Ecuador/Galapagos report

After arriving in Ecuador, we spent a night in Quito, checking out the very modern city and beautiful churches.  The first thing that blows you away is the excellent infrastructure such as great roads.  Where does the money come from?  They’ve got to have oil and $1/gallon gas confirmed that.   

Anna even got to meet the president

walking the line on the equator

We spent the next couple of day up in the highlands at a very remote spa/hot springs nestled in between the Andes.  Snow topped  volcanoes and mountain tops overlooked us riding horses and lounging in hot springs. 

Anna on the nearly dead horse with no name,
holding up the end of the line

     

They give me the wild one

Early morning start and we are back to Quito for our flight to the Galapagos Islands, 600 miles off the coast.

35 passenger/15 crew and plenty of room

We packed up and started steaming towards our first destination as the frigits closely followed

By early afternoon we had arrived at our first destination, deployed the pangas and came ashore on Santa Cruz Island.

Resting under a bush we encountered our first giant Galapagos tortoise and I was extremely chastised for trying to bridle it up and take a ride.

On the coast were Sally Light-footed crabs, no shit, named by a seafarer (out to sea too long) who says the crabs danced like an exotic dancer he once knew

....and marine iguanas, the only iguana species that has made it back to the water for survival and obviously the inspiration for Godzilla

And a very sleeply Galapagos Sea Lion.....very friendly, inquisitive and hard to get to wake up

Back to the boat for dinner on the boat and an overnight cruise to Isabela Island, to make landfall, we had to wake up another G sea lion.

A saltwater lake created from hot magma/lava suddenly flowing into the ocean, huge explosion, leaving this crater.  No life other than a couple of delicious Galapagos pintails

Another delicacy is the Galapago land iguana, this was the first one sighted in over 6 years on this side of the island, so we left it alone. 

Not many insects on the island other than these big locust and their primary predator, the lava lizard.  Most of the islands are very dry for a majority of the year with few flowers.  The only pollinater is the Galapagos carpenter bee. 

Back in the boats to check out the marine life hanging out on the rocks, marine iguanas

Then in the water for some snorkeling, I was a bit surprised to come face to face with a non-sleeping sea lion.

 While Anna swam like a fish with the fish, the water was a bit cold for me, so I hung out topside and lounged around with the sea lions, I like their style

 

 The cormorants are so lazy with all the bait around the islands, that they have lost the ability to fly

 Penguins were a bit of a surprise, the only penguins that cross into the northern hemisphere

Big fat male marine iguana hanging out on the beach with his ladies

 
"I love boobies!" was heard over and over again when we ran into the Galapagos blue-footed booby.   The one on the right has got a leg-iron.

A masked booby above and from the inside of a cave looking out below

Pics from Espinosa Point on Fernandina Island, one of our favorite excursions, where you could get up close and personal with the animals.  Actually, it's against the law to approach these cute sea lion cubs within 2 meters....

 .....but if you get on the edge of their swimming pool and bark like a sea lion, they'll come right up to you and say hello......not my fault that they like me.

 Another day at the beach

Baby Sea Lion

Lounging with the Lizards

sunset over the volcano

Isabella Island by sea and land:

Getting ready to head out for the day

 

 Do you call this a school or a flock of penguins?  

Back to the boat for lunch, then to land in the afternoon to check out the land iguanas and more giant tortoises. 

Finally waking up 

At high speed

Santiago Island by boat, beach and land

Fur Seals....actually another species of sea lion with a better coat

 

 We were not the first ones on the beach

Galapagos Hawk

Oyster catcher

  In the afternoon, a visit to a more unhospitable side of Santiago where only the tough survive. 

 

After a walk on the lava fields, most went for a swim, I regret that I did not brave the cool water and see what was down there.   Wow, I really missed it. 

 

I do love to watch a professional working a bait ball

  


 Our last day, in the highlands of Santa Cruz

  
Exploring the lava tunnels and checking out the mud baths

 And finally, riding that turtle!

I don't think that he liked it.....