Galapagos Part 2

May 20th - 23rd 2008

I have now adjusted to the rocky sleeps of the sea and the gourmet buffet meals served three times a day are really making this feek like a vacation. We have a 2 hour siesta after lunch everyday and I manage to fall asleep everytime.

The sun is still blazing here but the wildlife doesn't seem to mind. We visited a beach full of Sea Lions and swam loops underwater with a team of playful and tireless pups. We also spotted a few sea turtles swimming near the ocean floor.

The next day we visited a bustling bird cliff on Santa Fe Island where we peacefully stood and observed Blue Footed Boobies, various finch species, different doves, Frigate birds, Swallow-tailed Red Gulls etc.

Our attempt at locating an endemic species of the Land Iguana proved futile, but the large male sea lion patrolling the colony splattered along the white sand beach was interesting enough.

Espanola Island, where Charles Darwin first landed, is touted as the most pristine of the islands. Everything was alive and kicking on this busy island. In the morning We visited a nice long powder sand beach full of sea lions (for 2km). The snorkelling was only par so our guide Billy (soon to be Govenor of the Galapagos Islands) took us in the panga (dinghy) to a diving site 3 km off the shore. The schools of fish were amazing!

In the afternoon we walked along a trail that had bird nests as close as, well, pretty much on the path. We saw the Galapagos Albatross (7 foot wing span), dancing Blue Footed Boobies, Nasca (Masked) boobies, Marine Iguanas, finches, Mocking birds, Frigate birds, and mating Solitary Gulls. Leslie caught a "National Geographic" moment on film when a Masked Boobie was regurgitating fish into the mouth of her teenager while a Frigate bird (Pirate bird) swooped down to steal the fish (failed attempt).

Before we left, we were lucky to see a nesting Albatross lift up off her egg and flap her wings before resuing her position. They stay in this position for 2 weeks before swapping with their mates.

The morning of the last full day was spent walking to a beautiful lookout on Floreana island where cute little baby sharks swam right up to our feet at the shore.

The snorkeling trip in the Volcanic Crater at sea was full of amazing colored fish and marine species. We saw White Tipped sharks and Galapagos sharks. There was a HammerHead shark spotted but I wasn't in the right spot to see this as i frantically swam as fast as I could to the area.

I liked watching the Tuna Fish chasing the schools of fish but they were also too fast for me to get a photo. My other favorite was watching the Sea Lions literally
surfing the waves on the break. They would catch a wave and follow it like they were surfing and pop out of the water with a flip-trick of some sort. I guess when you have no predators and you are bored, you find something fun to fill your time with (humans!?).

During our Floreana sunset, we spotted Pink Flamingoes along the trail to a paradisical beach. At this beach we saw a 6 foot shark swim right up to the shore as well as Sting Rays. Les and I sat down near to marine turtle nests where swarms of Frigate birds swooped down to snag the baby turtles as they hatched underneath the surface. The turtles hatch when it gets dark and move to the safer waters. Frigate birds have learned this behaviour and swoop into the nests at dusk to grab the 2 month-olds as they crack out of their shell but before they even see the light of day. Of the millions of turtle eggs laid every year, only 2% of them make it to see.


A Heron decided to get in on the feeding frenzy as it swooped down to the beach. Les thinks that this is the only thing slower than me (I sat an watched it for 20 minutes (the most action was a few failed pecking attempts at the turtle nests, the swallowing of a twig, and the regurgitation of something black)).

The last day left the boat after breakfast to visit Darwin Research Center before we catch our flight. This is where they breed saddleback tortoises (tortoise = land creature with legs; turtle = sea creature with flippers). These tortoises live for upwards of 200 years. "George" is the main spectacle here as he is the only remaining member of his species (from a specific island). Although there are other species similiar to him, it is sad to know he is the last gene carrier of his specific phenotype.

Back to Quito we go where we head to Otavalo Market (The largest market in South America) so Les can buy presents and I can watch cock fighting.

After this, we head into the Ecuadorian Amazon highlands for 5 days to explore the jungle and visit a Shaman.


This should be quite the adventure!