Galapagos...4th Feb

...-4th Feb NORTH SEYMOUR ISLAND 1.9 sq km-dry landing...at 7:45am...2.5km rocky trail to walk...

...FRIGATE BIRDS -this called Magnificent species-other one is called Greater-many seen throughout Gal- not at all afraid of us being there,within reaching distance and they will just ignore you-largest seabird-2.3m wingspan-dazzling fliers-also called MAN O WAR BIRD as through piracy they harass other seabirds into dropping or regurgitating their catch and then eating it ...saw this a few times in the air-one above is a courting male -inflates a baloon sized flap of scarlet skin under their bill and cock their wings to attract females...Jorge was brilliant at doing the same ritual-I failed rather miserably...
...BLUE FOOTED BOOBY-this one nesting egg and a chick on our path-feeds on fish by plunge diving from a great height-go blind by age 10 and die due to high impact on the eye ball as they enter the water...during courtship it picks up its bright-blue feet in a slow -rather clownish-with bowing-wings spread out-sky pointing-a real display and brilliant to watch-and you are only a feet or two away...there are thousands in Gal... we also saw LAVA LIZARDS,LAND IGUANAS,SEA LIONS and many other birds...




... 2pm on top deck of EDEN as it sails towards SANTA FE ISLAND-4 hour sailing from SEYMOUR ISLAND...

...over 50 FRIGATE birds flying over my head within touching distance-they use the up-draft created by moving EDEN and nearby cliffs to fly...it was unreal scene...

... at 3pm we reached SANTA FE BAY and here we snorkeled and were swimming with SEA LIONS,one huge MANTA RAY,3 SPOTTED EAGLE RAYS,4 huge BLACK SEA TURTLES and thousands upon thousands of all size coloured fish...

...4:30pm on SANTA FE ISLAND for walk-24 sq km -wet landing--sureal place having to share beach with hundreds of friendly SEA LIONS ...they are just inches away from you...


...1.5km rough trail on SANTA FE ...many huge LAND IGUANAS-found nowhere else in the world-they pass just inch away from you-feed on prickly pear cactuses which are in abundunt here...think of DARWIN's THEORY OF EVOLUTION here and it fits perfectly as it does all over Gal...
...insignificant humans holding hands(you are really made to feel insignificant on Gal by other living creatures here) between an arch of prickly pear cactuses as THE REAL landlord of SANTA FE looks on ...

...8pm EDEN sails to ESPANOLA ISLANDS...