Blog Archive

Monday 31 October 2011

Galapagos - The Journey

This map shows the route we took

We're Going Home

Just when you thought I'd finished . . .

Blue-footed Boobies at Black Turtle Cove
Well I couldn't leave it without telling you about the final present that the Galapagos had for us.   A 5.30 am wake-up call, and a 6.00 am panga trip was to take us to Black Turtle Cove.   This area is well know for turtles, white-tipped shark, black-finned shark, hammerheads, rays and other sea life. 

Mangroves
As we approached the mangrove area that we were to explore blue-footed boobies were gathering on the rocks, along with flightless cormorants, lava herons and brown pelicans.   Turtles were bobbing about - some snoozing with their shells just showing above the surface of the water.   We had several playing around the pangas at one stage.   White-tipped shark, black-finned shark, diamond sting-ray and spotted (eagle) rays were seen well, with the end of the rays fins just breaking the surface to show their presence.  

Blue-footed Boobies feeding
We had wondered why so many blue-footed boobies had gathered around the entrance to the inlet and we didn't have to wait long to find out.   As the boat turned I noticed a huge flock of them flying towards one of the other inlets.  As they disappeared behind mangroves we heard a roaring noise, similar to a small aircraft.   At this noise our guide told both boatmen to move the pangas to the area as soon as possible - this was a blue-footed booby feeding frenzy.  We had watched this event on DVD earlier in the trip, and been amazed by the spectacle but nothing could have prepared us to the reality.  

Baltra Airport Shops
The birds were flying in unison, herding the shoals of fish together then diving in to feed.  Within seconds they bobbed back to the surface like corks, flapped their wings and began the process again.  The birds were systematically moving from one side of the lagoon to the other.  At one stage they flew over our heads within touching distance and with sea water dripping onto us as they passed.  

We watched this display completely awestruck for about 20 minutes before the birds started to drift away and we had to go back to the boat.  

Breakfast was at 7.00 am and we were due to leave the boat at 8.00 am for the beginning of our journey home.  

Our last Finch - medium (in case you wondered)
All went according to plan, and we arrived at the airport on Baltra with plenty of time to spare before our flight to Guayaquil, on mainland Ecuador.   After a delightful lunch we checked in and boarded our flight for Madrid - all too soon it was over, we were home and the only thing left to do was relive great memories and bore friends with the details by writing it up.

Friday 28 October 2011

Santiago & Bartolome (& my birthday)

So, our last full day in Galapagos, and my birthday to-boot - what an excellent place to spend it in.   Our final day was to be spent on Santiago Island and its near neighbour, the smaller Bartolome. 

Espumilla Bay
Our previous night had been spent anchored in a sheltered bay which was a relief after the rough passage the previous afternoon and evening.   At 7 am the sea was relatively calm and as we had our breakfast the captain sailed a little closer to our first landing of the day - a wet one once again!

Ghost Crabs
Now although we had been warned that it could be a little wetter than previous landings it wasn't until we were actually approaching the beach that we realised how interesting this would be.   Our first clue should have been that there were two boatmen on each panga (rather than the usual one), when Juan jumped from one panga to the other to ensure that we were happy with how to land it dawned on us that this could be a very wet landing!   With an active swell an orchestrated landing was required.  Carol and I sat at the back at of the panga and would be the first to jump off.   After a couple of aborted attempts our guide decided that it was safe to go in.    Basically, Carol and I had to sit with one leg just over the side of the boat and on the word of the boatman we had to jump out and move up the beach allowing the rest of the party to do the same.    It was extremely wet and I got soaked up to my thighs - good job I put shorts on that day!

Mangroves
It was some minutes before the waves and swell were correct for the second panga to attempt a landing but eventually everyone was safely on the beach.   Espumilla beach is a long smooth glistening stretch backed by mangroves, and covered in ghost crabs.   Normally the crabs run to their holes the minute they feel the vibrations of human movement, but today they were all clustered against the rocks at the far end of the beach and they gave us a real treat with their sideways scurrying into the water.

