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Sep. 12th, 2007 04:14 pmShip’s Position unchanged
2200 hrs
We’ve done an out, and back to Pt. Baquerizo Moreno, after our morning in town.
We went to the visitor center (this is the capital of the district of Galapagos), learned some history, saw a swell map (with bluish glass for the water) of the sea-mounts that make up the islands) and looked at things.
I got mildly landsick. Came back to the boat, where it was more pleasant to my inner ears. At this point I am not really aware, though not oblivious to the movements of the boat.
We took a short sail, and went for a bit of walkabout on Isla de los Lobos, (which is short hand for Island of the sea-lions Though since it's named "Wolf Island in English, I think this might be just a borrowing of local environment; there are lots of Sea Lions, to make a Spanish name which was in accord with the existing English one). It was inhabited by boobies (all blue-footed, the red-footed are far to the west and north of anyplace we are going. No penguins for me), and sea lions. It also had iguanas (marine) and lava lizards. Some frigate birds and pelicans were also visible, in the air and sea, but none of them were on the land.
Lots of things to take pictures of, though sadly the light was intermittent, and I finally just put the polarizing filter away. We did see a new born sea lion (and in case you were wondering, sea lion shit stinks. Not just the pungency of fresh crap (think cat/dog) but a wrinkle your nose and ponder gagging stink).
We went back to the boat, and then snorkeling. This was much easier than near S. Plazas. No current, to speak of, and no jellyfish.
It was also shallower, being a small channel, of mostly coral sand, between San Cristobal, and Isla de los Lobos. The water was so clear it reflected the sky back to the bellies of the birds. It was so shallow that those who took large swings with their fins made a sandy murk behind them.
We say rays. We saw fish (some really large puffers, of a white, with yellow decorations pattern; boxy in build, and [trying to account for magnification] about 8 inches long, 3 inches across).
I was looking at fish, holding myself with my fingertips against some weed-covered hunks of rounded lava, minding my own business, and telling myself the guide would have mentioned anything like dangerous eels, when something bit me on the back of the hand.
I yelped and popped my head up, while pulling back (and being reminded that I was barely knee-deep in coral sand). When I popped my head up this pelican was eyeballing me. Not the least bit guilty looking, but neither was he denying it. He, in fact, looked as if he were daring me to mention it.
I got to swim with sea-lions. A mother and yearling were playing tag, and included me. We did those lazy-looking circling loops they are so fond of. Had I wanted to I think I could have touched one. That lasted for about five minutes.
Maia, and her mother (who decided to see if the technology was better than the last time she went snorkeling, and thought she was going to drown) and I drifted over canyons. They weren’t that deep, but the blackness of the rocks made them seem moreso, and the abundance of fish, algae, seeweeds, rays, and the like, made them magical.
Pat didn’t like the sea lions (big, and with teeth) so I swam off with some, so she wouldn’t be bothered (I did two more sessions, one more game of tag, and some lazy cruising with a middling sized bull, probably about my height, for length).
So there I was, minding my own business, again, looking at some puffers when I saw a blob to my right. I promptly forgot the puffers, and went sailing along with a green sea-turtle. About 3 feet across, and graceful as all get out. He (short tail) made lazy sweeps with his fins, and I made somewhat more aggressive ones with my feet.
And then I got too deep, swallowed some salt water, and went higher to purge my snorkel. When I caught up to him, and then went to go along some more, I found I had shot some water into my masks nasal section, had to clear that, and lost him.
But for a minute I was king of the world, swimming in the ocean, and feeling as I was of the ocean.
If nothing else had been worth it, this alone justified the price of admission.
2200 hrs
We’ve done an out, and back to Pt. Baquerizo Moreno, after our morning in town.
We went to the visitor center (this is the capital of the district of Galapagos), learned some history, saw a swell map (with bluish glass for the water) of the sea-mounts that make up the islands) and looked at things.
I got mildly landsick. Came back to the boat, where it was more pleasant to my inner ears. At this point I am not really aware, though not oblivious to the movements of the boat.
We took a short sail, and went for a bit of walkabout on Isla de los Lobos, (which is short hand for Island of the sea-lions Though since it's named "Wolf Island in English, I think this might be just a borrowing of local environment; there are lots of Sea Lions, to make a Spanish name which was in accord with the existing English one). It was inhabited by boobies (all blue-footed, the red-footed are far to the west and north of anyplace we are going. No penguins for me), and sea lions. It also had iguanas (marine) and lava lizards. Some frigate birds and pelicans were also visible, in the air and sea, but none of them were on the land.
Lots of things to take pictures of, though sadly the light was intermittent, and I finally just put the polarizing filter away. We did see a new born sea lion (and in case you were wondering, sea lion shit stinks. Not just the pungency of fresh crap (think cat/dog) but a wrinkle your nose and ponder gagging stink).
We went back to the boat, and then snorkeling. This was much easier than near S. Plazas. No current, to speak of, and no jellyfish.
It was also shallower, being a small channel, of mostly coral sand, between San Cristobal, and Isla de los Lobos. The water was so clear it reflected the sky back to the bellies of the birds. It was so shallow that those who took large swings with their fins made a sandy murk behind them.
We say rays. We saw fish (some really large puffers, of a white, with yellow decorations pattern; boxy in build, and [trying to account for magnification] about 8 inches long, 3 inches across).
I was looking at fish, holding myself with my fingertips against some weed-covered hunks of rounded lava, minding my own business, and telling myself the guide would have mentioned anything like dangerous eels, when something bit me on the back of the hand.
I yelped and popped my head up, while pulling back (and being reminded that I was barely knee-deep in coral sand). When I popped my head up this pelican was eyeballing me. Not the least bit guilty looking, but neither was he denying it. He, in fact, looked as if he were daring me to mention it.
I got to swim with sea-lions. A mother and yearling were playing tag, and included me. We did those lazy-looking circling loops they are so fond of. Had I wanted to I think I could have touched one. That lasted for about five minutes.
Maia, and her mother (who decided to see if the technology was better than the last time she went snorkeling, and thought she was going to drown) and I drifted over canyons. They weren’t that deep, but the blackness of the rocks made them seem moreso, and the abundance of fish, algae, seeweeds, rays, and the like, made them magical.
Pat didn’t like the sea lions (big, and with teeth) so I swam off with some, so she wouldn’t be bothered (I did two more sessions, one more game of tag, and some lazy cruising with a middling sized bull, probably about my height, for length).
So there I was, minding my own business, again, looking at some puffers when I saw a blob to my right. I promptly forgot the puffers, and went sailing along with a green sea-turtle. About 3 feet across, and graceful as all get out. He (short tail) made lazy sweeps with his fins, and I made somewhat more aggressive ones with my feet.
And then I got too deep, swallowed some salt water, and went higher to purge my snorkel. When I caught up to him, and then went to go along some more, I found I had shot some water into my masks nasal section, had to clear that, and lost him.
But for a minute I was king of the world, swimming in the ocean, and feeling as I was of the ocean.
If nothing else had been worth it, this alone justified the price of admission.
