Day Eight, Our Last.

1-6-12 SHORT HILLS: This is our last day. I'm sad all over again about ending the trip a second time.

12-30-11 GUAYAQUIL, ECUADOR: We’re back in this airport, our third visit in about a week, but it has Wi-Fi. We left the boat for a bus early this morning for our return to the airport on Baltra after getting up even earlier for breakfast. In the highlands of Santa Cruz, we were lead into a lava cave, twenty feet high and ten feet wide and mostly white from oxidation of the magnesium in the basalt. We went in about 200 feet, turned off the flashlights and experienced total darkness. The sides and roof are remarkably smooth and uniform.

Back in the daylight we went on to a highland farm, grasslands and forests, where the tortoises roam free. We saw a couple dozen, several occupying a shallow water hole. They were up to four feet long and three feet high and mostly stationary. I can see why the hare was over confident. After the tortoises, it was back on the bus to the ferry from Santa Cruz to Baltra. A hop, and on another bus to the airport for the usual pre-flight mazes. Hopefully home on schedule.


Lava tube forms when the outer part of a flow hardens, but the inner material continues to flow away leaving the hollow tube. The white coating is oxidized magnesium and the red-brown stuff is oxidized iron.

Glad to get out.

The highlands is much damper than the coast and, so, much greener.

Tortoise in the wild.

Swim period.

"Bye now. I'll be here when your great grand kids come by."

Day Seven.

1-5-12 SHORT HILLS: It's back in the thirties here, and Vermont has snow flurries. In the Galapagos the low was 70° and the high 80° everyday. Here's Day Seven...

12-29-11 ISLA ISABELA, GALAPAGOS: Last night’s cruise wasn’t bad, like rocking in the cradle, almost. Isabela is one of the two youngest islands and, by far, the largest, with six active volcanoes. On the southern coast, where we are, in Puerto Jose de Villamil, there are two thousand residents, humans, badly out-numbered by the sea lions and marine iguanas. Our first jaunt was through a mangrove forest on a boardwalk, avoiding the sea lions and iguanas.

Next, after a short taxi ride to a lake in an old quarry, we saw birds, Galapagos ducks, some waders and other water birds, and the flamingos that were displaced from Floreana. There are less than there were, and the naturalists think the flamingos are leaving for the Caribbean, but have no idea why. We started walking back to town and went to Isabela’s tortoise preservation center.

There are five species of tortoises on Isabela, each on its own volcano. The tortoises are endangered by mammals, grazers trample the nests, mice and rats eat the eggs, dogs and cats kill the new born tortoises and goat compete for their food, cactus and grass. Adult tortoises are safe from such predation, but no eggs or young survive in the wild. The preservation center staff gather eggs laid in the wild, as well as the eggs laid in the center, allow them to hatch as if they were in the wild, and oversee the development of the newborns and juveniles. The adults are re-introduced to the appropriate habitat in the wild in successive stages. The whole operation seems to be successful.

We returned to town on a walkway through treed areas and wetlands, colonized volcanic flows. There were lots of water birds and waders and iguanas. Then came lunch on the boat and after rest period, some of us went snorkeling and others napped. In the late afternoon, we did another walk on an island in the harbor, Las Tintoreras, covered with aa lava, large, rough cindery chunks with sharp points. The name is Hawaiian and comes from what people say when they walk on aa lava with bare feet. The lava is splashed with white lichen.

The island is home to scads of marine iguanas, the adults may be the largest that we have seen. They’re black with yellowish tint. A narrow crevasse on the edge of the island is open to the ocean and filled with fish, including white tip sharks, and a large sea turtle.

There were plenty of shore birds also. On the way back to the boat in the zodiacs we saw one penguin, perhaps a juvenile, standing on a guano covered rock having a stare-down with a blue footed booby. We thought it ended in a draw. About four adult penguins were swimming and diving nearby. In the water they look like ducks. As soon as we were back on the boat, the crew set sail for Santa Cruz and Puerto Ayora.

Tomorrow we explore the highlands of Santa Cruz and wend our way back to Baltra for the return flight to Guayaquil and, eventually NY-JFK.


A mangrove forest from the inside. These forests provide protection for the near-shore habitat and are filled with wildlife. See the bird top center?

Mangroves from the outside at low tide. Sea lion and crabs on the rock in the center. The Galapagos tidal excursion is four to six feet, as you can see, depending on the phase of the moon.

