Friday May 13 2011: Galapagos Islands – North Seymour Island (Happy Birthday Frances)
Highlights of my day today: Swimming with a sea lion and a shark. I was right over top of a shark and a sea lion was right beside me. What an amazing place. I love when you have no expectations and then are pleasantly surprised. That was the case for me today. I don’t know much about the Galapagos Islands and it really wasn’t a place that I thought I need to go there but upon learning more about South America I learned Galapagos is on many people’s wish list so given the opportunity to come here I took it and wow I am so happy I did. I make this statement so you know that I was oblivious to the incredible wildlife that is here. Today we snorkeled and went on a walk around North Seymour Island. I am usually not much of a bird person either, but wow the birds were huge, colourful and so close they were awesome to see. The Blue Footed Boobie being many a person’s favorite. It is mating season so we got to see lots of courting and dancing rituals. It really is just wildlife everywhere. It is hard to take it all in it is so abundant.
The boat was also circled by a large shark this evening that they said was not the friendly type so that was pretty cool to see. It was about 3m long. There is a deck that does a full circle around the boat so we were literally running around the boat pointing it out to everyone else. Yelling there it is, she it, right there.
Saturday May 14, 2011: Galapagos Islands –Rabida Island, Santiago Island and just docking off of Chinese Hat Island
Today’s quote or phrase is look out don’t step on an iguana. Santiago Island is full of huge marine iguanas that blend into the lava rock. There are also brilliant red and orange crabs that distinctly stand out against the lava rock. There literally were thousands of these big iguanas and crabs everywhere. A highlight for me today was seeing a large lobster in the water and the Galapagos Hawk. Today it was like swimming in an aquarium. There were schools of fish by the thousand and great vegetation all around.
I am able to type this now as the boat has stopped a rock’n and the anchor is down. The water was a little rough this evening with huge swells that made your stomach turn like that spot that you speed over on Lily Lake Rd to make your stomach do summersaults.
Each day consists of at least two walks and two snorkeling sessions. The experience has been fantastic and I highly recommend coming here.
Sunday May 15, 2011: China Hat and Bartolome Islands
Another amazing day today’s highlights were seeing penguins, swimming with the penguins and two sharks. Each day we take the two dingy boats from the main boat to the shore or go snorkeling from the dingy. So today we were heading to the shore and saw two penguins on a rock cliff right at the edge of the water so we went up to have a close up look. There are tons of Iguanas on the islands some are marine and can therefore dive while others are land Iguanas. There are also lots of crabs everywhere and they are a brilliant red/orange colour against the black lava rocks which is incredible. We went snorkeling on Bartolome Island and then went into the beach where it was extremely windy and it was like getting sandblasted with the sand from the beach. At the end of each excursion or activity you have to be hosed down by the captain so that species are not spread from island to island as each Island is so unique. Jean had been lying on the beach and she has really short hair and her scalp was covered in sand the captain had a trying time trying to wash that off on the back of the boat.
On Bartolome Island there is a gangplank walk that goes up to the top of the island for an incredible view over the islands. It was amazing to see. There are many volcanic craters you can see, some on land and some under water.
Monday May 16, 2011: South Plazas and Santa Fe Islands
Well the best snorkeling was saved for last. I haven’t mentioned much about the fish, but the fish schools are massive and the colours incredible. The snorkeling is spectacular. We went to South Plazas Island by dingy into a beach full of sea lions and saw huge sea turtles as we were coming in and a couple of groups of Eagle Rays mating at the surface. The turquoise water here was beautiful. We went for a walk on the island and me in my typical gracefulness fell into the water trying to get back into the dingy and soaked my running shoes that were in my hands and my cloths. Luckily my camera was in a waterproof bag and Jean was carrying it. But I did go into the shallow water where all the sea lions were and I could only imagine what was in that water, gross. Oh well, all in good fun and not a problem. We went snorkeling further out in the bay after the mishap and two sea lions came swimming head first into me. It was really cool. We chased huge sea turtles all over the bay, spotting them in different parts and hurriedly swimming over to see them. Then we saw the rays which were so cool. It was awesome.
