Today we covereed Espanola and Christobel Island....they are so incredibly different in so many ways. We started off on Espanola Island and were met with thousands of Sally Lightfoot crabs all over the pitch black lava rocks. The mature crabs are brilliant red with blue and black markings, the young ones are pitch black and are only easy to see when they scuttle off if we get too close. Pelicans were diving right there off the end of the jetty and a miriad of other birds whirled screaming obsceneties at us all. The sealions lay sleeping on the benches and a good few of us almost stepped on them. The big males kind of bark if we get too close and we have no issues staying well away from them - they are totally solid!
There are little paths along the islands that lead us from one part of the island to the other and back again. We are not allowed to wander far off on our own but each group has a maximum of 16 people so its not too bad and we have learned to stretch out for a good long distance. Anyway, it was soon after getting off the zodiaks that we came upon a little beach just littered with baby seals playing. One mama and baby spent all the time barking at each other - it was a relatively new born so was probably getting a bunch of life lessons right there. They were not afraid of us at all but mama did move between us and baby...... We watched the little ones play for a good while - one set was in the water and the others on the rocks and sand. They really are very sweet and all covered in sand as they chase each other around.
Further down the path we came across an albatross sitting on a nest. It just sat there and looked at us. Its very weird that they dont move away or fly off especially as we were probably no further away than 8 feet. A short distance away was a huge flat rocky area liberally dotted with the ugliest chicks. They looks like a wet feather pillow turned inside out, with eyes and a beak. These chicks soon turn into the elegant albatross, but it was totally weird seeing just how ugly their start in life is. They also were not bugged at lal by us being there.........
And so the walk went on for a good long way - many birds and colorful iguanas to see - the marine iguanas have different colors, red being the prominent one and we have to be careful not to step on them as we walk around. Some of them are really big - as in an easy 4 foot from tail tip to smiling snout. They all look as if they have a smile or smirk on their face and their claws look as if they really could do some damage if they wanted to, but mostly they just lay there, waiting for one to pass by. They sometiems seem to congregate in huge groups, all crawling over each other without seeming to mind much. Even the seallions crawl over them and bite at their tails without much of a response from the iguanas.
The most beautiful set of cliffs waited for us right around the corner - the waves turning from deep blue to turquoise with huge white frothy frills right before crashing onto the dark black cliffs! Pelicans, frigates, albatross and a good many other birds wheeled around, diving and riding the airwaves as the constant crash of the waves kept us all quiet and in awe of the power below us. There were baby albatross perched right at the edge of the cliffs and mama birds seemed to keep a beady eye on us all, but again, they are not concerned about us thing there. There is a humongeous blowhole there and every 30 seconds or so, we could hear this explosion building and the water would be forced out of the hole in an incredible display - just lovely!
As we walked further along, there were many blue footed boobies, albatross and other birds nesting in the weirdest of places. the boobies make a circle of guano/bird poop and its here that they lay their egg and the chick apparently knows not to cross the poop line. It certainly seems to work. The rocks along this path have lost their black lava look and are all white from years of being home to all these birds. One can definitely smell it, but its not too bad at all. Its rather like walking in a different world where we are definitely not in charge at all. There, in the middle of all these now white rocks and nesting birds, lay a sealion that had a huge chunck bitten out of its back by a shark. The guide said that he would survive as it looked as if it had started healing already..... poor sea lion.
The islands are very differerent and I want to say different from what I expected, but then i dont really know what I expected in the first place. Its lovely with the ocean and the breeze and the birds wheeling all over the place, and very different from anything we have seen before.
In the afternoon we went to the highlands of Christobel Island..... we were taken to shore then all boarded a bus for the 30 minute ride up into the mist and hills. Oh my, what a ride that was... That poor motor screamed and chocked and chugged and coughed all the way on incredibly small roads where each corner was a blind one and kept us heading way way up. I did not look out of the front window at all - figured that if I could not see where or how we were going, then it would be much more relaxing - and it was. Frank spent some time looking forward and I could tell whenever a curve was coming up - he would tense up and hold his breath! Anyway - we got there safely as I am sure most of the busses do. And then off for a walk in the area where they breed the giant tortoises. We quickly came across one almost jogging along the path - he was not slow at all, but after some determined people caught up with him, he withdrew into his shell and hissed loudly at us. We saw a good few of them either slowly plodding along or with their heads firmly planted deep in their shells trying had to ignore us all........and then went to see the little bitty baby ones...... boy do they start off small and have a lot of growin to do. Then it was back on to the bus for the ride down the hill again. Unfortunately most of the view was cut off by the mist - or maybe that was fortunate that we could not see much at all.... dunno. Anyway, about half way down we got a flat tire and the poor driver was watched by all 17 of us as he used a rock for a jack and changed that tire in 10 minutes flat.