Flamingo in a lake in an old quarry. The lake is enjoyed by lots of water birds.

Flamingo landing, the black feathers disappear when not in flight.

Tortoise on the move.

Tortoise yawn, perhaps it's a boring meeting.

This lava flow is pahoehoe lava. It has a smooth, braided or ropy look. This area is undergoing colonization by the plants.


White-tipped shark fairly deep in the water. The dorsal fin and tail have the white tips.

Sea turtle near the surface of the seawater-filled lava crevice.

This island is a breeding ground for the marine iguana.

This is aa lava. When the lava cools, it breaks up into cinders, each with dozens of glassy, sharp points. The name is from people's comments while walking on it with bare feet.

Galapagos penguin.

Blue footed booby intruding on the penguin's space precipitated a debate between the two parties.

Day Six.

1-4-12 SHORT HILLS: It was 11° this morning. A week ago we were warmer...

12-28-11 ISLA FLOREANA, GALAPAGOS: This morning we had a wet landing on a dark sand beach of volcanic origin. Looking down the beach, it had a greenish tint, due to particles of olivine, a basaltic mineral. At the back of the beach was a wall of tuff, volcanic ash lithified, and now weathering into coarse sand at the base of the wall and lower down the beach, the finer sand. Resident on the beach the usual herd of sea lions and a great blue heron.

Walking inland, we passed a brine lake, with a cracked mud shoreline and busy piper-like waders. This spot used to be home to the Galapagos flamingos, and we saw them on our previous trip, but the recent Pacific tsunami destroyed the habitat that the flamingos needed, krill, and they’re gone. Moving on across the neck between two volcanic hills, we came to a white, fine sand beach. About six inches down below the white sand was the coarser, darker volcanic sand. Above the tide line were turtle nests and turtle tracks leading to them and, then, back to the sea. In the surf, there were about ten turtles, frequently on the surface. Their shells are four feet long and black. We saw another blue heron on that beach.

After the hike, we snorkeled at Devils Crown, where I had snorkeled years ago. This snorkeling was excellent, zillions of fish and shear rock walls. Watching the fish, in huge schools, they would suddenly all scatter, and a moment later a sea lions would flash through the scene. The water had decent clarity and wasn’t very cold.

After lunch we had another wet landing on Post Office Bay and saw the post office barrel. It is a relic of the whaling era. Outbound ships would leave letters for home in this barrel, and home-bound ships would stop there, check out the mail and take for deliver anything addressed to their home states. The tradition continues, and we picked up mail for Hanover, NH and Thetford, VT.

Later we watched the crew of our boat play soccer against the crew of another boat, assisted by Joey and Jon. Tomorrow—Isabela.


We landed first on this dark sand beach. Can you see a greenish tinge? It's not algae, but olivine, a mineral from volcanic basalt. A volcano, inactive, is visible in the distance.

At the back of the beach is this wall, the source of the beach sand. The wall is made of layers of volcanic ash. There is coarse sand at the base of the wall and finer sand on the beach.

This lake between the two beaches used to be home to flamingos, but the tsunami flooded it and destroyed the krill that the flamingos eat. Flamingos have gone, some to Isabela.

The second beach, across a neck of land and past the lake, is a favorite of the sea turtle. This one is returning to the sea, probably after laying eggs.

Turtle trail, back and forth, to and from the nest, on the left the flipper marks slant toward the water and indicate the upward trek to the nest.

One of several turtles near the beach.

Great Blue Heron working the beach looks just like the ones at our Vermont pond.

Under the fine white sand is coarser, dark sand of basaltic origin.

Crab shoveling in the algae.

Devils Crown is the remnant of a volcanic crater and a great snorkeling spot.

A carpet of fish.

When they all suddenly disappear, look for the sea lion.

The P. O. at Post Office Bay.

Day Five.

1-3-12 SHORT HILLS: We've caught up on sleep and chores and our tans are fading. Here's Day Five...

12-27-11 ISLA ESPANOLA, GALAPAGOS: After another rolling sail to Espanola during the night, we spent the morning on the beach with the sea lions and lots of flies and the marine iguanas decorated in red and green on black. We saw turtle tracks in the sand back and forth to nests high on the beach above the high tide line. Later we saw four or five rays in the surf near the shore, and then, six or eight turtles near the shore. Some of us swam and snorkeled with the turtles.

Later in the morning we went snorkeling, at two different sites, neither exceptionable, with the water sometimes clear, lots of fish, sea lions occasionally zipping through the scene. When we were all back in the zodiacs, we went into a cave with some sea lions. At the back of the cave was the bottom of a blow hole.

