Sailing the Galapagos Islands: Hiking, Kayaking, Snorkeling, and Wildlife Encounters by Don and Sue Klosterman

The Klostermans are excited to share the story of our 7-day guided sea adventure aboard The Nemo III in July 2023.  The boat carried our group of 11 adventure tourists and a crew of 9, sailing around the Galapagos Islands located 600 miles off the west coast of Ecuador near the equator.  Each action-packed day involved a series of excursions filling up all of the 12 hours of light between sunrise and sunset.  These adventures included beach landings and island hiking to view wildlife up close and personal, kayaking along the island shore, and snorkeling among sea turtles, schools of fish, and groups of friendly sea lions.  The list of exotic wildlife seen on land and in water (many within arm’s reach) was almost endless: waved albatross, blue footed boobies, frigate birds, flamingos, black tipped reef sharks, sea lions, penguins, giant tortoises, marine iguanas, and Sally Lightfoot crabs.  The presentation will include high definition photos and videos, including underwater video footage shot with a Go-Pro camera.   Come sail away with us …. you will see what it is like to swim with baby sea lions!

Biographies:

Don and Sue Klosterman are alumni and long-time employees of the University of Dayton.  Don’s home there is in the School of Engineering, while Sue spent many years teaching in the Geology department.  They have taken many hiking and backpacking trips over their 33 years of marriage, many of them in the western U.S., as well as hundreds of miles on the Appalachian Trail.  This was their first trip to South America.  Don was coordinator of the Dayton Backpacker Campfire from 2003-2016, and they both were active leaders in BSA for many years.  They reside in their long-time Centerville home of 30 years, and they continue to plan new adventures each year.