South Plaza Island

We were expected to visit Mosquera Islet this morning, but we were taken to South Plaza Island instead. Not such a bad thing as South Island was great. We arrived around sunrise. The Doc went on deck and could hear the sea lions and see several frigate birds.

Breakfast first, then we boarded the Zodiacs for a dry landing.

We were greeted by Sea Lions at the landing spot. We walked straight into several, as well as land iguanas, gulls, yellow warblers and others. We walked a big loop around the Island. A slow walk from the low side of the Island we landed around one end and up to the cliffs on the other side.

Plenty of baby sea lions around, including a few dead ones. They can die if their mothers do not return from sea, for example, if they are taken by sharks. When we returned to the Island about a week later, sharks were spotted looking for sea lions, mostly the younger ones.

Again a dry landscape with cactus but also some bright red plants that gave colour to the Island.

When we reached the cliffs, there were male sea lions, those males without territory. One large male waddled to the water down a very steep cliff. Amazing to watch. Some others sea lions were sunning themselves on the cliff tops.

There were nesting swallow tailed gulls on the cliff tops. The Doc managed to get some photos of the chick being feed squid.

The quick flying petrels were also nesting here, but were next to impossible to photograph. Although when The Doc returned he got photos of the birds resting on the water.

The Doc got some nice photos this morning, a sample below.

Santa Fe Island

Time to leave the Island and head to Santa Fe Island (Spanish and Portuguese for “holy faith”). Located south of Santa Cruz Island. First we had lunch, then we had a short break. Next our first snorkel was on the cards.

The Doc decided not to use the waterproof bag for his point and shoot and decided to just snorkel. The Zodiac moved us into a sheltered bay, we rolled off the edge one by one. Often The Doc was the last to leave. No glasses means poor vision, so best if the others are away from the Zodiac. The magnification effect of the water meant The Doc’s vision under water was better, enough to enjoy the snorkelling.

We were quickly greeted by sea lions, turtles and string rays, plus a mixture of fish. The sea lions were the highlight, as they came up to play, mostly females. They liked to play chicken and swim fast towards you and turns away at the last moment, although some came very close.

The odd male would grunt and make noises if you got to close to his territory.

Thanks to my room-mate Dave for giving me a few underwater shots.

Those not snorkelling went on the paparazzi Zodiac, so named by the Millennium Crew.

We we eventually called back to the Zodiac, as we needed to make a landing. Our first wet landing. Getting the sand off your feet was a challenge before you put on your boots. Missed the yellow warbler again. On South Plaza Island The Doc did get one blurred shot.

Again the Island was very dry and lots of dead vegetation. As we climbed we saw a land iguana eating a cactus leaf that had fallen off a cactus. Not a common site, so out came the cameras. They just munch thorough the cactus spikes.

A few baby sea lions were about on the beach and also higher up (on most Islands as it turned out).

We came across a juvenile Galapagos Hawk in a tree that allowed some shots was we made out way back to the beach. On the beach there was sea lions, various birds and a juvenile Galapagos Hawk very low in a bush. Some nice portrait shots of that bird. As we we leaving the Zodiac past over 11 white tipped sharks gathering near the shore. No pictures of that, sorry.

A very full first day and half. Remember to click on the pictures to see the full size, as the thumbnails are blurred. The thumbnails are automatically created when The Doc adds the photos to the site.