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.