Santa Cruz and North Seymour Islands
We awoke at six o’clock, rocking at anchor in Academy Bay, off the charming town of Puerto Ayora. We disembarked at the town dock and walked a short distance to board the bus for a ride to the tortoises’ reserve up in the highlands. We crossed several vegetation zones as we ascended Santa Cruz and arrived to a cattle farm which the borders the National Park. Quite near the road we found a group of giant tortoises of varying sizes grazing on the lush vegetation or having a mud bath in a rain water pond. Soaking in the mud helps tortoises rid themselves of ticks and other external parasites. Tortoises will also allow some of the land birds, such as small and medium ground finches and yellow warblers to pick ticks off them.
The weather this morning was perfect for our pre-breakfast walk. After hiking among and photographing the tortoises, we explored a segment of lava tunnel that exited alongside the restaurant, where we found a generous and delicious breakfast buffet.
Buses took us back into town where we could visit the Darwin Station or spend time shopping, making phone calls, on the internet or just watching the locals. Then we returned to the Islander and the Captain soon weighed anchor. We had lunch, a siesta and a presentation about Charles Darwin as the ship headed to the afternoon’s destination.
As we disembarked on the rocky shore of North Seymour Island we felt as if we had been welcomed by the Galápagos sea lions, marine iguanas, swallow tailed gulls, and sally light foot crabs that darted between our feet. Seymour is a small island just to the north of Santa Cruz Island. It is dry here since it is in the rain shadow of the mountains on Santa Cruz. Being dry, this is a perfect place for marine birds to nest. We observed both magnificent and great frigate birds courting. The males displayed their fully inflated red gular sack to females flying over. Blue-footed boobies share the island with the frigates who are not the nicest of neighbors. Frigates are the pirates of the air and steal food from other sea birds.
Land iguanas once present on the neighboring island of Baltra were brought to Seymour in 1932 and again in 1933 as an experiment. Because the iguanas were able to successfully adapt to this island the Baltra race of iguanas was saved from the extinction. During the last few years, many of them have been repatriated successfully on Baltra.
Back on board dreaming of more adventures, we gathered in the lounge and were impatient for the recaps and the briefing about tomorrow’s activities.
We awoke at six o’clock, rocking at anchor in Academy Bay, off the charming town of Puerto Ayora. We disembarked at the town dock and walked a short distance to board the bus for a ride to the tortoises’ reserve up in the highlands. We crossed several vegetation zones as we ascended Santa Cruz and arrived to a cattle farm which the borders the National Park. Quite near the road we found a group of giant tortoises of varying sizes grazing on the lush vegetation or having a mud bath in a rain water pond. Soaking in the mud helps tortoises rid themselves of ticks and other external parasites. Tortoises will also allow some of the land birds, such as small and medium ground finches and yellow warblers to pick ticks off them.
The weather this morning was perfect for our pre-breakfast walk. After hiking among and photographing the tortoises, we explored a segment of lava tunnel that exited alongside the restaurant, where we found a generous and delicious breakfast buffet.
Buses took us back into town where we could visit the Darwin Station or spend time shopping, making phone calls, on the internet or just watching the locals. Then we returned to the Islander and the Captain soon weighed anchor. We had lunch, a siesta and a presentation about Charles Darwin as the ship headed to the afternoon’s destination.
As we disembarked on the rocky shore of North Seymour Island we felt as if we had been welcomed by the Galápagos sea lions, marine iguanas, swallow tailed gulls, and sally light foot crabs that darted between our feet. Seymour is a small island just to the north of Santa Cruz Island. It is dry here since it is in the rain shadow of the mountains on Santa Cruz. Being dry, this is a perfect place for marine birds to nest. We observed both magnificent and great frigate birds courting. The males displayed their fully inflated red gular sack to females flying over. Blue-footed boobies share the island with the frigates who are not the nicest of neighbors. Frigates are the pirates of the air and steal food from other sea birds.
Land iguanas once present on the neighboring island of Baltra were brought to Seymour in 1932 and again in 1933 as an experiment. Because the iguanas were able to successfully adapt to this island the Baltra race of iguanas was saved from the extinction. During the last few years, many of them have been repatriated successfully on Baltra.
Back on board dreaming of more adventures, we gathered in the lounge and were impatient for the recaps and the briefing about tomorrow’s activities.