What no birdwatchers?
lo
Also
We followed a well marked trail up past a dry lagoon where there was one loan whimbrel, small and large ground finch and a galapagos mockingbird.   Plants were more easy to identify with button and black mangrove, euphorbia, galapagos tomato to name but a few.   Here we saw the largest incense trees on our travels and Juan took some of the sap for us to smell.   After our round trip it was back to the beach where we saw a dead baby turtle jammed into a ghost crab hole - the crab usually pulls the helpless turtle down the hole head-first then eats that as it is the easiest bit to attack (sorry to any squeamish folk out there).

Shorts drying in the breeze
The boatmen approached the beach for us to go back to the boat, but after a couple of attempts they decided that more help was needed so one panga returned to collect the captain.   He soon assessed that if we walked to the other end of the beach a bit of protection from an outcrop of lava might just be enough for us to climb in.   Whilst it was possible, it was not easy.   I got soaked to the waist as I waded out and climbed into the panga with water spilling over the top as the swell crashed into the front of the panga.

looking from Bartolome to Santiago
As we ate lunch we sailed on to our final landing of this trip with the wet clothing drying off the rigging at the back of the boat.   We anchored just off Bartolome where we were promised a dry landing - we were a bit sceptical but hopeful.

Bartolome is attached to Santiago island by a narrow strip of sand, lava and mangroves.   True to their word it was a dry landing - slippy but dry.   We stepped onto concrete steps which were slimy with algae and seaweed.   The wind caught Juan's baseball cap and scarf and dumped them into the sea about 20 feet away.   The cap was recovered but the scarf was never seen again.   One of the party also had to retrieve their cap from the lava flow just off the trail.

Lava Cactus
As we walked the decked path we noticed a galapagos dove sheltering from the wind on a ledge.   Sally lightfoot crabs, marine iguanas and lava lizards greeted us.   As we climbed the 300+ steps a strange volcanic landscape appeared.   Lava bombs, tunnels, ash and dust fields were all around us and there were many spatter cones and eroded craters.   One one side it was described as Lunar, and as we continued a Mars landscape appeared.   On the slopes were three types of euphorbia which are the first vegetation to take hold on this inhospitable environment.   Several painted locusts were seen, they always seemed to fly just as the camera came out.    Lava bombs were left by the side of the path and we practised our weight-lifting with varying sizes.   As they were mostly air holes the weight was negligible but it looked good.

Lava Flows
From the summit there was a tremendous 360 degree vista with Santiago, Baltra, Daphne Major, Daphne Minor, and Isabela in view.  After our decent we took a short ride in the pangas along the coast back towards the strip which connects the two islands, in a cove we saw galapagos penguins, sealions and had great close up views of pinnacle rock.

As soon as we were back on board the Cachalote moved off once more for our last night's destination.   Before dinner we had time to pack, relax or just enjoy the last evening of sailing along.   Before dinner the captain and all the crew came to say their goodbye's and accept our heartful thanks and congratulations for a great trip.  


Happy Birthday to Me!
 A birthday cake was produced for dessert, this time a chocolate one with icing and candles.   What a special end to a trip and birthday!

Wednesday 26 October 2011

Isabela - Urvina Bay and Tagus Cove

lava gull
Over breakfast a lava gull sat on one of the panga's looking for food, it eventually found a morsel and proceeded to devour it.

Urvina Bay on Isabela Island was this morning's destination with a wet landing!   This is an area which had a land uplift of 10m in 1954 and a second in 194 of 90 cm.   Evidence of this can be seen along the beach.  

Worm casts from the seabed
The landing today was to be a wet one onto the beach, not as easy as earlier days, but everyone successfully landed with varying degrees of wetness!   As we took off life jackets and prepared for our walk, blue-footed boobies and brown pelican dived for fish in the bay.   We wandered along the shore watching sally lightfoot and hermit crabs examining shells and other sea animals washed up on the shore.   There were also fossils of worms which would have previously lain on the seabed.   As we looked back to the beach there were two galapagos hawk - one standing on the "stop" sign protecting the turtle nesting area.  

Galapagos Hawk
As we returned to the beach, more hawks were about, in the end at least 18 were counted, some very obligingly on a small tree beside the path.   Even when a second group of people joined us they continued to sit completely unperturbed at our presence so close.

