Earth Day on Santa Cruz Island

We made it to the Galapagos. Flew from Quito to Baltra Airport. Interesting landing, short runway but then you drive around awhile before you get to the right side of the island which has the terminal. After we cleared customs, got on to a small bus that took us to the MS Islander. Very nice boat. Started off with a lunch, then swinning around the boat (80 degree water), and an afternoon landing at N. Seymore Island. Little did we know what we would see....

Got off the boat and right away we see, a sea lion pup, marine iquana, and bright orange sally light foot crabs. These animals have no fear, you can walk right up to them. Laws do not allow you to touch them but you sure could if no one was looking. Walked down the beach past the more sea lion pups and their mothers. The low scrub trees were filled with frigget birds. The male frigget bird is the one with the big red inflated neck pouch, wing span of 7 ft. The male builds the nest and then courts the female. There must have been 50 of these birds all in full inflated red glory. We keep walking and now we are seeing blue footed boobie birds. Like big seagulls that have bright blue feet. The male and female court each other by stamping feet and making honking noises. On first trip of 2 hours, we got a really good sense of the amazing things we would see and how unique these islands are.

That night we sailed to Bartolome island. Started out at 6:30 am for the optional Master and Commander Walk (well, actually an uphill boardwalk hike). Part of the film where the doctor sees the French ship in a secluded harbour was filmed on this spot. Our day started with a sea lion blocking the landing, so we cleared that guy off to enable our zodiac to land. Off the boat on to a volcanic island, very little plant life, we walked on a boardwalk up to the top of the hill and it was very very hot. Amazing views.
Got back to the boat for breakfast and then had a snorkeling safety lesson. After that John and Janna got their snorkeling gear and I got an umbrella so I could sit on the beach. They saw some amazing things, sea turtles, hammer head sharks, swam with sea lions and just lots and lots of big and small fish. John is now sporting a pretty good sunburn on the back of his legs. Again it was very very hot. Back to the boat for a shower and lunch, which was traditioal Equadorian foods. Got to take a break for a bit then set sail for the other side of Santiago island. Off the boat for a wet landing, where you jump off the zodiac and your shoes get very wet. Walked inland and saw lots of lava lizards and assorted finches. Turned toward the sea and got to view marine iguanas by the ton..... they like to pile up on each other. The shore had a whole lot of sea lions and pups, and you just walk right up to these critters. We were on a search to find the Galapagos Fur Sea lion which is almost extinct. We have a very good guide named Walter and he did manage to find one for us. Also got to see a seaturtle floating in a gratto before it swam out to sea. We counted 22 sea turtle tracks left by female turtles heading into lay their eggs. Back to the boat for gin and tonics and dinner. We are sleeping really well at the end of the day.

It rained all night as our boat motored to Santa Cruz island. Left our ship at 8:00 am and should be back by 6:00 pm. Internet is very expensive on board so we are at an internet cafe in the town of Puerto Ayora. Today we did the Charles Darwin Research Institute and got to see how they are reintroducing the giant land turtle back to the islands. After that we loaded in to a bus and headed upland for lunch. Before lunch we got to go through a lava tube that started about a quarter mile away from the restaurant and magically ended right by the bar. Beer was pretty good by that time. After lunch we got back in the bus and went on a quest for giant land turtles in the wild. We got very lucky and saw about 8 of them!!! So now we blog and then we catch a zodiac home to the boat for gin and tonics, a shower and dinner. I for one am pooped.

Over and out.