Sweating and swimming (aka day 2 Galapagos)

Thursday, March 10, 2011

What an incredible day!  I’m totally exhausted, yet again, and since I didn’t sleep well last night, I’m really hoping for some quality zzz’s tonight (planning to take half an Ambien just to be sure).  But, before I do that, I wanted to write about today’s activities.

It all started with a wake-up announcement at 7am, followed by breakfast at 7:30 and retrieving snorkel gear at 8:15.  By 8:30am we set out on dingys to explore Rabida (aka Jervis) Island.  The island is comprised of lava that had poured out of scoria cones and which is very rich in iron oxide and magnesium (typical of the basaltic lava of the Galapagos, which when exposed and rusting gives the island its reddish color).  The tall red cliffs covered with a green blanket rose out of the sea in front of us as we approached the shoreline.  The water beneath us was so clear that we were able to spot some fish, even from the dingy.  Made me very excited for snorkeling.  We had about an hour ride discovering part of the coastline and finding the following wildlife (photos on shutterfly):

• Blue footed boobies – this was our first bird sighting of the day, nicely perched on the top of a rock with a Brown pelican sitting nearby
• Great blue heron
• Lots more blue footed boobies
• Fur sea lions – lazing on the rocks
• More brown pelicans
• Lava heron
• Galapagos sea lion
• Marine iguanas baking on the rocks
• Sally light foot crabs
• A blue footed booby with a marine iguana and Sally light foot crab with a cactus in the background –another National Geographic $100 photo according to Daniel (this seems to be his catch phrase)
• Yellow tail surgeon fish
• More fur sea lions playing in the water and others lounging on the rocks

Blue-footed booby, marine iguana and Sally light-foot crab

After our dingy ride we took an hour walk around the Rabida Island.  Right as we got off the boats, a sea lion family (dad, mom and pup) was playing on the beach.  At first they appeared to be fighting in the water, then came out to settle on the beach, but a minute later they went back into the water.  Quite the show for us onlookers.  The mom and pup eventually came back on the red sand beach while the dad bobbed around in the water.  There were a few marine iguanas and brown pelicans dotting the rocks and red sand.

Daniel guided us through the path and pointed out the small type of Prickly-pear cactus and explained the differences from the cactus yesterday, such as that this one is the only to bear fruit.  As we looked back to the north beach from where we’d walked there was a small pond while the east side of the island had clear turquoise water, dramatic shoreline and a beach with more sea lions.  More birds spotted the cliffs.  Scurrying around the island were tiny lava lizards.  Additionally, we saw the fruit of the Galapagos tomato plant and yellow flowers on a cactus.  We eventually made a loop back to the beach for snorkeling.

The water is extremely warm now, and coming from me that is saying something.  Denni kindly helped me put sunscreen on my back and we set off.  I was a bit of a mess putting on my flippers and snorkel and remembering how to breathe, but I kind of got the hang of it.  There were tons of fish in the clear blue water.  Visibility was amazing.  I saw various schools of fish, including the yellow tail surgeon fish and angelfish and some other larger fish.  I’m not sure of their names and the only pictures I got were with the waterproof camera I purchased at the airport, so I can’t ask our guide, but we all swam quite a distance from the north to east part of Rabida Island.  There was a pelican diving for food, quickly coming in and out of the water.  I had some problems with my mask and Louis, in the support boat, came over to help me out.  Eventually, I’d had enough and not-so-gracefully climbed in the support boat. 

Louis was still patrolling, so we ended up in the area where Heather and Leonie were swimming.  They’d just spotted a shark, so I jumped back in the water to observe for a minute.  A couple from the Michigan group joined me on the dingy and when we were closer to shore, we all got out to swim back.  It ended up being a bit farther than I thought, but it was pleasant seeing the fish again.