Land Iguana
We walked inland and saw large land iguanas, their nests and the trails that they leave as they move through the sandy ground.   Lava lizards scurried away from us.   Finches played alongside yellow warblers in the shrubs which included saltbush, poison apple and galapagos cotton.   Juan explained that the cotton flower would be yellow on the first day of flowering and pink/orangey yellow on the second day, a few days later the cotton will start to form.

We passed by relatively new lava fields with little vegetation, and saw small tree finch and large-billed flycatcher.

Cliffs at Tagus Cove
Soon it was time to go back to the Cachalote for lunch and sail to our next destination, Tagus Cove.  The captain gave the order for the sails to be used for this stretch of the journey, as we had to hold onto our drinks and soup bowls as the boat rocked from side to side, the hope was that the sails would counteract this.   At one stage two glasses of juice and a cup of coffee went flying across the dining room.   Gravy slopped over the side of our plates and it was a tortuous mealtime.  Once we had anchored in the bay life was a little easier, and at least things stayed where you put them!   After lunch we had time for a siesta or a chance to explore the cliffs.   Early mariners have carved rheir ships' names on the cliffs and as the years have gone by it has degenerated into graffiti.   The authorities have now stopped this, but there are many names on the cliffs easily read with the aid of binoculars.

A galapagos penguin was spotted on a rock at the base of the cliff and then several others were noticed nearby.   We took to the pangas for a cruise along the cliffs before landing.   We found two groups of penguims one appearing to be a family group with two rather large well-fed juveniles.

We moved towards the landing area, but we could all see that it would be a rather challenging leap of faith to go ahead.   Our guide gave us a couple of options, to either continue cruising along the base of the cliffs, or to return to the boat and move on.   As we had a long journey over the northern end of Isabela, and also and also had the added excitement of crossing the equator we decided that we should continue on our journey looking for dolphins and whales.   We all took to the sun deck on the top of the boat, near the bridge.   The captain invited us to enjoy his view, and as we sailed we spotted several spouts of water from indeterminate whales.   At one stage we saw a couple of humpbacks and soon after a minke whale.   A fur seal was also spotted by our guide.   Galapagos petrels and shearwaters cut through the air as the sea got rougher, a few took to their cabins and resorted to travel tablets, as the pitching and rolling got worse the barman rather bizarrely started to mix up a cocktail of a teal blue colour for us to toast the crossing from the south to north.

Crossing the Equator
Whilst the rest of us were holding on to anything that didn't move as we walked around the boat, the barman loaded up a dozen or so glasses onto a tray and proceeded to move to the bridge.   Obviously quite at ease in these conditions not a drop was spilled and in fact he got to the bridge far quicker than the rest of us and we only had to worry about ourselves.

Around 5.15 pm we got to latitude 00.00.000N, we sang "happy equator" and toasted our crossing, then we conceded defeat and sped back downstairs to the relative calm of the lower decks before it was time for dinner and a chat about our plans for tomorrow, which will be our last full day in Galapagos.

Tuesday 25 October 2011

Isabela Island - Puerto Moreno & Elizabeth Bay

At least we were warned.   It WAS a rough night.   Once again, the leg clamp was called into use (see yesterday) and although I woke at 6.30 am, due to lack of sleep I completely missed my 5.30 am alarm call!

Candelabra Cactus & Lava
After breakfast we were off on the pangas for a walk over lava flows of both pahoehoe and A'a varieties.   For information both are Hawaiian names describing the surface finish - Pahoehoe is a smooth hummocky or ropey surface. A'a (pronounced ah-ah) lava flows have rough rubble-like surface composed of broken lava blocks called clinkers, with incredibly sharp spiny surfaces this is very diffcult and uncomfortable to walk on.  

Cerro Azul in the distance
We had an interesting landing onto harsh lava, after manouvering the panga through shallow water (scraping the prop on underwater lava in the process). The lava was hard and sharp and you needed to be careful that you didn't pull an ankle. Nearby we saw candelabra cacti, lava cacti, pecit (an aster or sunflower) and Darwin's aster. These were sparse and taking advantage of the smallest crack or depression in the surface. There were also some straggly grasses enduring a similarly scant existence.


