Behind the Lens: Among Penguins North of the Equator

Swimming with Galapagos Penguins: The Galapagos Archipelago is the only place to swim with penguins north of the equator. Here, Galapagos Penguins speed through the water in a torpedo-like fashion, hunting fish in the cool waters of the Humboldt and Cromwell currents. Jorge Prigann, an Expedition Filmmaker and member of Silversea’s Expedition Team aboard new ship Silver Origin, takes great delight in sharing the waters with the world’s second-smallest penguin species.

“The only reason the penguins are able to survive here is because of the Galapagos’ unique environment,” says Prigann. “I therefore consider myself to be extremely lucky to swim with penguins in this beautiful region of the world, which, in theory, should be tropical. Galapagos Penguins dart through the water so quickly that it’s easy to miss them. When I snorkel with guests off Caleta Tagus in the waters of Isabela Island, they are often so engrossed in the green turtles or schools of tropical fish that they are oblivious to the agile birds that swim close to them. Their rapid speed and small size can make filming Galapagos Penguins underwater particularly difficult. When on a Galapagos cruise, it helps to learn about their behavior before diving with your GoPro!”