28: Hiking at 6.30 snorkelling at 10!

Early morning climb on Pitt Point, San Cristobel

   LOCATION:  Galapagos

Front and centre for the 6.30 am walk on Pitt Point. Yep, everyonr dressed and ready and no excuses or late coners. The group has been phenomenal.

A sandy beach for a wet landing followed by a scramble up through a ravine to reach the walking track on the edge of the island. An early start for the first activity of the last full day on board. All with timing designed to beat the worst of the heat. 

An early start for a wet landing

Stunning sweeping views and blue footed boobies nesting in pairs on the ground, mocking birds singing, frigate birds overhead, red footed boobies nesting in trees, a big fat lazy marine iguana high on the ridge and the cutest white ball of cotton wool fluff fledgling baby in a nest were part of the treat of finding something at every step along the way.

Plenty to see on the two hour trek and the early start was essential because we were all dripping with perspiration on the ascent.Anorher walk that @Mac got to enjoy because @Justin was the one pulling ne along.

On top of the world - what a scramble up and down the ravine

Back on board for breakfast and a change of clothes (nothing is drying overnight in the humidity) and lined up ready with snorkelling gear and instructions for kayaking

 Buoyed by the information that it was near to impossible to capsize the kayak @Mac and I loaded up. My lack of height was a definite advantage here as I seemed to fit perfectly into the leg and seatroom. @Mac was calling all the strokes from the cramped position in the rear seat and made it all happen. We had loads of encouragement from our experienced fellow passengers and took up the mid position in the string of three kayaks.

Can't believe we jumped in and paddled for an hour!

 Made our way along the cliffs and caves to chase rays and sea lions for our allotted one hour - a little arm weary, but upright and dry. I have to reiterate - the crew is so good - everyone is always set up for success - you are encouraged to try things you wouldn't normally do - because they are on hand, close by and smiling and applauding your efforts. 

Here we go - swimming with thw sea lions

Part two was a jump in the water in the snorkelling gear to swim with the sea lions. This was mind blowing. They were so playful and inquisitive swimming at speed at your face mask then stopping and pirouetting to show their tummy and flippers. So agile in the water and such show offs! There were dozens of them all keen to take turns diving, blowing bubbles, folding in half to scratch themselves and playfully interacting with everyone in the water. What an experience and hard to drag yourself away. 

@Lloyd’s comment sums it up best “That ranks as the best hour of my life.”

This is all before lunch!

Literally in your face mask

@Tara so close the more you twist and turn the more playful they were

The Treasure moved on to the last stop and delivered us to Witch Point (hmmm, or is it Wizard Point ... need to check). Another wet landing for our first walk on absolutely white sand.

 This was a relaxing end to our onshore island adventure and offered the opportunity for a beach walk to discover lazy sun baking sea lions and to spot the big, fat, jet black, marine iguana. @Mac and I used every minute of our free time to explore the length of the bay and rounded it out with a group swim.

A little cloud cover for our afternoon on the beach

 Our first afternoon of cloud cover but it was welcomed as it provided some respite from the sun.

Last supper and crew thanks

And the sad news before joining the group for the evening, was that we had to pack! An early get away tomorrow morning. Our bags are a little tumbled with wet, sweaty and salty gear- need to sort that out but bundled it up in plastic and headed to the upper deck to enjoy that last sunset. Bad news, phone spat the dummy with moisture warning AGAIN as I was filming the frigates that were riding the thermalsin farewell, just above the ship. Back to the hairdryer and fingers crossed.

Cheers from the top deck

A long, leisurely Ecuadorian themed dinner and crew farewells rounded out the evening and after our 6.30 am start, it was only the hilarious stories of “Naughty Ron” (my goodness,  that fancy undie story ... making a purchase by taking in an old pair from home ... poor @Tracey mortified but it was so funny)and Jim that got us over the 10 pm mark. 

I am serious when I say that I am asleep in a standing up position as the cabin door opens - every ounce of energy does seem to be drained each day.

Always keeping to the schedule!

Straight from the itinerary:

The wind-sculpted cliffs of Pitt Point were the first sight of land when Charles Darwin arrived in the Galapagos aboard the HMS Beagle on September 15, 1835. This morning you will disembark to that very same small green sand beach, where you will first be greeted by a group of barking sea lions. Behind this dreamy beach, crossing some thorny bushes, begins a trail that will take you to the top of the cliff through a ravine. While you ascend, marvel at the landscapes of this geological wonder, where its possible to find three species of boobies breeding and playing: blue-footed, red-footed and Nazca. Two species of frigate birds can be found as well (Great and Magnificent) Do not miss the chance to snorkel or kayak around these far-away, dreamlike shores.
Witch Hill (Cerro Brujo in Spanish) is the remains of a tuff cone, and its primary attraction is a coral sand beach that opens
into a tranquil bay. Snorkelling here leads to a rich habitat for marine iguanas, stingrays, white-tipped sharks, eagle rays,
turtles, morays, garden eels, and many kinds of reef fishes. Behind the sand dunes of the beach, there is a dry dark lava flow
with salty ponds, which serve as a refreshment spot for iguanas, as well as a strategic place to observe coastal and migratory
birds, including pelicans, blue-footed boobies, and swallow-tailed gulls.

Can you believe this?

Here are some of the weirdest facts about the Galapagos Mockingbird - from Co-Pilot

* Vampire Tendencies: During dry seasons on Española Island, the Hook-billed Mockingbird (Mimus macdonaldi) drinks the blood of seabirds, such as blue-footed booby chicks, and sea lions, using their long, sharp, hooked beaks.

