Galapagos Day 3

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Another long day today.

Left the hotel at 7:45, treked to the pier then panga to the yacht. Hour and a half cruise to South Plaza Island. Sea was a bit calmer today, but it was cloudy all day. South Plaza Island is covered with this red plant that put me in mind of the red weed from H.G. Wells´War of the Worlds. It is also home to a colony of sealions right on the pier, and when we were coming back we had to wait for one of them to move off the pier so we could get back on our boat.

Today was iguana and bird day again. We saw a bunch of marine iguanas (green with yellow paws) on the beach when we got off the boat and even managed to get a picture of one munching on the fruit of the giant prickly pear cactus. Long hike, and I had a walking stick to help get me over the rocks, but honestly, it did more harm than good I think. I have to keep thinking about this thing in my hand and it just managed to irritate me. We went up to the top of the island and saw some swallow tail gulls (note to self, they are the ones with the red feet and red eyes and white line on their beak), and a bunch of frigate birds. On the cliff tops, there is a colony of "bachelor" sealions, they hang out as far from the alpha male as possible. Hiked back down from the cliff tops by an even more annoying route, but Marty, the gentleman from New Zealand, stayed with me most of the way.

We had lunch on the boat again, again a nice little buffet, then motored off to Punta Carrion Island. We anchored there and some folks went swimming and snorkeling. Then we took the boat back to the North side of Santa Cruz Island where we will pick it up tomorrow for our trip to Bartholome Island. Apparently, if we were to leave from the side of the island where the hotel is, it would take us 5 hours by boat to Bartholome. But this way, we had a 45 minute bus ride back across the island then a bit of time to wander Puerto Ayora, the main town on Santa Cruz Island.

So, tomorrow is an early day, 6:45 start to trek to the pier for the ferry to Puerto Ayora then 45 minutes to the north side of the island to get the yacht then however long to Bartholome Island. But, tomorrow we see penquins!

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Comments

[Haviva Horvitz]

Penguins!
What color are these penguins? Daytime, nighttime, in the water or out?

[Ron]

Evolution or Creationism
Oops--guess I missed Day 1 on the tortoises--can't keep up with all of the posts! :) So....based on what you see, was Darwin correct about evolution????

[Candace Haaven]

Sounds like you are having a good time.
I guess you didn't "do" enough walking, or should I say "stepping" in Peru so you are doing some more. I enjoyed the Amazon but it was terribly HOT!! The lodge was very nice, even without electricity and a 4th wall in the room I stayed in. I had 2 little friends in my room both nights....2 frogs the size of my fist. They didn't bother me and I didn't bother them. I guess we came to an agreement! We saw a few birds that I have never heard of, a couple of monkeys, and the largest rodent in the world. Forgot his name at the moment. I had to wait 10 hours in the Lima airport for my plane home, but after 18 hours I finally arrived. Enjoy the penguins tomorrow.

[Mary Lindsay]

Love your Blog!
Greetings from Vancouver,BC! I am loving your Blog! Your trip is amazing! I am looking forward to hearing about the penquins!