Most of the passengers were leaving the boat the next day, so it was back to the island of Baltra for their morning flight to the mainland. We had become friendly with the group at our table and it was sad to see them all leave. They had a great sense of humor and had been on the boat for a week already. So, early on Wednesday morning, there was the opportunity for anyone to snorkel again, but it was way too cloudy and cold for us, so we stayed on board and enjoyed a slow breakfast. Soon after that the boat became a teeming mass of people with luggage, final bills, lost property and swapping contact numbers and emails... there were hugs all around and also a good many laughs floating around. And then they were all gone. We watched from the top deck as they all loaded onto the zodiacs for their final ferry to the shore - and yes, I got pictures of the waving and shouting goodbyes. The boat was gloriously quiet for a few minutes and then it was announced that if any of us remaining passengers - all six of us - wanted to go snorkeling or walking on the beach we could. So Frank and I quickly headed for the next zodiac and went to the beach where we walked in the beautiful silence in crystal clear water - all by ourselves for the first time in weeks, it seemed. On the way there we saw a pair of huge sea turtles swimming and an "endemic penguin" as well as the 'endemic lava seagull'. It was not too long before we saw the airplane bringing in the new crowds and we headed back to the boat again... but it was a good break.
The 'newbies' came on board, all bright-eyed and busy tailed with excitement and expectation and lots of confusion too...... It was good to see what we looked like just a few days ago - that seems to be largely replaced by sheer exhaustion much of the time. nice, but really tiring. We had the decks to ourselves as they all has their briefing about rules of the boat, general stuff and an evacuation drill. We had started motoring again and it was just wonderful to be on the deck as the Galapagos Legend plowed her way through the water... just lovely!.
The afternoon promised another opportunity to snorkel and also a climb to the top of Bartolome Island for a magnificant view. I have been feeling a bit cruddy with a sore throat for the last few days and did not want to push it, so again, we did not snorkel or swim. Instead we went to the one end of the beach to sit and relax and watch the sealions play and the time go by....... but the mozzies had a different idea and a simply great feast! There were clouds of them hovering over each and every persons head, shoulders, legs and arms - worse than the the tundra in Alaska! The little buggers bit with a sting too and soon the beach was filled with hopping, squeaking and slapping tourists some of them even breathing mozzies through their snorkels! It was rather funny - but only after every open space on our legs and arms were already bitten.. So there we had all been awed by the wingspan of the albatross and were now all being literally moved by the mozzie - possibly the smallest windspan on the islands...
Then we headed up those 365 steps to the top of Bartolome Island for one really incredible view. The sun was setting and every 100 steps or so there was a staging place that we could stop and and pretend to take pictures and admire the view, all the while huffing and puffing as quietly as we could, trying desperately to catch our breath for the next 100.... Seriously, it was lovely...... very other-wordly with lava everywhere and small lava tunnels and openings where the lava once spat itself out and covered the land. I almost expected to see one of those flying dinosaurs that I cannot spell but that always seem to start with a 'p' or something.... lovely. There are some cactus that grow here that make soil by cracking the rocks they grow on - very weird stuff. There was not much else living on this island, just some lava lizards and, of course, all those mozzies at the beach.
On all the islands where there are many little beaches, one male sea lion lays claim to that area and almost constantly barks his possession of this space. A good many female sea lions lay around or swim , all assured of their protection by the Main Man of the area. We stay pretty much clear of this male as he is normally quite large and sometimes does a semi charge towards anyone getting too close. There are also a good many little birds all over the place. After the Amazon cruise, we have given up on naming them and they are now commonly known to us as LBB's = little brown/black birds or LYB's = little yellow birds...That works for us.
Today on the way back from Urbina Bay on Isabela Island, we saw some rather big fish jumping and a good many birds going after them and also the smaller fish around there..... someone asked what sort of fish it was and before I could stop myself, I answered "it's a SBF!". It's a what??!! A SBF - Stupid Big Fish........ Everyone laughed. Well, why on earth would a fish want to jump right there where the birds that would eat it are flying?
This afternoon Frank and I decided to go awol from the shore excursion...... so we had a good few very quiet hours wandering around on deck, caught a good snooze a great shower and generally relaxed for the first time since leaving home. We have been so on the go all this time, trying to absorb so much, see so much, not miss anything that I think it was necessary to stop for a few hours. It was just what we needed. So now, its only a few minutes till the passengers all get back on board, we feel rested and generally recharged. It's cloudy outside and for supper we have a bbq on the back deck again. Tonight we well be moving north again around Isabela island, back over the equator and down to Rabida Island for the morning. The ocean is much rougher around the northern islands and its lovely watching the bow wave glowing at night and the birds cruising past our window being lit up in some of the running lights on board. I really love it when they open the motors wide open and we rock and roll throguh the night - also funny to see a good few green and very tired faces the next morning. ok, so maby that was mean, but still.
Now off to shower and off to the bbq. More tomorrow.
love and light
Annie
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