I love boobies! (aka day 1 Galapagos)

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Today has been a fabulous (but very long) day.  I’m sitting comfortably in my moon (instead of standard) cabin, roommate asleep, typing about today while trying to keep my eyes open.  It all started this morning at 5am when my alarm sounded.  I had a terrible night sleep, a combination of fear of missing my alarm but mostly the constant coughing, nose blowing and bathroom going by the guy in my dorm.  Not wanting to turn on the room light, I dragged my items slowly into the hallway and packed up.  At 5:40am I got a taxi to the airport and arrived just before six, as recommended.

To my surprise, a Klein Tours representative was not present, so I waited in front of the AeroGal check-in and mentioned to a flight representative that I was looking for a Klein rep.  About ten minutes later I was told the rep was at the desk.  No sign, no badge, nothing to indicate that she worked for Klein tours, but I went up and introduced myself anyway.  She directed me to the baggage check (no fruit, plants, etc, allowed on the Galapagos) and told me to return once the check was completed.  My bag was strapped with a normal luggage tag followed by the Klein tours sticker and room tag.

When the rep handed me my voucher and my M/Y Coral I yellow sticker (which I was to wear all morning), I found out my room was upgraded to a moon cabin from the standard.  I wasn’t complaining as she provided me with a black fanny pack and spiral book containing information about the M/Y Coral I ship and the Galapagos Islands.  The short line at security took no time and I bought a latte and fruit salad at the one open restaurant after security.  I noticed a few yellow stickers sitting near me but decided to save the chit-chat for later.

Just before 8am we took off for the 30 minute flight to Guayaquil.  I met a couple women on my boat (Lynn and Judy, from Ottawa and British Colombia) during the bus ride to the plane.  After a brief stop at Guayaquil airport to refuel and change passengers, we set off for the Galapagos.  The clear sky over Guayaquil resulted in some nice views during takeoff.  Another hour and a half later we began our descent to the Galapagos and the airport on Baltra Island (aka South Seymour).  I snapped a few shots out the window of beautiful turquoise waters and four boats waiting for passengers. 

View of Guayaquil

Flying into Baltra

At 10am we landed on Baltra.  I couldn’t believe that I was actually on the Galapagos.  After checking in with Klein Tours and hitting the loo, I popped into the airport shops to pick up a waterproof camera and a cover-up.  At $15 a camera, I took a chance that it’d be less than the price onboard the ship (if they had them) and purchased two.  I made it out of the store just as my group was boarding the bus.  A quick ride to the beach where we boarded a couple of dingys to take us out to the M/Y Coral I.  But before we left shore, I got my first glimpse of wildlife.  A couple sea lions moved from land to sea while brown pelicans waded in the water and flew overhead.  But the highlight for me was the blue-footed boobies relaxing on the lava rocks.  The boobies, with their bright blue feet, are the birds I most wanted to see.

Blue-footed boobies

Once we all piled onto the ship there was an introduction meeting.  The M/Y Coral I is a 36 passenger vessel (I think we’re at 33 guests at the moment), unlike the Coral II which only holds 22.  I was hoping to end up on the Coral II (you can’t really choose) but it turned out the entire boat is a group of University of Michigan alumni of all ages.  The guide explained the facilities on the boat before letting us go to our rooms and holding a safety drill where we all practiced putting on our lifejackets.  By this point, I’d met some more people on the boat including:

• Lorilee, who was in the Galapagos last year, with her three daughters who are in their early 40s (originally from Virginia but Lorilee splits her time between Virginia and Florida, Denni an ER trauma nurse lives in Wisconsin, Susan works for her parents real estate business in Virginia, and Amy, the daughter-in-law also lives in Virginia).  They kindly offered to have me join their group for meals.
• Bill and Catherine, a dad-daughter duo from Tennessee.  Bill is an ENT doctor and Catherine is a senior in high school at a boarding school in Virginia who will probably be starting Georgetown in the fall.  Brought back fond memories of travelling with my dad in China.
• My roommate, Margarida (slightly younger than me) from Portugal is an architect working for the Portuguese Ministry of Culture in Quito for a year and is cruising the Galapagos with her parents (in the cabin next to us).

