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Published: November 26th 2007
Point Suarez As soon as we pulled up at the beach, we were greeted by playful sea lions. We docked by the rocks, which were littered with Sally Lightfoot crabs and colourful marine iguanas, green and red in colour, randomly spitting saltwater out their nostrils. We could get so close to the iguanas it was amazing! They seemed very chilled out, relaxing in the morning sun, slinking about over the rocks. Some of the iguanas were hanging out in big groups and were very chummy, piling on top of one another. Espanola was our first up close encounter with the Blue-footed Boobies, who amused us with their comical courtship dance, hopping from one blue foot to the other, tooting like tuneless school recorders. As we walked along the rookery, we met their cousins, the Masked Boobies, with their cool black and white plummage, but they had boring feet. Dotted about the cliff tops, were big baby albatross, sitting on their nests waiting for mum to return with brekkie. They were brown and shaggy, moulting their baby feathers, and were quite happy to pose for close up photos. Frigate birds and tropic birds circled overhead, and finches flew past our noses as
our greeting party!
a marine iguana being very marine!we wandered around the island. We found the cutest red-breasted lady lava lizard, warming herself in the sun. But we were really impressed by the Galapagos Hawks, who simply sat in the trees, posing for our cameras, allowing us to get closer and closer! While we waited for the tender to return to pick us up, we were occupied with a very photogenic green marine iguana - he was huge!
Gardner Bay In the afternoon, we visited the Gardner Bay area of Espanola, where we found more sea lions and cute pups, plus plenty of cheeky mockingbirds, one of which decided to nibble Rach´s leg. We donned our wetsuits and plunged into the cold waves, avoiding the beachmaster seal lion as we finned out to a rocky outcrop. We saw quite a few fish on the swim out, and as we snorkelled around the rocks, we spotted a massive ray resting on the sandy floor, we had never seen one so big! Then someone shouted "shark!" so we swam over to check out a couple of white-tip sharks resting under a ledge on the bottom. Jase free-dived for a few photos, but the shark would have saved him the
cheeky mocking birds
they peck you for water! trouble, as he decided to go for a swim, and us two pursued. We followed the sharky for ages until it was time to head back.
We set off for our next destination that afternoon, and halfway through the journey, a pod of dolphins joined us, surfing along the brow. Always an amazing site!
Extra page of photos again - too many photo opportunities in Galapagos!
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Manda
non-member comment
How cool!
Hi guys! You're pics are fab, loving the lizard thingy's and the sea lion seems to have taken to Jase - you have competition there Rach!! Glad you're having a fab time, can't believe you're alomost due home, where has the time gone! Thought i'd let you know that the mand-mobile is no more! I ahd car accident last Wedneday, some wife went into the back of us, it's been written off heading to the scrap yard in the sky, so i'm on the look out for a new (or should I say different!) motor! Anyways, i'm ok so I suppose that's the main thing a bit stiff but am begining to get movement back! Enjoy the rest of your trip, see you soon. Love Mand xx