Back on board, we had a bit of time before lunch, so I took a quick shower before joining Lorilee, Susan, Denni and Amy at the bar.  I ordered a strawberry daiquiri which I sipped until we sat down for lunch.  I started with salad (this time a delicious avocado, tomato and onion one) and cheese (seems to be a trend) before getting some calamari, chicken and zucchini.  A tasty meal with lovely company.  Denni proceeded to tell me that while we were snorkeling I was making noise when I saw various fish and that she was following where I looked based on my noises.  Funny since I didn’t notice.  I can just see myself now under the water going, “hmmm” and “ohhh”.  Haha.

Me, Lorilee, Susan, Amy and Denni

Post lunch I was in desperate need of a nap, and kind of slept for about an hour.  At 2:40pm I pulled myself out of bed to change for our afternoon landing on Santiago Island at Egas Port, another wet landing with a walk followed by snorkeling.  Egas Port was visited in 1835 by the HMS Beagle and Charles Darwin, who described a group of Spaniards salting tortoise meat with the salt extracted from the island.  In the past, a Spaniard set up a monopoly collecting salt from the island.  Fortunately things didn’t turn out well and he ended up leaving the island before it got too developed.

Unlike Rabida Island, Santiago Island has a volcanic black beach with fabulous rock landscapes.  The rocks looked like thin slabs piled on top of each other.  The island rose up with a green covered mountain at the center.  On our hour plus walk we saw the following wildlife, as well as the black volcanic rock and a few grottos:

• Galapagos flycatcher
• Darwin finches
• Whimbrel
• Ruddy turnstone
• Tons and tons of marine iguanas, sunning themselves in the water or drying out under the rocks
• Lava lizards
• Sea lions
• American oyster catchers
• Yellow crowned night heron
• Fur sea lion colony – our first, perched on the rocks of a grotto, a stunning blue-green color coming from the water
• Fur sea lion playing in what Daniel called the toilet – a hole which kept filling with water then flushing out, the sea lion was playing around in the tide
• Galapagos dove – with amazing blue irises
• Mockingbird

On our walk, Jane (83 traveling with her brother Fred, 77) slipped and fell on the rocks.  She and her brother aren’t physically able to walk in the heat and can’t do most of the activities.  Watching them makes me realize how much one needs to live life in the moment and not wait until we’re too old. 

Egas Port, Santiago Island

Santiago Island

Lava lizard

Following our walk, we had an opportunity to snorkel with the potential of seeing some sea turtles.  I flippered through the water towards the point with the turtles but no one seemed to find them.  Unlike the morning dive, the water was cloudier and the sun wasn’t always shining, so visibility was poorer.  I watched a sea lion swim past me and then another one came from behind about four feet from where I was swimming.  Was amazing, but made me a bit nervous.  While I was looking around, I noticed an animal coming towards me, slowly flying through the water.  It was a sea turtle!  I got so excited that I snapped a few photos and swam with it for about ten seconds before needing to come up to clean my snorkel.  By the time I got back underwater, the turtle was gone.  After that I saw a couple different types of rays, another two sea lions, and many more schools of fish and coral.  I was one of the last divers coming back to shore.

On board, I relaxed in the Jacuzzi before finally showering and preparing for dinner.  I sat at the bar with Lorilee and her daughters and ordered a tequila sunrise.  When we moved into the dining room, I decided to sit with Heather, Leonie and my roommate Margarida to change it up a bit.  Soup, salad and cheese to start with fried shrimp, a slice of meat, and mixed vegetables for dinner.  I finished with dessert, finally sampling their cake along with a sweetened banana.

Bill, me, Margarida and Heather

Leonie, Heather, me and Margarida

We had our post dinner briefing for tomorrow and after talking to Heather for a bit, I came back to the cabin to go to sleep.  I should mention that the boats been rocking a fair bit since the first day.  You can definitely feel the movement.  I haven’t taken any seasickness medication and seem to be fine for now, knock on wood.  It’s now 10:45 and we’re waking up at 7am again.  Night night.