Day 9

January 13

Galapagos Islands

At 0630 the bi-lingual message told us to wake up and get to breakfast. In 15 minutes were were dressed and at the dining room. The food at breakfast and lunch is served buffet and is very good in taste and variety. During the early hours we had moved to Isla Espanola.

The guests are divided into groups of a dozen. The entire company waits in the lounge until the group is called then we proceed down to the gangway, put on a lifejacket and board a Zodiac for the run ashore. Shore landings are “wet” which means we step off into water, or “dry” in which we step off onto a rock or landing.

0800 We disembarked for a dry landing at Punta Suarez for a 2 ½ hour hike on a high, rocky and flat trail. True to expectations the animals were not afraid of us. We saw at close range Blue footed boobies, nazca boobies,4 species of finches, hooded mockingbirds, sea lions, swallow tailed gulls, Galapagos doves, marine iguanas, tropic birds yellow warblers, albatross, and salt brush, Galapagos mesquite, sesuvium, scorpion weed and the ocean blow hole.

1130 Snacks and drinks back onboard and a ceviche demonstration

1215 Naturalist talk on Reptiles of the Galapagos.

1245 Lunch

1330 Bridge tour

1430 Snorkeling gear

1500 Wet landing at Gardner Bay Beach for a beach walk and snorkeling. A huge colony of sea lions lay along the shoreline snoozing. We had to pick our way through them which was difficult as people must maintain a gap of at least 6' between them and the animals. After a long walk among the sea lions I hopped a Zodiac out to a small rocky island in the bay for some snorkeling. There were many colorful fish alone and in schools. Diving below the surface I was able to swim through the schools, though not for long as my wet suit and the salt water coupled with a lack of weights made sub-surface time brief. Two rays passed underneath and twice I followed sea turtles. Then I noticed a sea lion which took an interest in me and we swam side by side , a good 25' apart, down the island and back again, surfacing and diving together. She became bored with the game and went off in search of a fish lunch and I returned to the Zodiac and went ashore. More walking then back to the Galapagos Explorer II.

1830 Social Hour

1930 Briefing on tomorrow's activities

2000 Dinner.

Again, there is a problem being so far out to sea that images cannot be uploaded at this time.