FUN-travel: South America – Galapagos Islands – Day 7 & 8
February 19, 2012 by Susan Clarke
Day 10 – Monday, February 13 – Isabella & Fernandina Islands – low, thick, dark ominous clouds shroud the volcano mountain tops – showers all morning
Marine Iguana
- Bad News – same 6:30 wakeup drill
- 1st Excursion – 8 to 9 – Zodiac tour around massive volcano cliffs
Galapagos hawk
- Bad News – raining & cold!
- Good News – see penguins, fur sea lions, sea turtles
- 11 to 12 – deep water snorkel
- Good News – put on wet suit – water cold
- Really Good News – swim right next to 2 penguins & a sea turtle!
- Good News – more good food @ lunch
- 2nd Excursion – 3 to 6 – Punta Espinosa – dry landing on lava rocks
- Good News – huge numbers of marine iguanas swimming into shore & plopped on the rocks to warm up
- Good News – see iguana condos – females are nesting – digging holes in the sand to lay their eggs
- More Good News – lots of sea lions & 1 penguin
- Good News – after dinner walk on deck – awesome abundance of brilliant stars! Also forgot, saw almost full moon on sat
Sea Lions Sleeping
- Bad News – dinner wine spill fiasco! – waiter spilled my full glass of wine – never replaces it & brings me the bill – when asked for the replacement glass, told he would have to check – never gets back & now I have to go to head waiter who gives me the same run around – turns out they think I spilled it! Waiter never owned up to his accident – too late to continue to argue & go to bed
Marine Iguanas Warming Up
FF (FUN-facts) – Penguins have white stomachs & black backs. They sun on the rocks w/their backs to the water so they blend in.
Day 11 – Tuesday, February 14 – Isabella Island – central coast – balmy morning turns to high 90’s – blue skies w/distant clouds
- Bad News – same 6:30 wakeup drill
- 1st Excursion – 8 to 9:30 – zodiac tour @ Calet Tagus
Polly the Penguin
- Good News – see more blue footed boobies & brown noddy terns
- Good News – more massive volcanic cliffs w/nesting Pelicans & baby chicks
Nestiing Pelican & Chicks
- Really Good News – total National Geographic Moment! – plunge diving – massive number of birds dropping out of the sky – diving straight down like kamikaze pilots having feeding frenzy along w/penguins & sea lions!
- 10 to 11:30 – hike up to top of volcanic rock – commanding views of lava flows & salt water lake – see other side of island
- Good News – lunch on deck – more good food w/Valentine desserts
- 2nd Excursion – 1 hr zodiac ride doesn’t sound that great so have nice siesta
- Good News – Chris & I are crowned Valentine King & Queen as most loving couple on ship!
Plunge Diving Feeding Frenzy