Galapagos Trip

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We flew from Quito to the island of Baltra on the Galapagos islands where a bus was waiting for us a took us a short way to a ferry accross to the main island of Santa Cruz.

The islands are very windy and look quite bleak. We took another bus for an hour accross the centre of the island to the main port of Santa Cruz on the other side where we met our boat, The Pelikano.

We ate a fantastic lunch on the boat and met the crew and the other guiests who have been here for three days already.

In the afternoon we went to visit the Darwin research centre and the giant tortoises therein. We met lonely george who is the last remaining member of his species. He is approx 95yrs old and therefore has just about 50 years in which to breed before his race becomes extinct. There is a idea to clone George and therefore produce a lady for him to breed with but this process is not guaranteed and extremely expensive not to mention the whole ´cloning ethics´debate.

We did a bit of shopping along the walk back into town on the way back to meet our boat. Thank god we did because this was to be the last opportunity we had.

OUr boat set sail that nite towards the island of Floreana it was quite funny to get used to our sea legs again. ha ha some folk were ill.

FLOREANA

after an early breakfast on board we took some ribs to the island where we walked around (led by guide) on a specified route and saw red legged stilts, pintails, Flamingos, Red necked Fellaroes, sting rays, sea lions, etc

we took a boat ride to champion bay where we went snorkelling with sea lions. My underwater camera came in very useful here as you can see. We saw all manner of fish (not good ast identifying them) along with turtles and manta rays.

Back to the boat for another amazing cooked dinner and set off to Espanola island overnite again. this nite was especially rough.

ESPANOLA

we went ashore to a welcoming committee of sea lions and in particular a new born. Very cute. there was a Galapagos hawk eating the afterbirth. We also saw Lava Heron, Sally lightfoot crabs, a Darwin finch, Lava Lizard, Mocking bird, Marine Iguanas, a young wave albatros, swallow tail gulls, tropic birds, cactus finch, blue footed boobies, red footed boobies and nazca boobies.

We also went to see a blow hole and again many many more sea lions.

back to the ship for lunch and then to Gardener bay for more snorkelling with turtles, rays and sea lions. we chilled out on the beach for a while too although it´s not that warm.

back to the boat for dinner and then off overnite to another island.

SANTA FE

here we saw yet more sea lions, land iguanas, galapagos hawks again, finches galore and a diamond headed Galapagos snake which our guide caught by standing on it´s tail seriously injuring it poor thing. this really pissed me off as all day everyday we keep getting told not to touch or interact with the animals. HE STAMPED ON IT, causing serious injury !!!

WE headed off to the South Plazaz after lunch where we saw sea lions, land iguanas, swallow tail gulls and tropic birds.

NORTH SEYMORE

here we saw sea lions, breeding blue footed boobies with their funny mating ritual, and friggot brids nesting with their red throats on display.

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Photos

Sea Lion
i took this with underwater camera as I snorkelled

Marine Iguanas
they are everywhere and let you get really close to them

Blue footed boobie
looking a bit shell shocked from all tho photos

Sea Turtles
eating the green algae

Fish
great underwater photo Janna !!!

Me
playing with the sea lions, they love it and so do I