The crew had a little cocktail party for us as it was the last official night on board for part of the group which was also a good time. Then in the evening we went into Puerto Ayora for a look around town. It was crazy to be back in civilization and society. I had the spins in town. It was interesting because I didn’t suffer from the spins when we would go onto an island for a walk but in and out of the shops and the overhead lighting, spins. Not a pleasant feeling so headed back to the boat by a water taxi and all was well again. I am getting good use out of my Gravol pills as the boat has been a rocking but I can say I didn’t actually get sick which is a bonus.
Tuesday May 17, 2011: Santa Fe Island, Puerto Ayora and Baltra Island
I don’t think I mentioned that there were 16 people on the boat and you share the cabin with a roommate. We had bunk beds and there were eight cabins for us. There was also separate living quarters for the crew which consisted of eight men from the Galapagos Islands and they were excellent at their job and extremely jovial.
The last excursion was a trip to the Darwin Research Station with another early start our visit started at 7am and we had to get there from the boat. The Research Station was really neat. Tons of huge tortoises were there. We got to see Lonesome George the last of his saddle back species. They are trying to mate him with similar species but have had no luck. As it turns out they had him with a hybrid female tortoise for years that could not reproduce. He has two new wives and they are hoping for success in this July’s mating season.
There were also huge dome shell tortoises there too. They were really neat to check out. It would be interesting to see all of the different research studies that are going on there and how many people are employed there.
It was an amazing experience living on the water, walking twice a day on different islands, snorkeling twice a day, eating like a queen and having an excellent, nonthrowing up experience. Ah the life. The Galapagos Islands were amazing and I feel like it was just a drop in the bucket for a future visit.
Check out the amazing and numerous pictures at the following link.
Click on this link for many photos from The Galapagos Islands in Ecuador
Highlights of my day today: Swimming with a sea lion and a shark. I was right over top of a shark and a sea lion was right beside me. What an amazing place. I love when you have no expectations and then are pleasantly surprised. That was the case for me today. I don’t know much about the Galapagos Islands and it really wasn’t a place that I thought I need to go there but upon learning more about South America I learned Galapagos is on many people’s wish list so given the opportunity to come here I took it and wow I am so happy I did. I make this statement so you know that I was oblivious to the incredible wildlife that is here. Today we snorkeled and went on a walk around North Seymour Island. I am usually not much of a bird person either, but wow the birds were huge, colourful and so close they were awesome to see. The Blue Footed Boobie being many a person’s favorite. It is mating season so we got to see lots of courting and dancing rituals. It really is just wildlife everywhere. It is hard to take it all in it is so abundant.
The boat was also circled by a large shark this evening that they said was not the friendly type so that was pretty cool to see. It was about 3m long. There is a deck that does a full circle around the boat so we were literally running around the boat pointing it out to everyone else. Yelling there it is, she it, right there.
Saturday May 14, 2011: Galapagos Islands –Rabida Island, Santiago Island and just docking off of Chinese Hat Island
Today’s quote or phrase is look out don’t step on an iguana. Santiago Island is full of huge marine iguanas that blend into the lava rock. There are also brilliant red and orange crabs that distinctly stand out against the lava rock. There literally were thousands of these big iguanas and crabs everywhere. A highlight for me today was seeing a large lobster in the water and the Galapagos Hawk. Today it was like swimming in an aquarium. There were schools of fish by the thousand and great vegetation all around.
I am able to type this now as the boat has stopped a rock’n and the anchor is down. The water was a little rough this evening with huge swells that made your stomach turn like that spot that you speed over on Lily Lake Rd to make your stomach do summersaults.
Each day consists of at least two walks and two snorkeling sessions. The experience has been fantastic and I highly recommend coming here.
