Animals are so much more chill when there are no predators. I took a vacation in Galapagos a few years back and most of the wildlife is like this, they just kind of stare at you for a second and go about their day.
It’s a big problem in New Zealand. The native animals are super chill and relaxed because they have no native predators. However, invasive predators have been introduced and are wreaking havoc on the native species.
Penguins do have predators in the leopard seals in the antarctic, but because they’re the only bipedal animals down there they seem to view people as kinda just big penguins. They seem more than happy to jump into boats with people if they think there’s a seal around or something.
And for their part, the seals also seem to view us as a curiosity or small seal. I know of at least one case where a seal tried to teach somebody how to hunt by bringing them fish and injured penguins like they would for a baby seal.
11/10 recommend. We did a cruise that hopped between islands and I’ll never forget it. swimming with sea lions, hanging out with boobies (blue footed, nasca), really cool hawks, crabs, iguanas, and my favourite the frigate birds! They look like dinosaurs and have nearly a 6 foot wing span and will hover inches above your head near your boat, they’re so cool!
Cruising is a way to visit some of the most pristine and spectacular places on earth, and we hear a lot about how flying is bad for the climate, right? Right. But what if I told you that even the most efficient cruise ships emit more carbon dioxide per passenger kilometer (CO2/pax-km) than a passenger jet? Link
“The Galapagos Islands is one of the major vulnerable global hotspots to environmental and climatic change” Link
Its not a giant cruise ship, it was a super small yacht that fit 10 of us all done as sustainably as possible. In general I agree with you I wouldn’t touch a cruise ship with a 10 foot pole, they are definitely terrible.
That’s a really fair concern. I hope I get to go there someday, and I’m looking forward to doing it with an eye towards good ecological stewardship and responsibility. And not in a floating petri dish, I’m a straight up germaphobe
For what its worth my experience wasn’t a giant cruise ship it was a small yacht with maybe 10 of us on board, we only used it to get from island to island overnight.
Ngl, I’m straight up excited to see what kinds of innovations we see for exploring the oceans with all the new energy and storage tech we’re developing. On the one hand, we’re doing it because we’re facing an ecological hellscape; on the other, it’s really exciting to be one of the people who gets to see what we do and where we take it!
Animals are so much more chill when there are no predators. I took a vacation in Galapagos a few years back and most of the wildlife is like this, they just kind of stare at you for a second and go about their day.
It’s a big problem in New Zealand. The native animals are super chill and relaxed because they have no native predators. However, invasive predators have been introduced and are wreaking havoc on the native species.
Penguins do have predators in the leopard seals in the antarctic, but because they’re the only bipedal animals down there they seem to view people as kinda just big penguins. They seem more than happy to jump into boats with people if they think there’s a seal around or something.
And for their part, the seals also seem to view us as a curiosity or small seal. I know of at least one case where a seal tried to teach somebody how to hunt by bringing them fish and injured penguins like they would for a baby seal.
This is one of the coolest things I’ve ever read. Must’ve been incredible to experience firsthand!
11/10 recommend. We did a cruise that hopped between islands and I’ll never forget it. swimming with sea lions, hanging out with boobies (blue footed, nasca), really cool hawks, crabs, iguanas, and my favourite the frigate birds! They look like dinosaurs and have nearly a 6 foot wing span and will hover inches above your head near your boat, they’re so cool!
Maybe not 11/10 recommend
Its not a giant cruise ship, it was a super small yacht that fit 10 of us all done as sustainably as possible. In general I agree with you I wouldn’t touch a cruise ship with a 10 foot pole, they are definitely terrible.
That’s a really fair concern. I hope I get to go there someday, and I’m looking forward to doing it with an eye towards good ecological stewardship and responsibility. And not in a floating petri dish, I’m a straight up germaphobe
For what its worth my experience wasn’t a giant cruise ship it was a small yacht with maybe 10 of us on board, we only used it to get from island to island overnight.
Jealous
Ngl, I’m straight up excited to see what kinds of innovations we see for exploring the oceans with all the new energy and storage tech we’re developing. On the one hand, we’re doing it because we’re facing an ecological hellscape; on the other, it’s really exciting to be one of the people who gets to see what we do and where we take it!