Heaven is a Place on Earth

The Sealion Couple
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Baltra and Bachas Bay - Welcome to the Galapagos

Got up early the first day and headed to the National Airport in Quito for my flight to the Galapagos and was unfortunate enough to arrive just after a school party so got stuck for around 30 mins at check-in but evenutally got through and we took off slightly later than planned.  Stopped first a t Guayquil and then Baltra on Santa Cruz.  After coming out at the airport, and paying the USD100 park entry fee, I was given the opportunity to walk around the shops and managed to collect my Galapagos passport stamp.Then collected luggage by simply picking up the bag from the pile (I wasn't able to get it hand luggage due to my pen knife) and the guards double chekcing the tickets matched.  I then waited with the other passengers on our bus and the 12 of us headed in a bus to our boat, with our guide, Miguel.  At the harbour we caught a dingy but had our first sighting of wildlife - marine iguanas, sealions and pelicans.  We joined 4 other passengers who were already on the boat and after getting our cabins (I was sharing with Emily, one of 3 sisters travelling together) we had our first lunch.  This was a two course meal and was delicious.  Afterwards we chilled out and got to know one another and spotting sharks in the harbour before setting sail the short distance to Bachas Bay. This area was used as a US base after Pearl Harbour was bombed and the construction of the two floating piers can just be seen.  At Bachas Bay we had a 'wet landing' meaning we would be getting off the dingy straight into the sea.  Here we left our snorkelling gear and went for a little walk.  We saw lots of marine iguanas, flamingos and a few blue-footed boobies and sallylight foot crabs.  Then went for a snorkel and there was a shallow reef where lots of fish and sea cucumbers could be seen.  Not good on the fish names but Angel Fish and Clown fish were there.  After this headed back to the boat and chilled, getting ready for dinner.  This was a three course meal and afterwards we sat on the deck chatting and looking at the stars and watching the sealions playing besides the boat.  Given the early start this morning it was an early night.

Sea Turtle
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Genovesa - Red footed Boobies & Frigate Birds

Following morning breakfast was at 7am and overnight we had sailed to Genovesa, an island in the northern hemisphere (crossed the equator sometime during the night) and one that was thought to originally belong to Panama some million years ago before it broke off.  We were moored in a caldera, where one side of the original crater had collapse allowing the water to fill in and create a half moon circle.  It was also rich in certain wildlife and the best place to spot certain species in the Galapagos.  We had another wet landing walking on the beach before putting on our shoes to continue the walk.  There were lots of manificent frigate birds here, the ones with the red inflatible chests (the chest takes 10 minutes to inflate and 2 weeks to deflate), that we were lucky to see as it was mating season. We also saw there mating call, where they spread and flap their wings, inflate their chests and singing for their females.  We also saw a lot of Red-footed boobies (live in tress) and masked boobies (these live on the ground) as well as Galapagos doves, Galapagos gulls, and American Oyster catchers.   After this we went snorkelling where we saw a few fish and a sealion before heading back for morning snack and lunch.  After relaxing for a bit on the boat we headed out for a 'dry' landing and a walk around the crater rim.  Here we saw more of the same birds plus Darwin finches, tropibirds, marine iguanas (smaller on this island) and storm petrels as well as Masked Booby chicks, Darwin finches, and Glapagos Mocking Birds.  After this we headed back to the boat and set sail for our long journey back.  The sails were up and the sea was rough and half the boat ended up with seasicknesses that night.  It was another clear sky and after stargazing for a while it was bedtime for the early start the next day.

Marine Iguana
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Batholome Bay & Santa Cruz - Playing with Sealions

Following moring work up at Pinnacle Point in Bartholome Bay, having sailed there overnight.  After breakfast headed to our first landing - a dry one this time - landing directly onto a lava beach.  Miguel explained about the types of lava, ropey (because that is what it looked like), ah-ah-ah (the spiky lava) and smooth/flat lava and cowpat lava (no explanation needed).  This lava was young at only 120 years old and had increased the size of the island by quite a lot.  The volcano was some 6km away.  Here there were sealions, lava lizards and the occasional bird (mainly boobies).  After this we headed to an area where we could climb to the lighthouse at the top and see the whole island.  It was stunning with its various colours and you could clearly see the volcano and the extended island due to the lava.  There was also blue seas and white bays and green mountains and yellow mountains.  It was a stunning view and afterwards we headed to a bay where we snorkelled.  The first sighting was a sea turtle and after that it was fish for a while including a eagle ray before a sealion came into view.  There was another sea turtle and then we headed on and came across two sealions.  They were curious about us and wanted to play.  They came really close just swimming in between the group.  The younger one was more playful and like to swim upside down (with his belly to the surface) and came right up to be, within inches so we were face-to-face and then he blew out (like a kiss) with a nod towards me which startled me and made me jump back.  He did this a few more times and we swam side by side for a while.  He was so close you would have been able to touch him at all times.  Totally amazing to have that experience.  After this we headed back to the bay and across the inlet to the other side where we saw 8 white-tipped reef sharks at the shoreline.  They were as close to the shore as their bodies would allow and we could go in the water part of the way to take pictures.  After this we went penguin spotting seeing about 3.  Miguel explained that El Nino had wiped out a lot of the population due to the rise in sea temperatures and there were only about 500-1000 Galapagos Penguins left, putting them on the endangered list.  We then headed to the boat and had our 10am snack.  Yes, we had done and seen all of this before 10am.  We set sail shortly afterwards and continue on until 9pm that night. On the way we saw a couple of dolphins ride the boat wave and 3 humpback whales.  After dinner, we headed out in Puerto Ayora, on Santa Cruz for some drinks and dancing and to say goodbye to 13 of the passengers.

