Galapagos

Here are some photos, I will gradually work on this post as I sit in airports over the next 3 days! I hope I'll be able to get Steve to share some photos too.

Our trip to Galapagos began with a 5 am trip to the airport in Quito.  Luckily the agent had organised a driver who also shepherded us through the quarantine and check in process - more stringent quarantine than getting in to Australia to prevent unwanted pests getting in.  We landed on Baltra Island and were met by our guide at the airport.  Baltra has the main Galapagos airport, it is just north of Santa Cruz Island and has North Seymour Island just north again.  We boarded the Seaman, the boat that would be home for 7 nights, from the pier on Baltra and sailed to North Seymour for a walk and a snorkel.

Here is a map (ignore the green line - that isn't us!) so you can see where the islands are relative to each other.

On North Seymour Island we walked among the iconic birds which are quite oblivious to humans, the Magnificent Frigatebird and the Blue-footed Booby.  We also saw lots of land iguanas and lava lizards.  Steve was very pleased that our guide, Camilo, knew his birds.

The snorkelling was excellent.  Lots of colourful fish and a huge Eagle Ray.  There were also sea lions that joined us for the swim.  

Overnight we sailed around to South Plaza, west of Santa Cruz, so after breakfast the next morning we were ready for a walk and a snorkel.

Next we were off to Santiago Island, which is one of the newest islands with the most recent lava flows.  The lava looked like it had just cooled!  The patterns in it were fascinating.  There was also exposed tuff in cracks in the lava that looked just like the tuff at Tower Hill.

Bartolomé Island is just next to Santiago Island.  Here we saw our first Galapagos penguins and when we had a swim later they joined us.  There is also very new lava flows here and we could see where lava tubes had formed on the side of the volcanic cone.

In this picture you can see a cactus plant, the only plant on the new lava other than a few annual herbs.

These back to back bays are also on Bartolomé Island.

We put in at the pier at San Cristobal to put off passengers who were only doing a three day cruise and to pick up some others who would join us for the remainder of our time.  It is solely a tourist town - I found souvenirs to bring home as it was the only shopping opportunity we had.

These beautiful flamingos are in the lagoon on Floreana Island.  The adults were the most intense salmon pink.

Steve on one of the many wonderful beaches we swam from, this one on Floreana Island.

Our group from the boat on Floreana Island at the Post Box.  Letters and parcels are left here for collection by other visitors who have to hand deliver them.  We collected a few with addresses in Geelong and Melbourne which we will deliver over the next few weeks.

Academy Bay, Santa Cruz Island

Our final excursion before heading for the airport was to the Charles Darwin Research Centre at Puerto Ayora where giant tortoises are bred for release on their respective islands.  Of the 13 subspecies from the time of Darwin several have become extinct including that from the island of Pinta where Lonesome George was the last remaining individual.  His stuffed body is on display.  He spent 30 years at the breeding station but was not successful in his relationships with the two females and they both died quite a few years before he did.  After he died a post mortem showed his sperm tube was atrophied and he was effectively sterile.  

Lonesome George - the last of the Pinta Island subspecies.

Charles Darwin waiting for a bus.

Typical of the saddleback group of subspecies who have to reach high for their food.

We had a wonderful time in the Galapagos Archipelago.  It certainly was a privilege to be able to travel there. 

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