* "Carjackers" of the Animal Kingdom: They often "carjack" or hitchhike on the backs of land and marine iguanas, pecking at them to eat parasites and ticks.

* Insanely Curious & Fearless: These birds are incredibly inquisitive and will often swarm visitors, jumping into laps, stealing food from picnic tables, or inspecting cameras.

* They Directly Inspired Evolution Theory: Charles Darwin noticed that mockingbirds differed slightly between islands in their size, beak shape, and markings, which led him to think about the evolution of species.

Survival Barometer

Steps 16 449 plus snorkelling and Kayaking. Wracking up those numbers

Weather 32 - but humidity leaves you drenched just standing

Health - all on an adrenalin high- nothing that a bit of panodol osteo won't cure

For Jesse - lots of pairs of blue footed boobies today - they have blue feet, beaks and legs! Makea me smile everything I see them.

Lots of pairs of blue footed boobies today

"Nice day for the beach."

27: Dancing like a frigate and a booby

@Mac putting on his Frigate burd dance moves for @Jaime

    LOCATION: North Seymour and South Plaza, Galapagos

Plenty to see today and the wildlife is prolific! It is more a case of stepping over and around the animals than looking for them.

@Jaime is never in a hurry and you do get time to enjoy tthe sights, sounds and smells of the walk. So grateful to have @Justin on hand to walk with me over the uneven lava surfaces. This morning's walk was on uneven ground while this afternoon's added slick white guano to the surface of the rocks.

The snorkelling activity was in the deep of the ocean today. We were dropped off shore and the current took you towards the shore and swept you into the bay.  Deep water meant bigger animals - sea lions, sharks, rays, turtles and closer to the shore adjacent to the cliff, the endless stream of brightly coloured fish.

Who would have thought a week ago we would be hurling ourselves into the water chasing for views of hammerhead sharks.

The routine of the day is established. Shoes on and off, wet landing, dry landing, walking sticks, snorkelling bag and showers! Am constantly attached to the bar of sunlight soap -trying to rinse out the multiple change of clothes. Each balcony has a clothesline set up on it and ours is constantly full.

My leather Adidas walking shoes have been fantastic on this trip so far ... until today. The heat from the morning walk, combined with the odd angle of foot placement separated the glue from the seam that joins the sole. I am going to have leaking shoes for the Amazon!!

The shirt I was wearing  has a metal zip at the neckline at the back. It heated up so much in the sun it burnt me! Was a hot day.

Food continues to be a highlight and it is plentiful. Plenty of seafood and the fresh fruit and vegetables pack plenty of taste.

Have way too many photos so going to try and limit to just four from each segment of the day.

Morning walk - all about the birds, the frigates and blue footed boobies -  including a video of a frigate's egg laying . Massive cheers from the assembled audience whne that little white ball finally popped out!

Yep, egg laying 

The snorkelling - all about the big animals, deep water ocean, in very strong current

Afternoon walk - sea lion pups, guano rocks, blue footed booby, finches, iguanas. cactus, sheer cliffs

Had a cute surprise in our room this evening - all decorated to wish us happy anniversary - Complete with love hearts, balloons, chocolate and a cake. There are three couples celebrating on this trip and we all got the same treatment.

Rounded our the evening with drinks on the upper deck in the breeze created by Treasure motoring for 6 hours toward's tomorrow's destination.

From the itinerary 

This morning you will enjoy a tour of North Seymour island which is generally flat and strewn with boulders. There are good nesting sites here for a large population of magnificent frigate birds. Blue-footed boobies perform their courtship dance in the more open areas and swallow-tailed gulls perch on the cliff edges. Despite the tremendous surf that can pound the outer shore, sea lions haul out onto the beach and can be found bodysurfing. Do watch your step as the boobies don't worry much about where they nest, and you might just step on one. The trees are dotted with male frigate birds trying to attract the attention of the ladies by inflating their bright red skin flaps. They sometimes fly in the air to call more attention to themselves. 
This afternoons excursion will be on the South Plaza Islet. While landing there, a barking Galapagos sea lion bull may block the jetty for a loud welcome to his beach and rookery. Overall, this islet breaths a unique Jurassic ambiance, with its psychedelic reddish flora and giant Opuntia cacti covering the landscape and providing food and shelter for thousands of endemic marine and Barrington iguanas. During this visit, you will also have the opportunity to swim over a reef of boulders that attracts an amazing variety of marine life, such as sea turtles, reef sharks, stingrays, and sea lions.

Can you believe this?

Here are some of the weirdest facts about blue-footed boobies:

Color Dependent on Diet: Their feet are not inherently blue. The color comes from carotenoid pigments found in the fresh fish they eat.

Feet Color Matters in Mating: Males with brighter blue feet are more attractive to females. If a male is malnourished, his feet will turn dull.

"Clumsy" Name Origin: Their name comes from the Spanish word bobo ("stupid" or "clown"), given by explorers because of their clumsy, unafraid behavior on land.

No Nest, Just Poo: Instead of building a nest, they often lay their eggs on bare ground and create a protective, decorative ring around them using their own excrement. .

The Mating Dance: To woo a female, the male performs a high-stepping dance, lifting his bright feet one by one to showcase them, paired with a, "sky-pointing" ritual.

Only One Survives: While they lay 1-3 eggs, often only one chick survives, as the older, stronger sibling frequently outcompetes the younger one for food.

Survival Barometer

Steps 10 498

Weather 32 - searing heat outdoors today

Health @Deb is back - we are all on deck today!

For Jesse - we found the blue footed booby today on the island! You have to look closely to see him on the rock!

This is what he looked like in the water! Very blue feet

"I could help collecting the eggs from the frigate birds!"

"Did someone say Blue Footed Booby?"