We landed about noon on Baltra Island in the Galapagos to 90 degree weather and 75% humidity. After a 20 minute bus ride to the dock, we boarded our 2 zodiacs for the 15 minute slow ride to the outer harbor where our ship was anchored.
Our home for the next week is an 100 foot ship the M/Y Carina with 8 stateroooms. Ours is No. 7; not spacious but adequate to hold our king sized bed and luggage. A 100 foot ship sounds large but it is not large enough to sit without motion, even at anchor, when the slightest wave comes by. We quickly learned to move about with one hand free to steady us as the ship rolled.
After a chance to freshen up, we were back in the zodiacs for a trip to see the largest land tortoises in the world. They are free to roam wherever they wish and they migrate from the highlands, where we went, down closer to the sea.
Because of the time of year, there were many different tortoises, at least 50, scattered around the Sanctuary, eating grass, copulating, lying in mudpits, or just resting in the meadows. Males are much bigger than females, some weighing close to 500 pounds.
Thus began our daily regimen of alternating nature walks, zodiac tours and snorkeling sessions. Though the water temperature was consistently in the low 70s, we all wore wetsuits in the water, giving us that variation of a farmer's tan called a wetsuit tan (only our faces, hands and feet were exposed to the sun).
It's hard to process what an amazing, special place these islands are, how they've drawn people from the world over to see the species that are there and only there. The crabs, for instance. I could do a book just on these little Sally Lightfoot crabs, which were everywhere we looked.
Our ship took the western route, making its way up the western side of Isabela Island, a seahorse shaped island whose tip is just above the Equator. We saw lots of birds, including Blue-footed and Nazca boobies and 4 different types of herons (one was too tall to get in a picture).
Blue-footed Boobies
Nazca Boobies
Herons
Land iguanas
Underwater was a similar wonderland.
Sea stars, sargeant fish, angel fish and golden rays:
Marine Iguanas
Penguins
Sea Lions
Fur Seals
Sea Turtles
And even Orca Whales, just as we hit the Equator. The Captain was so surprised that he turned the ship and followed them south for a bit, just to watch them play and hunt.
All in all, it was an amazing journey, from the first day to our return to dry land, where it took us several days to feel like we stopped rocking with the ship.
And, with that, we say farewell for now. Our next adventure begins at the end of June, when we visit Iceland for a month.
Stay well,
Marc
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