Santiago Island
The pre-breakfast walkers and kayakers all got a surprise today…it rained! When we left the ship at 6:30 a.m., not a drop fell, and one could smell the moisture in the air; I supposed it had rained during the night, possibly the first of the season for this island. Before everyone was on shore, however, a light drizzle began, covering the island in mystery and dampness.
The walkers got a feel for the interior of a large island, huge palo santo trees and all, while the kayakers paddled along the shore and found that the rain and cooler temperatures had brought out the Galápagos fur seals from the cracks and crevasses. Their thick fur most often has them hiding away from the sun. This morning, though, they were moving about, growling and screeching at each other as they hopped from one boulder to another.
After breakfast the ship had moved, and that little distance was enough to bring us out into the sunshine – just in time for outings in the glass-bottom boat, floating spa, kayaks and snorkeling! The sightings were tremendous…I have to say. Kayakers came back with stories of floating over a manta ray, the snorkelers came back with stories of playing with sea lion pups in the water until they were out of breath. White-tip reef sharks made several passes underneath, while bump-headed parrotfish, surgeonfish, damselfish and moorish idols danced in the surf and surge next to the rocks. A playful time was also had inside a cave where the blueness and sillouettes begged to be photographed.
The afternoon was spent further south, anchored off of Puerto Egas at the southernmost corner of James Bay. This location has its own enchantment, as the irregular coastline of tuffstone, beach rubble, sand and lava make for textures and terrain as yet unseen by our guests. Sea lion pups tussled in the tidal pools, American oystercatchers on a nest, ruddy turnstones, semi-palmated plovers, wandering tattlers, great blue heron, Galápagos hawk and…finally at the end, the Galpagos fur seals. There is a small colony here which lives in this intricate and convoluted coastline. The fissures allow them plenty of hiding places from the sun, but as the clouds had once more moved in and the drizzle had arrived, they were out, about, and highly visable! Some folk returned quickly back to the landing beach where more snorkeling was an option; once again Galápagops out-did itself – sea lions and turtles!
What an extraordinary day for everyone – Galápagos just being Galápagos!
