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Published: April 1st 2008
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Food and more food!
(Saturday, March 22) The Lindblad group really tries to keep its travelers happy. The first thing Susie our transfer guide told us was that we were going to be fed very well. This morning we had a wonderful breakfast, then snacks at the airport VIP lounge, then we would have more snacks on arrival to the ship, and later a sumptuous buffet lunch. We are going to be rolly-pollies on this trip. Our airplane landed on the flat island of Baltra, and we were immediately picked up and bussed to the zodiacs. At the zodiac (panga) dock we were amused to see sea lions lounging on the benches. They paid no attention to us as we approached them, maybe only blinked an eye. They owned the place and they knew it. Honestly, they seemed absolutely tame. As we stood in line to get on the zodiac, we stood foot to flipper. Then we had the first of our many rides to our ship, the M/S National Geographic Polaris. During the orientation to the ship, Lindblad Expeditions, the National Geographic Society, the Aquarium of the Pacific, the Polaris Captain, his officers, crew, and the Natural History
Arrival on Baltra
Val and her stuff staff extended a very warm welcome. Of course I was glad to see the Aquarium's mention because 12 of us voyagers were there to represent it (Bob and Val Hoffman, Bruce and Nancy Cook, Wolf and Karen Berger, Dirk and Betsy Burcham, and Steve and Marlene Young along with their son and daughter Jonathan and Logan). After lunch they said we would have some siesta time, but that wasn't true. Our ship was already underway to our first stop. Everybody hurried to dig out shorts and cool clothes because it was so warm----well, hot. We were told to make sure we had shoes with strong soles and closed toes.
North Seymour Island exploration
We disembarked on a rocky stretch of the southern shore of North Seymour Island. For our first exposure to the Galapagos Islands environment we not so gingerly hopped and stepped from lava boulder to boulder. The loop trail was sometimes quite difficult, but we were rewarded with close-up encounters with sightings of many reptiles and birds. North Seymour is a nesting site for swallow-tailed gulls, blue-footed boobies and magnificent frigate birds. The frigate birds were courting and showing off their bright red pouch designed
At the dock
Sea lions waiting for a ride? to attract the females. Watching the frigates fly intrigued me, such grace----soaring and only moving their tail feathers to alter their course in the wind. Frigates cannot swim, though their principal diet is fish. They adroitly skim what they can from the surface, and the rest they steal from other birds. The boobies were already raising chicks. Many times we would see a white fuzzy baby bird just sitting alone and waiting for Mom to come feed it. Cameras were clicking constantly. The children among the group (we had 17, ages 6-15, because it was Spring Break) kept us all on the alert. One of them we all got to know very well, Austin. He's about 10 years old, very bright and inquisitive. Question after question------by the end of the trip he was dubbed the youngster most likely to become a naturalist at the Galapagos.
Española Island
(Easter Sunday, March 23) Morning wake-up was 6:30 AM----we thought that was early, but for the rest of the trip we were crawling out of bed at 6:00 AM. That night we had sailed to aother island, Española, which lies at the far southeastern end of the Galapagos archipelago. This
Going to the ship
Zodiac ride to the Polaris is the place that Charles Darwin visited in 1835, and his observations there and on three other islands inspired his then novel concept of natural selection and survival of the fittest. The Galapagos Islands are volcanic islands, some young and still actively growing. Each island has a distinct character depending on its location and age. The oldest islands drifted to the southeast as the tectonic plates moved. Then the volcanic underlayment would erupt through the water again to form a new island where the old one was. Consequently the newest islands are in the northwest and the oldest are in the southeast. Española is the oldest island.
We spent the whole day exploring Española. First we landed at
Punta Suarez where we were greeted by sea lions and marine iguanas. Further along the trail we encountered blue-footed and Nazca boobies. We stopped many times to admire smaller creatures such as lava lizards, mockingbirds and Darwin's finches. These are ENDEMIC (a word we would hear numerous times-----meaning unique to this area only). We boulder-hopped along the trail through shrubbery and along the boulder strewn shore before we came to a breezy cliff edge where seabirds were soaring and nesting.
First view of the Polaris
The M/S National Geographic Polaris One booby was so "friendly" that it walked right up to us as we sat on the rocks. The birds seem to have no more fear than program animals in a zoo. From a nearby nesting area we could hear a female booby honk to her mate while he flapped his wings and whistled back, thrusting his beak into the air. He was only 2 feet away! As we sat at cliff's edge, a powerful blowhole blasted a fountain of water some 50 feet into the air. Then we circled back through the center of the island, where we saw iguanas basking on the rocks and sea lions rolling around in the surf or just relaxing on the beach.
Finally we get into the water!
That walk was sooooooo hot, we all wanted to jump in the water. We got our chance after lunch. We "experienced" deep-water snorkelers were taken to [b[Gardner Islet . The ship provided us all with half wet suits----meaning with short cap sleeves and legs only on the thighs. We used them because we were unaccustomed to the diving conditions in this area, but in later days we did without because the water temperature
was between 80-85 degrees. They also served to provide us extra bouyancy. It was too much for me, for each time I tried to dive down to see something, I'd get about 2 feet down and pop right back up to the surface. Bob tried out our underwater housing for the camera for his first time. He got some good shots for a first timer. Now that he knows how to do it, we'll see what tomorrow brings. That evening we all sat in the lounge of the boat, set up our computers, and shared photos. Bedtime came early, not because anyone told us to, but because everyone was so exhausted. It was a big day.
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Kathie
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What Great Photos!
..and the state room looks quite comfortable. How fun to be there with so many friends--old and new.