Pelican
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Santa Cruz - Lonesome George and Land Tortoises

Following morning was again an early start with breakfast at 6am.  We then left and headed to the Charles Darwin Research Centre by 7am and saw land iguanas and the land tortoise in captivity as part of a conservation programme.  These were rescued from different islands and brought here to ensure the continuation of the sub-species.  The first lot were 5 males, although one was slightly confused as he was trying to mate with another male, the wrong way round!  Saw baby tortoise, some only born this year and the famous Lonesome George.  He was rescued from Pinta Island where he was the only one and is thought to be around 120 years old.  He is the only one of his kind left, and despite identifying females of the closest link he has not yet mated and thus with his death, his sub-species will become extinct.  Weird to think about seeing the last one of a kind.  Said goodbye to the group that was leaving and headed into town for a bit after going back to get a better look at George.  He was chasing the females but they just weren´t interested.  On the way into town we saw loads of Pelicans and wondered what was going on.  We had come across a fish preparation area where the fisherman gutted the fish before selling them.  The scraps and bits they didn´t want where thrown to the pelicans, two sealions, and the  blue-footed booby that was there.  The pelicans looked funny trying to eat the fish whole and you could see it lodged in their throats.  Sometimes they also fought over it, and at times one pelican would have his beak in another pelicans beak trying to steal the fish out!  The sealions were the losers in this case, although the booby didn`t do too well despite his playful and inquisitive looks from under the fishermans feet.  When getting scared off the pelicans would fly at you and their strong wings would flap against your skin.  Maybe a little too close and it certainly doesn`t abide by the Galapagos rules of not touching the wildlife. After lunch and the arrival of the new passengers we headed to the highlands where we saw numerous land tortoises in the wild and had fun climbing into a tortoise shell - it is possible.  Although numerous land tortoises are only about 5000 in the Galapagos due to introduced animals preying on them and hunters eating them for meat.  After this we headed to a lava tunnel and then back into town.  After dinner we will have an opportunity to come back into town before setting sail at midnight for our next destination.

Masked Booby
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Floreana - Postcards the Galapagos Way

Following morning woke in Floreana where we arrived early morning.  We saw lots of sealions harem - one bulls lots of females.  We then went to Post Office Bay, which is basically a barrel that has been extended with signs and ship boards over time.  The traditional posting system still exists where you leave your own mail and pick up someone else.  The idea is that you take mail to a destination where you are going and hand deliver it - it something that has worked for over 170 years and seems to still do so.  Afterwards we went to a lava tunnel but didn´t go in. However here, Miguel told us all about a German couple - The Ritters - who had lived on the island in the 1930´s.  They first removed all their teeth (he was a dentist) and shared one set of false teeth between them.  They got on for a few months but then didn´t and she was happy when another German couple came to the island. After a while a Baroness arrived with three lovers.  They took over the island and the Baroness even demanded taxes be paid on the food left at Post Office Bay by the passing ships.  There was a bit of a coup and the islanders decided to kill her but she learnt of this and packed to leave the following morning - however the following morning only her bags were found and her body has never been recovered.  The lovers disappeared back to their respective countries but the Norweigan was found mummified on an neighbouring island.  Other people started dying and Frau Ritter was eventually arrested but as her husband (killed by poisened meat even though he was vegetarian) and other german friends had been killed there were no witness so she was released after five days.  The media wanted the story but wouldn't pay for it so evenutally she wrote a book and now her relatives live off the profits.  She eventually dies and was buried on Floreana.  Afterwards we went snorkelling again and saw sea turtles, sea lions (one with a blue elatic band around it from an underwater camera) and fish and at one point I saw a sealions chasing away a white-tipped shark.  We relaxed for a while whilst the boat sailed to another part of the island.  Here we had another walk after lunch (will fill in details of what we saw later as only short time left) and then snorkelled again this time around Devil's Crown.  The sea was rough but manageable and saw a white tipped reef shark, and large schools of fish.  Also played with sealions for a while.  Afterwards we headed on another hike where we saw flamingos, frigate birds, blue-footed boobies and a large marine iguana and a yellow warbler. Saw frigate birds circling over the eggs of baby sea turtles waiting for them to hatch in order to kill and eat. Miguel also showed us Olivine, a green crystal from the volcano and then it was back to the boat and after dinner I learnt and Ecuadorian card game called 40.