After lunch, we did the four km hike on the main island over weathered lava rock and boulders. The island is at sea level on the north side where we landed, gently rising to cliffs on the south side. When we landed, there were lots of sea lions, which we saw everywhere, and lots of the red and green iguanas, the juveniles are only black. The mockingbirds are totally aggressive about seeking water, pecking at water bottles tops and buzzing people drinking. We are not allowed to give them anything.

Later on the trail we saw lots of Nazca boobies, mating, nesting and with eggs and newly hatched young. Blue boobies were also there and immatures of both boobies. The excitement on the walk was the albatross, immatures, and adults in mating mode. Like the boobies, the albatross engage in beak clacking with each other after he presents her with a stick as a nest starter. The other find was two Galapagos hawks, both perched on vantage points scanning for prey. On the cliff side of the island there is a crack in the lava near the shore line that is a blowhole, performing about every sixth wave. We also saw finches and yellow warblers.

After dinner there was another pitching trip to Floreana.


Mockingbird, they are brazen and clever, one tried to open a water bottle by pecking at the top.

Baby sea lion, cute, but you're not allowed near them. If you touch them, it changes their scent and they will be rejected by their moms who rely on scent to ID their babies.

Turtles near the shore have been laying eggs above the high tide line, a multi-day process.

On land the sea lions appear ungainly and clumsy, but in the water they have the speed of torpedoes and agility of a trapeze artist.

The cave can only be entered from the water.

Marine iguana catching some rays. They warm up lying in the sun on baked rocks.

Nazca boobies are named for the tectonic plate under these island. They are also called masked boobies.

The first of two Galapagos hawks we saw.

No basic black here. On Espanola they go for Christmas colors.

The blow hole fires about every fifth or sixth wave.

Albatross in mating ritual. They are turkey-sized, but, unlike turkeys, are great fliers.

Albatross showing some of that seven-foot wing span. Too big to get it all in the frame.

The second hawk, both were perched on the highest local spot and busy scanning the neighborhood.

Day Four.

1-2-12 SHORT HILLS: We are slowly catching up on sleep, bills, laundry, news, and the dogs are happy to be home. The weather is beginning to act like January. Below is Day Four.

12-26-11 ISLA SAN CRISTOBAL, GALAPAGOS: The winds calmed down during our trip here, and everybody felt better. This morning was typical, cloudy early and cool, turning hot when the sun burnt off the cloud cover. The wind picked up in the afternoon, but was gone in the evening when it cooled down.

In the morning we went to the interpretive center for lessons in Galapagos history, geology and biology, and then a walk on their trail to a scenic overlook and a visit to the Darwin statue. After the lessons, we recessed in town, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, the Galapagos capitol, for Dramamine, sun screen, tees and hats, and ice cream and drinks.

After lunch on the boat, we were joined by two new passengers for the one empty cabin, and we all went to a nearby island, Los Lobos, for a hike and snorkel. This little, flat island just off shore of San Cristobal is, like every other island here, volcanic. The volcanic mountains are still present on San Cristobal, and the main crater is a fresh water lake.

Los Lobos is a sea lion rookery with three dominant males, dozens of females and dozens of pups. They are sprawled on the weathered basaltic rocks, the sand beach, under the shrubs and swimming in the water. There are scattered dead pups, lots of fresh poops and lots of barking, and lots of flies, the first time we have seen more than a random bug. Marine iguanas are draped over the rocks and leaving their trails in the sand from tail dragging. There are frigate birds and blue footed boobies, finches and warblers and shore birds and lots of sally lightfoot crabs. The shrubby vegetation is often washed with guano.

After the hike, we snorkeled in colder, but tolerable, water between the Los Lobos and San Cristobal. Two big finds were a moderate sized, ray and a big sea turtle, plus lots of fish. I got underwater pix of both. Tomorrow—Espanola.


Cacti seem very happy with the climate on this corner of San Cristobal.

Darwin and sycophants.

Occupy San Cristobal in action at the waterfront gazebo of Peurto Moreno.

Frigate birds escort us to Los Lobos.

Sea lion action shot. That mom on the right is nursing her baby.

Iguana drawing a line in the sand.

Camera shy ray.

Sea turtle. They swim with the front legs, back legs for steering or balance.

Turtle, center, eating algae and looking like a rock, with finny friends.