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This blog (Galapagos) is one of three for our trip to South America.  The other blogs are:  South America and Antarctica Cruise and the Argentina, Chile, and Ecuador land Tour.

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January 29, Sunday – Galapagos, Ecuador – San Cristobal

We had breakfast this morning at the hotel with Jim and Phyllis…it was good to see old friends and familiar faces after being on the road for the last six weeks with just ourselves and tour guides for company.  Paul is feeling a bit better today so hopefully he is over the worst of the stomach bug. 

Then it was an early departure for the airport and the Galapagos with our landing in San Cristobal, one of the four inhabited islands of the archipelago.  The bus dropped us off at the pier where we all wandered around the bay front, the shops and the pier for a while.
Port-San-Cristobal-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--DSC_9740

Port-San-Cristobal-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--DSC_9760

Port-San-Cristobal-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1291655


The Galapagos is renown for it's wildlife and we didn't even need to leave the sidewalk to get our first wildlife viewing...there was wildlife everywhere.  


There were a lot of sea lions
Sea-Lions-San-Cristobal-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1291658

Sea-Lions-San-Cristobal-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1291661


including one floating on his back with his flippers in the air.
Sea-Lions-San-Cristobal-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1291643

There were also a lot of sea lion pups nursing.  Some were almost as big as their mom.
Sea-Lions-San-Cristobal-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1291652

We also saw:

marine iguanas
Marine-Iguanas-San-Cristobal-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1291631


lots of Sally Lightfoot crabs
Sally-Lightfoot-Crabs-San-Cristobal-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1291629

Sally-Lightfoot-Crabs-San-Cristobal-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1291649

and brown pelicans.
Brown-Pelican-San-Cristobal-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1291621


We took Zodiac rafts out to our boat.  On the way we saw a rather derelict boat that had been commandeered by some sea lions.
Port-San-Cristobal-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1291659

We were on board the Islander by late morning for lunch, a briefing and then off on our first excursion.  Paul stayed on the boat (still feeling a bit under the weather) and Mary headed off for a walk up Frigate Hill with views of the island and the main bay.


Nature-Walk-San-Cristobal-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1291676

Nature-Walk-San-Cristobal-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1291677

And the bay where the HMS Beagle (Darwin’s ship) anchored. 
Views-from-Frigate-Hill-San-Cristobal-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1291741

On the walk she saw:

many lava lizards
Lava-Lizard-San-Cristobal-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1291673

a yellow warbler
Yellow-Warbler-San-Cristobal-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1291663

a Galapagos flycatcher
Galapagos-Flycatacher-San-Cristobal-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1291685

and San Cristobal Ground finches.
Ground-Finch-San-Cristobal-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1291722


At the top of the hill there were lots of Magnificent Frigatebirds flying around.
Magnificent-Frigatebird-San-Cristobal-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1291698

Magnificent-Frigatebird-San-Cristobal-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1291728

The group was back on the ship by late afternoon and we all got settled in.  The boat has only 24 cabins, 38 guests (it holds 47 so we are not full) and 30 crew members. 

January 30, Monday – Galapagos, Ecuador - Espanola

Our first island on the cruise is Espanola, a small uninhabited island with lots to offer.  In the morning we were fitted with snorkeling gear and headed off for a morning of snorkeling.  Paul opted for the deep water site and Mary headed to the beach.

Mary tried out her new GoPro for underwater photography but with the sandy beach the water was a bit cloudy so she was only marginally effective in getting pictures in the water. 
Snorkling-Espanola-Island-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--G0090314

There were a number of sea lions on the beach so after snorkeling for a while she took some pictures of the sea lions sun bathing.  The new GoPro did a pretty good job out of the water.
Sandy-Beach-Espanola-Island-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--GOPR0669

Sandy-Beach-Espanola-Island-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--GOPR0670

Sandy-Beach-Espanola-Island-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--GOPR0675

Paul had a disposable camera for underwater photos.  
2536268_2536268-R1-054-25A

Among other things his group saw a huge school (?), flock (?), swarm (?) of golden rays. Pretty awesome. 


2536268_2536268-R1-040-18A

And one of their really big highlights was traveling through a mass of dolphins.
2536268_2536268-R1-026-11A

While we had lunch the boat re-positioned to another area of Espanola.  In the afternoon Paul opted to stay on the boat as he is still not feeling well while Mary joined the hike on the island.  The “trail” was really a path over fairly large rocks.  Footing was unsteady and it was rather hot and humid but the pace was slow so she managed fine.



Views-Walk-Espanola-Island-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1301940

Views-Walk-Espanola-Island-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1302341

Views-Walk-Espanola-Island-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1302344

The Galapagos is all about unique animal and bird species located nowhere else in the worlds so we’ll just list the species she saw on the hike:

Sea Lions
Sea-Lions-Espanola-Island-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1301849

Sea-Lions-Espanola-Island-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1301854

Sea-Lions-Espanola-Island-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1301864

Sea-Lions-Espanola-Island-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1301903


Marine iguanas
Iguanas-Espanola-Island-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1301869

Iguanas-Espanola-Island-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1301888

Iguanas-Espanola-Island-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1301928

Iguanas-Espanola-Island-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1302144

Sally Lightfoot Crabs
Sally-Lightfoot-Crabs-Espanola-Island-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1301915

Sally-Lightfoot-Crabs-Espanola-Island-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1301916

Sally-Lightfoot-Crabs-Espanola-Island-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1301934


Lava Lizards
Lava-Lizard-Espanola-Island-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1301951

Lava-Lizard-Espanola-Island-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1301970

Espanola Mockingbird (different from the Galapagos Mockingbird)
Galapagos-Mockingbird-Espanola-Island-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1302379

Galapagos Hawk
Galapagos-Hawk-Espanola-Island-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1302007

Galapagos-Hawk-Espanola-Island-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1302018

Galapagos Dove
Galapagos-Dove-Espanola-Island-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1301955

Galapagos Small Ground finch
Small-Ground-Finch-Espanola-Island-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1301974

Warbler Finch
Warbler-Finch-Espanola-Island-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1302372

Swallowtailed Gull
Swallow-Tailed-Gull-Espanola-Island-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1302333

Magnificent Frigatebird
Magnificent-Frigatebird-Espanola-Island-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1302107

and Nazca Boobies.
Nazca-Boobie-Espanola-Island-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1302086

Nazca-Boobie-Espanola-Island-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1302195

Nazca-Boobie-Espanola-Island-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1302246

Nazca-Boobie-Espanola-Island-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1302273+-+Copy

Nazca-Boobie-Espanola-Island-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1302310

Nazca-Boobie-Espanola-Island-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1302326

In the distance we saw flocks of Galapagos Shearwater’s wheeling around the cliffs

Galapagos-Shearwater-Espanola-Island-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1302135

There was also a blowhole right in the middle of one of the Nazca Boobie nesting areas.
Blow-Hole-Espanola-Island-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1302172

Great first day of wildlife watching.

Sea-Lions-and-Nazca-Boobie-Espanola-Island-Galapagos-Ecuador-2017--P1302258
A Nazca Boobie and a Sea Lion