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01/28/2013

Bartolome and Rabida Islands, Galapagos, Ecuador

Energetic  day with so much to do. We started early, 6:00 am wake up call to go climb up a boardwalk to the top of a cinder cone on Bartolome Island. Along the way we saw many examples of volcanology at work—lava tubes, many varieties of lava, cones, fumaroles, and some recovery with several types of plants beginning to take root. Lots of lava lizards were spotted on our way up. The area features the famous rock that is used in many of the ads for the Galapagos.

Lheron

Galapagos: Lava Heron

We followed the excursion with breakfast and then a briefing on what snorkeling equipment we would need, how to use it, how to signal for help, then we went up and was fitted with equipment: wet suit, snorkel tube for my prescription mask (we were offered the tip of using toothpaste to remove the oils they put onto them), and flippers—cool type that tightened on the ankle and slide up and down for easy fit.  Then we all went snorkeling off Bartolome, starting from a beach and following a coral reef along one side of the bay around the famous rock. It was excellent snorkeling with a good variety of fish and sea life like sea stars and sea urchins. We returned to the Islander for lunch.

After a traditional Ecuadorian lunch, we took a second snorkel at a deepwater site off of Rabida Island. At first I thought it would be punk because the site was shaded and cold but less than a minute later I was caught up in the iridescent underwater world with unique sea plants and creatures. I kept seeing new life while schools of fish swam around. I tried out a few videos and they turned out really well. The photographs are less good, its hard to get a fish before it moves.

Fish video

Later that evening we took a stroll along shore and saw a male sea lion fight off a competitor, a pelican argue with two young sea lions, two mockingbird packs face off against each other, and young pelicans in a nest gang up on another pelican trying to get back in. Everyone was crabby, I guess it was the waning of the full moon.

Crabby Sea Lion video

We checked the stars but it was overcast.

Birds: Lava Heron, Red-billed Tropicbird, Brown Noddy, American Oystercatcher, Galapagos Mockinbird, Lesser Yellowlegs, Galapagos Sea Lion

Posted at 02:55 PM in Life of a Writer, Photography, Travel, Video, Wildlife |

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