galapagos july 21

Galapagos July 21

Isabella IslandOur ship has anchored off the coast of

Isabella Island21 Jul 09

Isabella Island

Galapagos

On the Zodiac, we first went along the cliffs and saw fur seals (which are another variety of sea lions but have a double layer of fur). They are smaller in the Galapagos than in the Arctic,

because they need less fat to stay warm.

21 Jul 09Isabella Island

Galapagos

Here’s a fur seal saying hello beside our boat. 21 Jul 09Isabella Island

Galapagos

here were penguins on the cliffs, too. Here’s a pair posing together.

21 Jul 09Isabella Island

Galapagos

We also saw flightless cormorants for the first time on these islands.

21 Jul 09Isabella Island

Galapagos

Then we saw frigate birds circling out above deeper water. The guides steered the Zodiac boats out there because they gather to steal food. We saw an Orca

crest in the middle. Here they all are:21 Jul 09

Isabella Island

Galapagos

Orca 21 Jul 09Isabella Island

Galapagos

Orca 21 Jul 09Isabella Island

Galapagos

Orca 21 Jul 09Isabella Island

Galapagos

Then we went back to the boat, changed, and went out snorkeling with sea turtles. It’s really hard to get a

good picture of a sea turtle, but here’s a head sticking out of the bay at Fernandina. 21 Jul 09

Isabella Island

Galapagos

Jim and Lil on the shore of Fernandina with our boat in the far distance.

21 Jul 09Fernandina

IslandGalapagos

There were bunches of large marine iguanas on the lava rocks. Fernandina’s lava is only about 200 years old. The marine iguana grow four feet long

here. 21 Jul 09

Fernandina Island

Galapagos

Here’s Jim with a whole bunch of iguana behind him. 21 Jul 09Fernandina

IslandGalapagos

Small ground finch eating fleas from Marine Iguanas

21 Jul 09Fernandina

IslandGalapagos

On one part of the lava was the spine of a tropical whale. The skull was missing – probably poaching

tourists.21 Jul 09

Fernandina Island

Galapagos

A Galapagos Hawk was hunting for baby iguanas, but he didn’t catch any while we were watching

21 Jul 09Fernandina

IslandGalapagos

The best photo of the day. A Sally Lightfoot crab straddling a lava crack. Sally Lightfoot was a English dancer with long thin legs. Sailors saw the crabs dancing across the tide pools and

named them Sally Lightfoots

21 Jul 09Fernandina

IslandGalapagos

Another great day ends with a beautiful sunset

21 Jul 09Fernandina

IslandGalapagos