Large breakers roll in to North Seymour as we prepare to land on this desert like island. Due to our planet being the closet to the moon since 1948 we have an extra-large tidal range today. As we make our landing we head inland into this apparent wasteland with us being surrounded by dry earth and white incense trees. We find large schools of Razor Surgeon fish and Galapagos mullet along the shallows feeding on churned up food by the heavy wave action. A large Galapagos land iguana lumbers over the rocks as it continually searches for food during this dry season. A lone adult blue footed booby makes shade for its feet as it tries to cool off panting heavily. Inland we come upon a frigate bird breeding colony with males and their inflated gular sacs trying to attract a mate. Numerous juvenile frigates wait in the nests for the parents to bring back whatever food they can pilfer. Making our way back to the coast a strong odor of the Palo Santo incense trees floats through the air. Along the coast Galapagos sea lions tuck themselves in the vegetation to try to get out of the equatorial sun. Returning to our floating home we realize that we were able to move among these incredible creatures without them being afraid of us, what a wonderful thing the ecologically naïve.
Captain John navigates our ship through the marine reserve into the afternoon as we arrive to Rabida Island and we are set back by the bright red coloration of this volcanic isle. The sea is on our itinerary as we head out to the beach and deeper waters to snorkel and explore the undersea world. Schools of surgeon fish swim among us with a white tipped reef shark gracefully swimming underneath. A pacific green sea turtle elegantly moves with the swell along the coast as it feeds upon the algae and yellow damsel fish protect their own algae “gardens”. The sun starts to dip into the horizon as we hike into the late afternoon. The golden light falls upon the resting sea lions with a grey and blood red background that is Rabida. The last ray of the sunset dissipates and we are reeling in the otherworldly beauty of this unique archipelago.