In a small lagoon which is fed with sea water by tidal flow through lava tunnels, we watched turtle and white-tipped shark enjoying this safe haven.   Our progress over the lava was slow, but that gave time to take in the landscape and the lunar atmosphere created by the huge lava flows coming from both Volcan Cerro Azul and Volcan Sierra Negra.   Isabela is the largest Galapagos island and formed by five separate volcanoes, the only one not currently active is Ecuador.  

Flightless Cormorant
As we followed the marked trail, Volcan Cerro Azul could be seen in the distance (Sierra Negra was shrouded in cloud), this gave us an idea of the huge area these lava flows had covered.   Although you could follow the path of some of the lava, it was often hard to distinguish which volcano had provided the particular lava we were walking on.   It was far easier to understand the power of this action and how the islands had been formed originally.   We were near the Galapagos Hot Spot - where three tectonic plates meet and cause a weakness in the earth's crust.

Flamingo
The next surprise was to see a bright green oasis in the middle of all the dark lava where lagoons have formed providing an excellent opportunity for grasses, shrubs and trees to gain a toe-hold.   In the lagoons we saw moorhen, white-cheeked pintail, and (a very nice surprise) wilson's phalarope.   Two flamingoes fed in a small cove their pink plumage contrasting beautifully against the bright green of the vegetation and the dark grey of the lava.

We continued in a loop over collapsed "bubbles" of magma towards a bay on the other side of the small peninsula where the pangas were to pick us up.   Here mangrove had started to grow, and this provided us with a great opportunity for a short cruise before we went back to the boat.   More turtles, yellow-tailed mullet and black-tailed damselfish swam around us.   On an outcrop we spotted our first flightless cormorant preening in the sunshine. 

Lava Heron
We took lunch back on the boat in our now well-rehearsed routine, and as the boat sailed on to Bahia Elizabeth, we took the opportunity for a short siesta either below or on deck.

Spotted (Eagle) Rays
At 3.00 pm we took to the pangas again, and cruised through the mangroves, passing rocks which were well marked by previous seabird colonies.   The most numerous bird seen initially was lava heron with several posing well for us, we soon added yellow warbler, dark-billed cuckoon, smooth-billed ani, and finally galapagos penguins.   Sealions played alongside the boat and crabs were clinging to the rough surface of the lava with their strong claws.   Many turtles swam and although there were two other pangas from another boat we managed to find some peace and solitude as the boatmen paddled us along.   In one of the cul-de-sacs we found a group of spotted (eagle) rays.

Eventually we had to return to base and as darkness fell we had the first opportunity for sunset photographs over the sea.

The end of a perfect day


Sunday 23 October 2011

Bob's Birthday - Floreana Island

Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron
The last time we were told to expect a rough passage it was calm - not so this time!   I managed to find a way to wedge my leg between the wall of the cabin and the bed so that I did not fall out - but it was a close thing.

We woke to see Floreana and Punta Cormorant before us, a far more volcanic looking island with less vegetation, and the expected "volcano" shaped hills.   A wet landing took us past cliffs, where I spotted a yellow-crowned night-heron, to a beach lined with saltbush and Darwin's Daisy, behind which was a large lagoon where four flamingo were present.   Although distant, they were obviously pink!   There were plastic containers with poisioned water to try to eradicate the paper wasp, a relatively recent introduction which as proved to be a pest.   Unfortunately, we noticed that ground finches were drinking from these and would likely die from this.

Sanderling
Turnstone, semi-palmated plover, least sandpiper and western sandpiper were feeding on the small insects along the edge of the lagoon.   Floreana lava lizards, and sally lightfoot crabs scuttled away from our feet as we walked up to a viewpoint which gave great views over the lagoon.   We walked to White Sand Bay and saw a second yellow-crowned night-heron, this time a juvenile.

Sanderling ran along the tideline, joined by ruddy turnstone, and yellow warbler.   Five smooth-billed ani perched in a nearby bush, but flew as we approached. 

We moved back to Green Sand Beach and after half-an-hour's stroll along the beach where we saw many sea urchins and three turtle nests, we went back on board for lunch.

