and he told us the volcano would blow up (not anytime soon though).
😄 Fun
Best day: When the Busbys arrived.
Worst moment: Hiking back up the volcano.
Messiest crew member: The sea lion that slept on our settee
Captain choice: Blue-footed boobies
🌅 Reflection
I learned to respect nature more.
Seeing the hammerhead under me was unreal.
Micah getting chased by a sea lion was unforgettable and super funny.
I would 100% do this again.
Three words to describe the Galapagos:
Beautiful. Adventurous. Tropical.
Santa Cruz Market
King of the SunChill
Quiet night onboard
Isabela Island
Volcano ride