Sunday May 15, 2011: China Hat and Bartolome Islands
Another amazing day today’s highlights were seeing penguins, swimming with the penguins and two sharks. Each day we take the two dingy boats from the main boat to the shore or go snorkeling from the dingy. So today we were heading to the shore and saw two penguins on a rock cliff right at the edge of the water so we went up to have a close up look. There are tons of Iguanas on the islands some are marine and can therefore dive while others are land Iguanas. There are also lots of crabs everywhere and they are a brilliant red/orange colour against the black lava rocks which is incredible. We went snorkeling on Bartolome Island and then went into the beach where it was extremely windy and it was like getting sandblasted with the sand from the beach. At the end of each excursion or activity you have to be hosed down by the captain so that species are not spread from island to island as each Island is so unique. Jean had been lying on the beach and she has really short hair and her scalp was covered in sand the captain had a trying time trying to wash that off on the back of the boat.
On Bartolome Island there is a gangplank walk that goes up to the top of the island for an incredible view over the islands. It was amazing to see. There are many volcanic craters you can see, some on land and some under water.
Monday May 16, 2011: South Plazas and Santa Fe Islands
Well the best snorkeling was saved for last. I haven’t mentioned much about the fish, but the fish schools are massive and the colours incredible. The snorkeling is spectacular. We went to South Plazas Island by dingy into a beach full of sea lions and saw huge sea turtles as we were coming in and a couple of groups of Eagle Rays mating at the surface. The turquoise water here was beautiful. We went for a walk on the island and me in my typical gracefulness fell into the water trying to get back into the dingy and soaked my running shoes that were in my hands and my cloths. Luckily my camera was in a waterproof bag and Jean was carrying it. But I did go into the shallow water where all the sea lions were and I could only imagine what was in that water, gross. Oh well, all in good fun and not a problem. We went snorkeling further out in the bay after the mishap and two sea lions came swimming head first into me. It was really cool. We chased huge sea turtles all over the bay, spotting them in different parts and hurriedly swimming over to see them. Then we saw the rays which were so cool. It was awesome.
The crew had a little cocktail party for us as it was the last official night on board for part of the group which was also a good time. Then in the evening we went into Puerto Ayora for a look around town. It was crazy to be back in civilization and society. I had the spins in town. It was interesting because I didn’t suffer from the spins when we would go onto an island for a walk but in and out of the shops and the overhead lighting, spins. Not a pleasant feeling so headed back to the boat by a water taxi and all was well again. I am getting good use out of my Gravol pills as the boat has been a rocking but I can say I didn’t actually get sick which is a bonus.
Tuesday May 17, 2011: Santa Fe Island, Puerto Ayora and Baltra Island
I don’t think I mentioned that there were 16 people on the boat and you share the cabin with a roommate. We had bunk beds and there were eight cabins for us. There was also separate living quarters for the crew which consisted of eight men from the Galapagos Islands and they were excellent at their job and extremely jovial.
The last excursion was a trip to the Darwin Research Station with another early start our visit started at 7am and we had to get there from the boat. The Research Station was really neat. Tons of huge tortoises were there. We got to see Lonesome George the last of his saddle back species. They are trying to mate him with similar species but have had no luck. As it turns out they had him with a hybrid female tortoise for years that could not reproduce. He has two new wives and they are hoping for success in this July’s mating season.
There were also huge dome shell tortoises there too. They were really neat to check out. It would be interesting to see all of the different research studies that are going on there and how many people are employed there.
It was an amazing experience living on the water, walking twice a day on different islands, snorkeling twice a day, eating like a queen and having an excellent, nonthrowing up experience. Ah the life. The Galapagos Islands were amazing and I feel like it was just a drop in the bucket for a future visit.
Check out the amazing and numerous pictures at the following link.
Click on this link for many photos from The Galapagos Islands in Ecuador
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