Post Office Bay
After we had eaten lunch, the captain moved the boat to a mooring just off Post Office Bay, where we had another wet landing.   The history of this site dates back to around 1793 when British navigators placed a wooden barrel for messages and mail for homebound voyagers.   A decade later it was used for espionage during the Anglo-American naval war, and the tradition has continued down the years, until now it is a way of sending postcards home.   Visiting yachts have left calling cards, pieces of driftwood and messages for future visitors which all add to the charm.   We therefore had no option but to write cards to be left in the barrel.   When we opened the barrel there were three large plastic bags with cards in them.  We went through the cards and found several for the UK, so we brought them back with us to post when we got home.   I had one for a couple in Cheshire.

After we had done our Royal Mail bit, we moved on up a track behind the post office and sat round Juan as he told us the tale of a german vegetarian dentist, his lover, one set of metal teeth that they shared, some visitors and the mysterious disappearance of 27 people.   No-one loitered when we told it was time to leave!

Watch the Swell!
We sailed on to moor up just outside Puerto Velasco Ibarra.   Here we had a dry landing onto the pier steps - should have been a doddle but there was a bit of a swell which made it a little challenging.   We were met by a local gentleman and were taken by an open lorry with seats to the highland area to look for medium tree finch - a near-threatened species only to be found in this habitat.   As we ascended the weather closed in and fine mist descended.  Not to be put off to went off in search and found a delightfully co-operative individual at the first tree that we tried.   Unfortunately, although it was easy enough to see, it was dark and my  photos by no means do it justice.   After we had walked the trail loop, passing numerous tortoises on the way, it was time to drive back down the uneven track in the open lorry again.  

The Welcoming Committee
Back at the harbour the swell had increased and it was a real act of faith to leap into the arms of the waiting boatman.   We donned our life jackets before the boat moved off, and as we transferred the rest of the jackets into the other boat they fell into the sea, luckly all in the bag, and only the top few got wet, but it just proved how dangerous the swell was.   The transfer from panga to yacht was equally thrilling.

At dinner we had a rousing chorus of "Happy Birthday" for Bob and an excellent cake with candles.

Once again we were warned that the sea passage could be rough.

Espanola/Hood Island

Sally Lightfoot Crab
Last night was far more calm than we had expected, and everyone slept well and appeared for breakfast.   At 8.00 am we set off on the pangas for Espanola or Hood Island.   From the boat we could see galapagos hawk sitting on a trig pt near the landing area.   Unfortunately, as we approached another group were going far too close and the bird had gone before we got there.

As we landed sealions and sally lightfoot crabs were loafing about, with marauding gangs of hood mockingbird and ruddy turnstone pecking about for anything vaguely edible (more of which later).  Some of the young sealions were only hours old and others just a few days.    Large cactus finch and small ground finch were joined by warbler finch (grey subspecies).

Hood Mockingbird
Both blue-footed and nasca boobies had young, and waved albatross used the cliff edge as a runway.   Marine iguanas in their distinctive "hood island red" subspecies gathered to sleep in large groups.   Lava lizards diced with being squashed as we continued along the path - they have no notion of human danger.   Galapagos hawk appeared in a nearby bush, and had a metal and white colour-ring on the left leg and and second bird appeared with white on the right leg - a third hawk did not appear to have any rings.

Sealion Pup
We watched as young sealions played in the shallows and along the beach.   Sealions cover themselves in sand to try to prevent flies bothering them.   Seemed to work on the ones we saw.   Sadly one mum was lying besides her stillborn young.  We were advised that they often stay by the side of a dead pup for several days - such devotion was both touching and upsetting.   Then reality struck as a medium ground finch started to peck at the afterbirth - the circle of lift never ceases to amaze.

The young of nasca boobies and waved albatross were begging for food, and as we watched the parents try to feed young they had to dodge the attentions of frigatebirds who are always keen to poach a free meal.  Juan explained how to tell the sex of blue-footed boobies - the female is larger and has a pigmented area around the iris which makes the pupil appear larger than the male.

Lava Heron
We continued along the walk making a loop back to the jetty, past waved albatross breeding areas and admiring the endemic plants along the way.

