Monday

I slept fitfully overnight. The sights and events of the day before plus the unfamiliar sounds of the ships engines and motion and my new bunk kept me from sound sleep. Despite this, I rose feeling well and energized: the anticipation of today’s travels totally overcame any lack of sleep. A beautiful sunrise in the east morphed into a marvellous rainbow to the west. Coffee and breakfast dissipated the last of my mental cobwebs.

Rainbow, Baltra Island Photo by Lionel Jackson

Sunrise, Baltra Island Photo by Lionel Jackson

We weighed anchor and head to the South Plaza (Plaza Sur) Island 20 km to the southeast. We skirted the east coast of Santa Cruz Island . I could see that there was a well developed marine terrace perhaps 20-30 m above the present shore along the island. This indicates that the island has been rising relative to present sea level. As we passed closer to the coast, I could see sea caves 4-8 m above high tide (tidal range is about least 2 m around the islands).

We arrived at South Plaza (Plaza Sur) island and my hypothesis of crustal uplift was verified by geology of the island. Only 30 m high and about a tenth of a square km, almost the entire island is composed of pillow basalt that only forms below sea level. The pillow lavas along the shore are bleached white by the waste products of the innumerable sea lions that have lived there over millennia. This was my first experience walking through a Galápagos sea lion colony. The animals were indifferent to our presence and would sleep soundly even if you were standing next to them. The Galápagos sea lion is a close relative to the California sea lion. The big attractions were the land iquanas and blue footed boobys that constantly plunge into the sea after fish.

Nasca booby Photo by Lionel Jackson

Blue footed booby Photo by Lionel Jackson

The two booby species do not really compete for food. The blue footed boobys fish near shore whereas the Nascas fish tens of kilometres out to sea. The male land iguanas are amazingly coloured on the island. They eat the fruit from the cactus. We learned that you can tell whether there have been giant tortoises or land iguanas on an island by looking at the cactus. Because those animals eat the cactus, the cactus (Opuntia sp.) has evolved to have vicious spines when small and trunks taller than a man without any cactus pads when they mature to protect themselves from being eaten. On islands where land iguanas or tortoises never lived, the same prickly pear cactus is low and spreading and the spines are as soft as a baby’s hair brush. The giant cactus trees do not exist anywhere else on earth.

Land iguana, South Plaza Island Photo by Alan Rousson

Giant cactus tree, South Plaza Island Photo by Lionel Jackson

We pressed on to our next island, Santa Fe about 25 km to the southeast where we anchored in beautiful Barington Bay. Santa Fe is about 24 km2 in area and rises to about 250 m above sea level. It is dry and has forests of giant cactus. We went over the side of the boat for a snorkel and then we moved out of the bay via the Zodiac for a 1 km snorkel back to the boat along the basalt cliffs with the Zodiac shadowing us for safety. It was there that I saw my first large green sea turtle. She was like a vision of peace and grace. I shall never forget it. We saw schools of gorgeous reef fish and blue footed boobys plunging into the sea around us after sardine-sized fish. Our peace was shattered when the two Dutch girls ran into a jellyfish and were severely stung. From that point on, I snorkelled with a long sleeve shirt over my farmer john wetsuit that offered no protection for shoulders and arms.

We remained anchored during dinner and into the early evening when we were again treated to the spectacular moonless night sky. I have travelled and worked in Argentina so I have caught some views of the southern cross (La Cruz as it is know in Spanish speaking countries) but the usual ground lights marred the view. From our perspective, the southern cross was a few degrees above the horizon and much of the northern sky was also visible. The north star was just below the horizon. Its position still could be ascertained from the pointer stars of the big dipper. The milky way sliced across the sky and lived up to its name. The only night sky view to rival it for me is a moonless night north of 60 with the the northern lights blazing. Of course, the clothing optional 30 degree C temperature at the equator is much more conducive to pleasant star gazing!

Our tranquility ended soon after we departed the shelter of the bay for the 7 hour, passage across the open Pacific to Española Island 70 km to the southwest. Heavy seas hit us from the southwest overturning the tables and tossing everyone from their chairs on the upper patio to the deck. I retired to my cabin for what proved to be a night of seasickness!