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Galapagos Day 4:San Cristobal Island

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​ Today was our last day in Galapagos, and we spent all of it in and around San Cristobal Island.   We started the day at 7 am with our ship going twice around Kicker Island - a strange and beautiful rock formation off the coast.  We took lots of pictures and enjoyed learning about the different ways that volcanic rock erodes. After breakfast we went on a ride in the zodiacs to look at some of the other geologic features around Wizards point.  The surf was quite rough, but the skilled drivers were able to get us very close to the various caves and coves - including the spectacular "Cathedral." It was fascinating to ride the swells and watch the crashing waves. We also went thru an arch along with several pelicans. We had some time to relax before lunch, and also visited the bridge on the ship to watch the Captain steering and learn more about driving it. Interestingly every member of the 7 person crew knows how to drive the boat and take turns relieving the captain....
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Galapagos Day 3

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Today we visited Española, the southernmost and easternmost Island in the Galapagos. We had a early start to try to beat the heat on our morning walk.  We loaded into the zodiacs at 7 and when we reached the dock, we entered a wonderland of birds, iguanas and sea lions before we had walked even 20 feet.  So  cool! We soon reached a small beach where adult sea lions were sleeping and rolling around on the sand and a lot of juveniles were playing in the waves.  Our two hour walk along the coast took us through a colony of Nazca Boobies - a cousin to the Blue-footed Boobies we saw yesterday which were also in great numbers at this location. On the cliffs above the sea were nesting places, with huge numbers of adults tending to their incredible fluffy white  chicks. We took MANY photos of the birds, documenting every phase of their lifecycle. The walk was at a slow pace because the whole trail was over volcanic boulders of varying sizes.  We all got to use our ...
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Galapagos Day 2

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​ Today was full of water-based activities near Isla Floreana in the Galapagos.   We started the day with a scenic tour on the zodiacs.  We saw lots of frolicking sea lions, lots of blue-footed boobies, many iguanas, and several other notable birds. After a break we headed into a sandy beach, where we all practiced our snorkeling.  Roberto wanted to test us in a gradual way to see if we would be skilled enough for later activities.  Cheryl and another traveller were able to see a couple of Galapagos sea turtles as well as many marvelous fish. After lunch, about half the group had another snorkeling expedition.  The spot was a lot more rocky, so the water was much clearer.  We got VERY close to many frolicking sea lions, and also saw tons of cool fish, and even a few birds. My camera wasn’t working underwater - so this photo is from one of the other travellers, Carla. We returned to the ship and regrouped - then the whole group went to Cormorant Beach f...
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Ecuador: Galapagos Day One

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​ Today was Ruth’s birthday. And a long  travel day. We were up and out early to catch our flight to Galapagos.  Unfortunately, the flight was delayed, so we had some wait time in the airport.  Fortunately, there wasn’t a lot of impact on our day in Galapagos. After arriving around 1:30, seeing our first iguana and getting through the special permitting process required for the National Park, we took a public bus and a ferry to get to our bus. Once on the bus, on the Island of Santa Cruz, our tour began. Our Galapagos guide, Roberto, told us about the geology and ecosystem of the islands, and some of his story of growing up there. We turned off the main road, and within a few minutes the cows in the fields turned into Giant Tortoises.  They were Huge!  We arrived at Rancho Pacifico, which was our restaurant, surrounded by fields of grass with 10-15 tortoises in the near and far distance. The owner used to raise cows, but now he cuts down the big trees so more ...
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