On the beach near the jetty several mockingbirds were trying to eat a sealion placenta (sorry - graphic but true) and a rather plucky medium ground finch beat them off!

A lava heron watched as we departed the island, blending in well with the stones.

After lunch we had a wet landing at Gardner Bay.  An excellent beach of beautiful golden sand - created from shells - and absolutely strewn with sealions sleeping in the sun, they took no notice of us as we sauntered along the tide line.

Wandering Tattler
Turtles appeared - their heads popping out of the water for a second or so then disappearing from sight.

I decided to swim, and the current was strong enough to knock me off my feet and throw me back unceremoniously on the beach - with a costume full of sand!   We shared the beach with wandering tattler, yellow warbler and more ruddy turnstone.

Eventually we had to return to the boat, for dinner, a viewing of a Galapagos DVD showing how the islands had been created, and a rough passage to Floreana Island.

Santa Cruz, Puerto Ayora

Puerto Ayora Fish Market
I was up at 5.30 am and out watching Elliot's storm petrels feeding around the boat.   As breakfast was at 7 am I decided that I should try to get some decent photos of them, got quite a few that were recognisable.   After a good breakfast we were off to the Charles Darwin Foundation Research Centre on Santa Cruz.   We landed on the jetty and walked through the town towards the fish market where blue-footed boobies, brown pelicans and sealions jostled with human customers for fish!

We carried on towards the outskirts of the town and after about 20 minutes arrived at the Charles Darwin Centre.   This was something I had particularly looked forward to since the trip had been booked, and it more than exceeded my expectations.

Lonesome George
They have a collection of tortoises from the islands where their survival as a species is threatened.  Eggs are taken when laid and brought back to the centre, where they are incubated at regulated temperatures warmer incubation produces females and cooler males.   The centre therefore have to ensure that they vary the temperature to continue to raise both genders.   The hatchlings are raised in an enclosed area where they are protected from predators.   Once they have reached a size when they cannot be predated by rats they are placed in a more open environment until they are considered old enough to survive in the wild when they are transported back to their original island.

Vegetarian Finch
The star of the show is Lonesome George a lone male from the Pinta Island.  Although droppings were found in 1981 no female or indeed other tortoise has been found.  George is currently residing with 7 females from Wolf Island (with the nearest DNA) in the hope that he will (a) remember how to mate and (b) produce hybrid offspring with at least some continuance in genetics.

Enough of Tortoise for now, we were supposed to be on a bird watching trip.

Around the grounds there were several birds, including small, medium and large ground finch, galapagos mockingbird, yellow warbler and to our delight 5 vegetarian finches.  After we had browsed the Charles Darwin shop and taken refreshments, it was time to go back to the jetty, as the panga would be there at 12.00 noon to get us back on the Cachalote for lunch.   Instead of taking the usual exit route, a couple of us decided to return through the centre for one last wander, not wishing to take our leave until the last moment possible.  


Land Iguana
 Unfortunately, on our way back to the jetty, Mike remembered that he needed some batteries - ostensibly for his pacemaker!   A quick bit of shopping resolve the issue, and soon we were back on board enjoying lunch - beef in a lovely tomato sauce with rice and salad.

At 2.00 pm we disembarked to visit the highland area and rancho marisposa.   As a volcanic island the highlands produced excellent examples of sink holes, dark-billed cuckoo and smooth-billed ani were spotted as we continued our walk.   We also visited a tortoise reserve where they roam free in long grass, and are surprisingly hard to spot.   At one stage we came across two pools where tortoise drink and there were also a couple of white-cheeked pintail and common moorhen.   An eagle-eyed member of the group spotted a green warbler finch (there is also a grey subspecies).  


Tortoise Drinking
 After about an hour and a half of walking, where we had seen at least 20 wild tortoise, we arrived at a small cafe where tea, coffee and a rather strong spirit was offered.   As we enjoyed the refreshment Juan picked up a convenient guitar and started to sing a few british sea shanties - quite bizarre!

Soon we had to return to the boat.   Locals were playing volleyball in front of an enthusiastic crowd, and a lava gull was loafing on the traffic roundabout.   As Carol had managed to destroy her walking boots these were abandoned in a bin before once again we jumped into the pangas.

