As we arrived to North Seymour this morning, we could see frigatebirds overhead, gliding along the coast line. Some male frigates with a partially inflated red pouch passed us by as we landed on the beach, followed by juveniles and females. A few feet into the walk, we found a couple of land iguanas sunning themselves along the path, maybe wanting to warm up a bit before they start foraging for food. Blue-footed boobies also waited for us along the trail, and we witnessed some excellent courting displays. We watched as a male stopped and pointed the bill upward, hoping to be seen by a female that was flying right above him. She understood his move and landed right next to him, and as she approached him, he started whistling. This definitively looked like a successful courtship. It is the time of the year for courting, so there were quite a few birds gathered here along the coastline. There were also a few of them that had one or two eggs, and this was a wonderful surprise for us, since it has been difficult to see them nesting lately. Throughout our walk, we also saw many frigatebirds with inflated pouches, females nesting and immature birds fluttering their pouches in order to cool off. They were the highlight of the morning, and we delighted in experiencing all of their different sounds, and behaviors.
Snorkeling in Rabida in the afternoon was exquisite too. Sea turtles, white tip reef sharks and all kinds of tropical fish welcomed us as if we were part of their underwater world. What a nice place to live!
In the evening, as we made our way to the western islands, Captain John took us very close to Wolf Volcano in Isabela, which has recently erupted. We spend a couple of hours just watching the magma rise up and down in the main caldera—it was pretty impressive to see the pulse of the eruption as the lava flowed down. What an incredible show and a unique experience, it is one that we will never forget.
