FUN-travel: South America – Galapagos Islands – Day 9 & 10
February 25, 2012 by Susan Clarke
Day 12 – Wednesday, February 15 – Floreana Island – sunny, 90’s, high clouds
Land Iguana in the Wild
- Bad News – same 6:30 wakeup drill
Valentine's Day Towel Art & Sweets From Staff
- 1st Excursion – 8:30 to 10:30 – go to Post Office – 1793 sailors left letters – other sailors arriving delivered them – people still leave letters – some they want delivered – others left for friends to retrieve when they visit the island
- Next stop – lava tunnels – created during a lava flow – outer lava cools while inner keeps flowing
- Bad News – down steep steps into pitch black w/bugs!
- Good News – we pass!
- 9:30 to 10:30 – snorkel – 2 sea lions surfing & jumping like dolphins in the water
- 2nd Excursion – 3 to 6 – Punta Cormorant – 1 hr walk
- Good News – see flamingos in salty lagoon on way to other side
- See stingrays in the surf & nests from sea turtles (big, deep, holes in the sand)
- 2nd stop – deep water snorkel at Devil’s Crown
- Really Good News – see more fish than ever – schools in the hundreds & one at least 1000!
- More Really Good News – at end of snorkel 5 reef sharks (6 to 8 ft) circle below us!
Female Vermillion Flycatcher
FF (FUN-facts) – Marine Iguanas eat algae & seaweed. The high salt intake is forcibly expelled by frequent sneezing. Land Iguanas eat prickly pear cactus fruits & pads.
More FF – Tortoises live on land, turtles live in water.
Flightless Cormorant Drying His Wings
Day 13 – Thursday, February 16 – Isabella Island –
- 1st Excursion – 8 to 11:45 – Puerto Baquerizo, San Cristobal Island
- Bad News – have to take bus ride
- Good News – see lots of tortoises in semi captivity
- Good News – have time to see town
- Bad News – not much to see or good shopping
- Good News – back to ship for good lunch
- 2nd Excursion – 4 to 5 – Playa Ochoa – beach walk & snorkel – after yesterday pretty much a letdown!
- Good News – back to ship for happy hour & farewell party
Tortoises in Semi Captivity
FF – Flightless Cormorants adapted to their environment by trading their ability for flying for a more better streamlined body for swimming.