We had an early dinner - 6.30 pm - to give the captain more time to negotiate our overnight trip to Espanola/Hood island.   We are warned that it could be a rough night - so sea sickness pills have been dolled out.
Elliot's Storm-petrel

Thursday 20 October 2011

Galapagos ~ here we are !!

We left our Quito hotel around 6.30 am for our flight to Galapagos.   Our bags were x-rayed and we were checked in efficiently by our ground agents for our flight to Baltra via Guayaquil. 

Medium Ground Finch
As we walked from the 'plane to the terminal, we spotted our first Darwin's finches, two medium ground finch pecking crumbs outside the airport cafe!   A great start to our Galapagos collection.    Through immigration, we had bags checked for any errant seeds or food (neither allowed to be brought in) and paid our US$10 Galapagos National Park fee.   Next was a journey on the local bus service to the jetty where the ferry connects Baltra to Santa Cruz.   We were joining our boat here by panga, and The Cachalote was moored further east in the strait.

Cachalote
As we stood in the shade of the ferry terminal blue-footed boobies, and magnificent frigatebirds flew past, I spotted lava heron on a mangrove branch in the middle of the strait, and a sealion was hauled up on a bouy.   Soon we were on our way, in two pangas, to the boat.   We embarked using the "panga handshake" (ie., grabbing the forearm and the hand of the person helping you on board.   Cabins had been allocated - there were 11 of us in 8 cabins - and our luggage had already been loaded so we quickly freshened up before we had lunch.   After lunch we went through the obligatory safety briefing, then as the boat got underway, we either unpacked, rested, or sat on the sundeck birding, we were on our way to South Plaza Island.

Sealions & Sally Lightfoot Crabs
We moored in the strait between North and South Plaza.  The captain gave 6 short and one long blast on the siren and we all got into our life jackets and met on the foredeck.   Once the Captain was happy that we were sure of the procedures we were ready to disembark for our first exciting landing - luckily a dry one!

Common Carpetweed
As we clambered onto the jetty, sealions were basking on the slipway and rocks nearby.   Sally lightfoot crabs fed on morsels in crevices, and marine iguanas lay across our path.   As we gingerly stepped over them our guide pointed out small lava lizards, the females with a bright red neck and chest and the males showing off by doing press-ups.   Common carpetweed spread out, in the style of the name.   Small white flowers nestled in between the succulent green leaves from green.   Older plants were coloured pink, orange and red depending on the age of the plant.  

Swallow-Tailed Gulls
Swallow-tailed gulls, a truly handsome bird, stood close by, completely uninhibited by our presence.   Small ground finch pecked at the base of opuntia (prickly pear) cactus.   Brown noddy were feeding like tern, flying over the sea then diving for fish.   Brown pelican, magnificent frigatebird and the delightful red-billed tropicbirds with their long white tail streamers were passing at eye level as we stood on the top of the dramatic cliffs.

Land Iguana
A shoal of yellow-finned mullet fed near the surface of the water and two turtles rolled about as they mated in the azure blue sea.   As we moved along the south-east coast we saw more swallow-tailed gulls and a couple of nasca boobies.   Yellow warbler and cactus finch were also feeding along this stretch of the island.   Our guide pointed out some coral fossils from when the land was under the sea.   The limestone of this island was smooth and shone in the sunlight, this is apparently caused by seal lion urine and the oil from their fur which wears away the surface of the rock after many years.

South Plaza
We passed a bachelor sealion colony, they lazed on the cliffs.   As we covered the final part of the island, we noticed a sealion which had just given birth, with the placenta still attached.   Nearby was the site of the birth and a pool of sea water and blood.   Ruddy turnstones were drinking this valuable supply of nutrients.   A lava gull, with its all grey plumage stood close by waiting for its chance to feed on the afterbirth.

Sealion Mum & Baby
I spotted a hudsonian whimbrel and then Richard saw a wandering tattler.   Soon it was time to return to the boat, and relax before dinner.   Unfortunately the sea was rather choppy and most people felt a little worse for wear.   As we approached the harbour of Puerto Ayora and the anchors were lowered, we took dinner.   Our captain introduced the crew and after an exciting and hectic day we all went to bed.