South Plaza and Santa Fé Islands
Most slept in this morning…I don’t how late they must stayed up dancing with our talented local musicians! However right after breakfast we were on our way to shore by Zodiac. We were visiting South Plaza Island, just barely a few hundred yards from the red cliffs of eastern Santa Cruz Island. Up-lifted islands, both North and South Plazas show signs of pillow lava, formed underwater, but now polished by generations of sea lion body oil and excrement into “sea lion marble.” The colors were a photographer’s dream: the dominant ground plant, sea purslane, glowed red, the bark of prickly-pear cactus orange, the land iguanas yellow and brown. All warm colors on a black and white background surrounded by turquoise blue ocean.
Immediately on landing, we saw strange and fascinating behaviors being displayed by the local inhabitants. A large, male marine iguana determinedly courted female land iguanas (they slowly but surely moved out of range). It has been seen that they occasionally, rarely, hybridize, producing strange individuals which show mixed characteristics from both species, not fertile of course.
Two male lava lizards went at each other for a long time (we finally had to leave). Lying side by side, they circled, slapped brutally with their tails, maneuvered for ripping bites on flanks and neck. We didn’t see blood flow, but were sure it would be coming soon.
At the top of the bluff, about 80 feet above the crashing waves, with the Southeast trade winds in our faces, we watched frigate-birds and pelicans soar by; shrieking red-billed tropicbirds being chased by the said frigate-birds, razor surgeonfish crowded just under the sea surface feeding on something, backs above the water.
At the far end of the island, high on the bluff, a solitary sea lion woke from a nap and walked another few hundred yards to reach the access corridor down to the water. Unbelievably, these bachelor sea lions have a well-defined route between the ocean and their favorite resting place, almost vertically up/down the cliff. Easier than having to fight or slip through some dominant bull’s territory below on the gentle side, where females and their pups are in charge. Up here they have all they need for a quiet recuperation until next year’s battle for breeding rights.
Leaving South Plaza Island, Captain John took us past Gordon Rocks on our way south. This remnant of a tuff cone, isolated out in deep water, is attractive to seabirds. The sky was sunny and blue overhead, the ocean relatively calm and alive in movement from wind and currents.
By early afternoon we were in the water once more – can’t have a day go by without some kind of immersion! This time we chose the outer shoreline of Santa Fé Island, and jumped in right over an enormous school of black-striped salemas. Yellow snappers, barred snappers, parrotfish, triggerfish, damselfish, shark…SHARK! It was a huge Galápagos shark that swam lazily below us, unconcerned and seemingly uninterested in us; I suspect, though, it had cruised by to check us out. As we were not of interest, it left with a few strokes of its tail and disappeared into the blue, not to be seen again.
As the snorkel was ending inside the bay, we came across a large school of spotted eagle rays – with some huge individuals in the middle, circling over white sand, passing over sleeping green sea turtles…we didn’t really want to get out, but a visit on shore was still to come with as-yet unknown treasures to see.
It was a VERY quick turnaround on board (everyone is getting to be experts at this), and the hikers set off up the escarpment trail until they could look back and get one of the most beautiful views in Galápagos: the bay of Santa Fe. On the way, sea lions had to be negotiated in the trail on the beach, and land iguanas pointed out…adults and a couple of babies as well (a rare sighting they are so well camouflaged). The iguanas of Santa Fe are special within the realm of special creatures here in Galápagos. This one island has a separate species all unto its own: the “pale” iguana (Conolphus pallidus).
Back on board, everyone once again chattered up a storm in the lounge before recap, relating their individual experiences to friends old and new, and enjoying the shared experiences equally.
