The Galapagos Islands 07....
Most albatrosses live in the storm-lashed southern oceans and they rarely cross the equator. One remarkable species, the Waved Albatross nests on Espanola Island in the Galapagos and is the only species of albatross that breeds in the tropics.
Waved Albatross pair for life and after months at sea alone they return to Espanola Island where pair bonds must be re-established. This involves an elaborate ritual of complex movements, sky-pointing and bill-circling etc.
The smallest island we visited was South Plaza Island on Day 6. The Plaza Islands (there are 2 of them - North and South) lie off the east coast of Santa Cruz Island. South Plaza island is the smallest island we visited measuring only 500m x 100m in size. It is the home to the Swallow-tailed Gull pictured below. This bird is the world's only nocturnal gull and again, is endemic to the Galapagos Islands.
Not just the last picture of this collection but also the last picture I took in the Galapagos Islands. It was sunset on our last evening here. The air was warm and the sea breeze cool. Shortly after watching the sun set I returned to our cabin and began the sad task of packing my bag ready for an early morning departure back to the mainland.
So, that's it for now. I hope you like the photos. There's plenty more where they came from to show you when I get back home! This is just a very small selection of the main attractions on the islands to give you a taster. If you want to look at the website for the company we went with then the link is in the 'Links' section on the right. The company we went with are called Galasam Tours and they come with my full recommendation. The boat we stayed on was called 'Estrella del Mar II' (Star of the Sea II).
Unfortunately we didn't get the chance to go scuba-diving whilst we were there which is our only regret. This means that swimming with Hammerhead Sharks and Manta Rays is something we'll have to do next time! We went snorkelling most days though and this was spectacular. We frollicked in the turquoise bays with playful sealions who like nothing better than swimming towards you at full speed before turning away at the last moment. They somersault around you in the water and will come right up to your mask and look you in the eye with as much curiosity as you show them. Penguins dart backwards and forwards infront of you in the water with far more grace than there'll ever show you on land. I swam within a metre of White-tipped Reef Sharks. I sat on the seabed next to Stingrays and Marine Turtles. I swam through shoals of fish more plentiful than I could ever count in a lifetime....
To sum up: This trip was absolutely amazing. If you want me to recommend you a holiday, somewhere you simply must see in your lifetime then I say "Go to the Galapagos Islands. Make it your next holiday, you will not regret it for a minute." Lynn and I were already talking about when we'd be able to go back before we even left the boat. And we will go back. Definately.
Rich
Waved Albatross pair for life and after months at sea alone they return to Espanola Island where pair bonds must be re-established. This involves an elaborate ritual of complex movements, sky-pointing and bill-circling etc.
The smallest island we visited was South Plaza Island on Day 6. The Plaza Islands (there are 2 of them - North and South) lie off the east coast of Santa Cruz Island. South Plaza island is the smallest island we visited measuring only 500m x 100m in size. It is the home to the Swallow-tailed Gull pictured below. This bird is the world's only nocturnal gull and again, is endemic to the Galapagos Islands.
Not just the last picture of this collection but also the last picture I took in the Galapagos Islands. It was sunset on our last evening here. The air was warm and the sea breeze cool. Shortly after watching the sun set I returned to our cabin and began the sad task of packing my bag ready for an early morning departure back to the mainland.
So, that's it for now. I hope you like the photos. There's plenty more where they came from to show you when I get back home! This is just a very small selection of the main attractions on the islands to give you a taster. If you want to look at the website for the company we went with then the link is in the 'Links' section on the right. The company we went with are called Galasam Tours and they come with my full recommendation. The boat we stayed on was called 'Estrella del Mar II' (Star of the Sea II).
Unfortunately we didn't get the chance to go scuba-diving whilst we were there which is our only regret. This means that swimming with Hammerhead Sharks and Manta Rays is something we'll have to do next time! We went snorkelling most days though and this was spectacular. We frollicked in the turquoise bays with playful sealions who like nothing better than swimming towards you at full speed before turning away at the last moment. They somersault around you in the water and will come right up to your mask and look you in the eye with as much curiosity as you show them. Penguins dart backwards and forwards infront of you in the water with far more grace than there'll ever show you on land. I swam within a metre of White-tipped Reef Sharks. I sat on the seabed next to Stingrays and Marine Turtles. I swam through shoals of fish more plentiful than I could ever count in a lifetime....
To sum up: This trip was absolutely amazing. If you want me to recommend you a holiday, somewhere you simply must see in your lifetime then I say "Go to the Galapagos Islands. Make it your next holiday, you will not regret it for a minute." Lynn and I were already talking about when we'd be able to go back before we even left the boat. And we will go back. Definately.
Rich
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