My moon cabin on the Coral I

Eventually, I sat down for a buffet style lunch with Bill and Catherine.  I had some salad and cheese to start followed by the vegetarian lasagna and vegetables and some fruit for dessert.  The food was very tasty and I think we’re in for some great meals in the next four days.  Following lunch, the boat started moving towards our first location, Dragon Hill on Santa Cruz Island and one of our three guides, Victor Hugo, explained the excursion.  We were told we’d be disembarking at 4pm and had time to relax.  Even though we reached the island at 3pm, we didn’t get off the boat until 4. 

Dragon Hill, Santa Cruz Island

I went on the first dingy with one of our guides, Daniel, and 13 other passengers.  As we approached shore, the first thing I spotted was the Sally light-foot crabs then two different types of birds, the ruddy turnstone and lava heron.  When we started the trail, we saw a male marine iguana eating its way through the low green vegetation.  Sadly, the flamingoes which can be found in a pond just off the beach were not present, but plover birds, white-cheeked pintail ducks, and common stilts bobbed on the water.  In addition, we spotted a lava gull which is somewhat rare.

Sally light-foot crab

I'm on the Galapagos!

Ruddy turnstone

Male marine iguana

Pond with Plover birds, Bahamas duck, white-cheek pintail, common stilt and lava gull

As we continued on around the pond, Daniel pointed out a couple plant species including the candelabra prickly-pear cactus and the holy stick tree.  Next thing I knew, Daniel was leading us to a male land iguana.  Apparently at the time of day of our landing, there is no guarantee for seeing the land iguana because they are usually resting.  The iguanas change colors based on their moods, and the one we were looking at, with a bright yellow face and brownish-yellow body was happy.  Not sure we’d see another one, we all tried to get our best photo of the iguana.  As Daniel said, “This is your National Geographic $100 moment.”

Prickly-pear cactus 

Landscape on Santa Cruz Island

Land iguana

The path continued around Dragon Hill and we spotted some Darwin finches (of which there are 13 kinds on the Galapagos), ground finches and a Galapagos mockingbird (one of four kinds found on the Galapagos and famous for their unique song and inability to copy songs like most mockingbirds).  As we walked up to the viewpoint, we saw three more land iguanas.  So much for being a rare sighting.  

Darwin finch

Ground finches

Land iguana

Galapagos mockingbird

Another land iguana

The lookout point gave a beautiful 360 of the surrounding islands and part of Santa Cruz Island itself.  A path nearby was pretty dead due to the introduction of goats on the island (happened on a few but they have now mostly killed them off) and Daniel explained the human impact on the islands.  While we stood looking out towards the ocean, two bright pink flamingos flew past our boat and towards the pond.

As we ventured back towards the shore, passing yet more land iguanas, I was excited about the prospect of seeing two flamingos in the pond.  But when we arrived, there were actually four (and apparently there are only 5-10 in this area).  So amazing with their bright pink coats.  I stood watching, and taking pictures, for as long as I could before heading back to the dingy.  I spotted another marine iguana in the distance on my way down the beach.  Two hours after departing, we returned to the Coral I.

Land iguana

Angry land iguana, notice the black body

Greater flamingo

Greater flamingo

I sat on the ledge of the Jacuzzi, which was being newly filled with sea water, soaking my feet for a while and talking to Heather and Leonie, a couple of Canadian girls who are interning at a cloud forest in Ecuador, before going to the cabin at 6:30 to shower for dinner.  At 7:30pm we all met up at the bar area of the boat for an introduction to our crew, and a grasshopper cocktail (which I thoroughly enjoyed and drank three of in the course of the evening – they were small drinks and two people didn’t want theirs).  I sat with Lynn and Judy and introduced myself to a young couple, Stacey and Evan from New York, originally from northern California and 2004 Berkeley alum. 

Judy, Lynn and me with our grasshoppers

Catherine and Bill

For dinner I dined with Evan, Stacey, Susan and Denny.  After a salad to start, I took small samples of the main course options, fish and goulash with broccoli and strawberries and cream for dessert.  As it approached 9pm, we all gathered back in the bar area to hear about the two excursions tomorrow, including two snorkeling opportunities.  Before coming back to the room, which is small but spacious enough, and definitely better than the standard cabin (so happy I got an upgrade), I went through my photos with Victor Hugo to identify the wildlife and stood on the deck looking at the stars and searching for sharks in the water.  I got a glimpse of a shark and watched as a sea lion breached itself on the back of our boat.  I’m now totally exhausted and hoping for a good night sleep.

The M/Y Coral I