South Plaza and Santa Fe Islands
This morning dawned breezy and sunny – a splendid day for another walk in the islas encantadas! After a hearty breakfast of eggs, plantain patties, cereal and fresh tropical fruits – pineapple, papaya, bananas, watermelon and cantaloupe – we stepped ashore onto a cement dock and were immediately surrounded by boisterous sea lions, elegant swallow-tailed gulls and bright yellow land iguanas. We followed a rocky trail that climbed a cliff, where we had magnificent views in both directions. To the southeast across a calm, azure sea we could see the island of Santa Fe. Myriad seabirds of several species soared and floated along the cliff in the updraft and we were particularly enthralled by the gorgeous red-billed tropic birds and the stunning grey and white nocturnal swallow-tailed gulls. Many a photo was snapped and we hope we have been successful in capturing these lovely seabirds in flight.
To the north we looked down across the flat uplifted island towards where the National Geographic Islander was anchored. Green and red succulent Sesuvium mats and sturdy Opuntia tree cactus decorated the otherwise barren, rocky terrain. Among this sparse vegetation we found the land iguanas. Our naturalists told us that here on Plaza there is a stable and a numerous iguana population, while in the inhabited areas they have been decimated by feral dogs and cats. We also learned about the “wierdos” – land + marine iguana hybrids that look and behave differently and are in addition sterile. Apparently it is an overly amorous male marine iguana that comes on shore and mates with the female land iguanas to produce these reptilian “mules.”
After an engaging lecture, a delicious lunch and a welcoming siesta we had several afternoon outings. Naturalist Aura led a group of mainly novice kayakers along the coast of Santa Fe and they were pushed along nicely by a stiff breeze. Fernando, Sofia and I took three Zodiacs of snorkelers into the tranquil turquoise bay where we found schools of colorful fish of many species, several rays and – to our delight – a number of large sea turtles. The most common marine turtles found in Galápagos are a smaller, darker race of Chelonia mydas and are called the black Pacific green turtle. Happily we have a large and healthy population of sea turtles in the archipelago and they are protected here both on the nesting beaches and at sea.
As the afternoon began to cool off, we offered a fast paced hike up a dry boulder streambed with Sofia and Fernando or a shorter, beach-to-beach loop walk led by Aura. We all searched for the endemic species of land iguana and rice rats that are found uniquely on this island, and we admired the large Opuntia cactus. Those who climbed the cliff had a fabulous view back down to the bay from up high. Pretty funny that today those on the shorter of the two hikes saw three Santa Fe land iguanas and those on the longer hike only saw one…you just never know where the critters will be in Galápagos! But they also saw a snake, hawks and caught a glimpse of a rice rat.
