Spotted in the news: Just 11 Miles Off Coast, California’s Galápagos

“Look at that,” came the voice of our boat’s captain over a crackly intercom. “A wildlife sighting and we haven’t even left the harbor!” Toward the bow of the ship on the starboard side, a sleek, dark gray figure was cresting out of the water about 25 yards in front of us. It was a bottlenose dolphin, the playful and charismatic mammal found in oceans all over the world. I pulled out my rented binoculars to get a closer look, and a couple of fellow passengers clapped their hands in delight. We got another glimpse of the dolphin’s dorsal side and blowhole before it vanished with a quick flick of the tail. Nearby, a group of sea lions lazed on a buoy.

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