Post Office Bay
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Espanola - Body Surfing with Sealions & Albatross Dances

Arrived at Espanola early in the morning and after breakfast headed off to the beach where we had free time to enjoy the island.  There were so many sealions close by in the many harems and you could get really close - definately Kodak moments.  On the lava rocks there were also lots of Marine Iguanas swimming or sunning themselves and these ones were fairly big - a good comparison opportunity.  If you went too close the iguanas spit at you although this could also be to expel the salt water from their bodies.  We then went snorkelling, this time around a rock that looked like a sea turtle and saw sealions (yes again), starfish, black and white spotted eel, and a shark and then it was back to the boat where we sailed to another point on the island. As our group liked snorkelling, Miguel let us go out again this afternoon. The waves were quite high, half-pipes, but it looked fun.  There were lots of sealions, around 5 of them playing in the waves.  They would ride the waves and then duck down as they crashed.  We then tried to body surf the waves with the sealions although weren't as successful as they were. Two of the sealions looked like they were flirting with each other in their playing and swimming together, often entwinned.  They were a lot of fun and it was sad when we had to go in.  After this we had about 30 mins before heading for a dry landing and our hike in the afternoon.  Here we saw the sealions and the lots of Marine Iguanas all grouped together on the rocks. Afterwards we came across the sealions again and this harem had a playful young male who came right up to me and sniffed my shoes and legs - sealion whiskers and hard and rough.  He then decided he wanted on the rocks and chased the marine Iguanas away however some didn't move so the sealion pick them up by the spikes and had their tails in his mouth.  He didn't hurt or move them but the Marine Iguanas didn't like it much so moved.  Continued on and saw lava lizards, blue footed boobies and the Waved Albatrosss.  There is a place nicknamed Albatross Airport where they all land and take off.  Here there were some couples already with their nests whilst some where engaged in the courtship ritual.  We got to watch a couple doing this and it was very funny.  They bow at each other then dual with their beaks.  They may stop but will bow again.  Sometimes one moved its beaks really fast and made a sound like a drill and after finishing the other one would make one sound like click their tongue and the bowing and dualing would start again.  Other times they would open their beaks either together or one after the other and then start or preen and then the clicking tongue sound would then signal they were ready to start the dual again.  Afterwards saw blue-footed boobies with babies and masked boobies before returning back to the boat and dinner having watch the sunset on the island.

Sealion Cub
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Santa Fe & Plaza Islands - Land Iguanas and Swimming with Turtles

After breakfast we headed out for our hike on Santa Fe, where we arrived early in the morning.  This island is one of the few places with Land Iguanas and we saw several throughout the hike. The ones on this island are relatively big as they have a large food source - eating mainly cacti leaves.  The cacti however have adapted and have grown into trees and are taller thus stopping the land iguanas from reaching them so instead they lay under the trees waiting for the leaves to drop.  They sense this by the sound and vibrations and when dropped scurry off to collect the leaves.  They then use their claws to pull off the spines on the (prickly pear) cactus leaves exposing the flesh of the leaf from them to eat.  Will let you know if anything else was seen (Journal needs to be checked).  After this we went for a snorkel and saw stingrays, other fish and a sea turtle.  It was then back to the boat and time to set sail for the next island for our afternoons visit.  The plaza islands are very small islands off the east coast of Santa Cruz and flat as these do not have volcanoes.  The short walk saw us sea lots of land iguanas, this time smaller and yellower in colour.  There is less food, more of them and they have been introduced to this island to converse the species hence the size.  They were also more aggressive in the fight for dropping cacti leaves again due to less food.  Also saw marine iguanas and lots of sealions.  This island, Miguel explained, was a Bachelor colony, and sadly many of the sealions had come here to die as they did not have mates.  I don`t know if this is true or one of his stories - hopefully the latter.  Afterwards we went snorkelling again and although the water was murky we could see stingrays, several fish and around 4 seaturtles that we were able to swim with. Afterwards we headed back to the boat and set sail again arriving at North Seymour and our destination tomorrow.

Sealion Playing
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North Seymour & Baltra - Goodbye Galapagos

Got up for a 6.30am walk on North Seymour where the sky was overcast and the weather slightly cold - well colder that we had been use to.  The first sighting was of course, sealions, and marine iguanas.  Afterwards we saw the magnificent frigate bird again, the males with their red chests inflammed and flapping their wings, whilst calling out to the females.  Several looked like they had been lucky as they where on nests.  We also saw lots of blue footed boobies and managed to see a male do his ´dance´.  This involves him moving from one foot to the other, whilst ocassionally turning around.  He will then whistle (the male call, the female one is more of a honk) and nods his head up and down fast.  He then continues with the foot dancing and the ducks and spreads his wings out whilst calling.  This can go on for sometime and happens after he has build the nest already for the female.  Some of the boobies had already mated and a lot of the males where looking after the nests whilst the females where out fishing.  Saw a few with chicks in the nest, which are white fluffy things.  Not really that cute as their wings are weir -  long and without the feathers yet so you just see lots of grey armpit skin.  We continued on getting back to the boat for breakfast and packing whilst setting sail for Baltra and the airport.  The flight back was delayed but luckily enough we went direct to Quito and not via Guayquil which was the original plan.  Met up with some of the Galapagos gang for dinner at a Tapas Bar in town - should see them in about 20 mins so will fill in the details on that one later.