Why We Came

Thursday, January 20, 2011

One of the reasons people come here is to experience the odd animal life that thrives in isolation. Darwin when he came here realized that there was something unusual about the place, but it took him some time to formulate the evolution theory that made all the fuss.

Post Office Bay and The Devil's Crown

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

We wake up off Floreana Island in Post Office Bay. The Island has been a informal communication for hundreds of years. Ships established a drop point for mail and messages in a barrel, ensured that another ship would be able to carry the packages if they were headed in the right direction. The tradition continues with visitors today personally delivering postcards so we land and visit the site and I drop off some cards and pick up some that I hope to get deliver ed to Jacksonville Oregon and Asheville North Carolina with help from friends. They don't know about that yet. 

Later we head off the boat in pangas for a deep water snorkel off the Devil's Crown, a volcanic outcropping offshore. It is a drift dive, with the current carrying us along the underwater wall and pick up by the pangas at the end. Great stuff to see, and Michael takes some wonderful video of a playful sea lion who interacts with us.

Galapagos Islands

Monday, January 17, 2011

Last night was a bit of a bumpy ride as we motored during the dark to a remote island with a large bird population. In fact, I think Pepe says the largest booby colony on earth. We wake up in a crescent shaped volcanic caldera - water over a thousand feet deep with cliff walls all around. After breakfast we land on a small sandy beach for a walk and close looks at the birds. I've always heard that the animals on the Galapagos have no fear of humans, and the walk is like a tour of someone's house. It's possible to walk right up to nesting birds without interfering in their activities, and spend time watching their behavior. Red footed boobies perch in trees - odd to see with their webbed feet. And they are really red. Yellow-crowned night herons, magnificent frigate birds, red billed tropicbirds, swallow-tailed gulls,

and Nazca boobies - you've got to love the names. The snorkel dive later is along the cliff face that plunges into the water and continues down. The water is a little cloudy, but the setting is wild and the water is warm. Sea lions slip into the water from the rocks on the cliff and swim with us.

Sombrero China = Chinese Hat

Peaceful night's sleep and good spirits in the morning. A shore visit gives a good overview of the islands' animal life.Our boat has an onboard naturalist guide who explains what we are seeing. Galapagos sea lions, Galapagos hawk, a lot of other species found only here due to the isolation of the place.

I understand they are now trying to be a bit more imaginative when naming species here but Michael . Back on board I change into wetsuit gear, and we all take pangas to a snorkel site along the lava shore with a riot of fish as well as rays, reef sharks, marine iguanas, and curious sea lions.

We come back on board and the energy level is way high after the amazing morning. In the afternoon, the boat moves to an iconic spot at Bartolome Island. This is the picture postcard spot and we anchor sharing the cove with several boats. A tall volcanic peak is familiar as one of the locals from the "Master and Commander" movie.

 

We climb to the top for the exercise and the view and are not disappointed. Each day is well scripted by Pepe and the boat crew and it seems as if there will be two morning and two afternoon "activities" each day. Still plenty of time to unwind at the end of the day before dinner and an early bed.