The Samba's new itinerary takes it past Marchena Island for a snorkeling stop.  There are no land based visitor sites, and it's a bit out of the way - so it's an odd place to include on a cruise itinerary… unless you're wise to the ways of Galapagos.  Juan Manuel Salcedo, one of the principle guides on the 14 passenger Samba was instrumental in designing its new itinerary, and he was keen on ensuring a stop here, because he knows the place could come up with pleasant surprises.

It turns out that this very rarely visited snorkeling spot is very rich in underwater life.   Last month (Feb 2012), during their scheduled stop here, CNH Tours guests had the extremely rare pleasure of swimming with a pod of false killer whales.   "The guide told us we were very lucky - it was only the 2^nd time in guiding career that he had ever seen this species".   Norm Vexler, an underwater photographer from Amherst, Massachusetts, did not hesitate and he jumped into the sea to take some wonderful shots, a sample which is presented with this story.   For more of Norm's pictures, see:  www.faroutphotos.com