Saturday 4.10.14 – Rabida Island and Puerto Egas on Santiago Island.

Arrived at Rabida Island as we awake at just before 7am.

Out to Rabida Island – a wet landing on a red sandy/pebbly beach. Then a walk along beach around to a lagoon and up the hill to a few views around the Island. We saw Sea Lions, Golden Warblers, Mockingbirds up very close, Galapagos Flycatcher and Galapagos Plover, Vermillion Flycatcher – who was a magnificent red/pink colour, Galapagos Dove and a Lava lizards eating a flower.

The red rocks of Rabida Island.

Sea Lions on Red sand.

Rocks rolling back into the surf.

Lava Lizard on the Red sand.

Golden Warbler.

Ghost Crab.

Mockingbird.

Vermillion Flycatcher.

Plover.

Flycatcher.

   Moss on a tree.

Cactus flowers.

A Red Rocky canyon. A
haven for some Sea Lions.

Just lazing around up the Canyon.

Looking out along the coast of Rabida.

Galapagos Dove.

Lava Lizard.

This Lava Lizard took a bite
out of the flower.

View of Red beach and Lagoon behind the beach.

Lichen patterns on the tree.

A Flycatcher with a berry in it's beak.

Looking at the sculptured rock
cliffs.

Just to show how close the
Mockingbirds came.

Here's a pair, quite close to our feet.

Motored over lunch to our afternoon location – Puerto Egas on Santiago Island, this is a black volcanic beach that was the site of a failed salt mine.

We walked across the Island to a colony of Fur Sea Lions, they have ears, as opposed to seals. There was not only some Fur Sea Lions, but a brilliant Brown Pelican with mating plumage and some Yellow Crowned Night Herons and iguanas everywhere. The black volcanic rock, had created rock bridges over the most amazing deep blue and aqua water. It made a great backdrop for the wildlife and was fun to scramble around.

We walked along the volcanic rock foreshore and saw lots more iguanas, even stacked up on each other, like you see on David Attenborough.

Those wanting to snorkel went ahead with Rafael, back to the black beach, where there was a chance to sea Green Sea Turtles. I was a bit tired and almost could not be bothered getting back into a wet wetsuit. But I couldn’t miss the final snorkel of the trip so geared up I went in, over the black sand, which had a few fish swimming across the sand, then out to the rocks which had lots of different corals and many, many fish, urchins, anemones etc. Saw another shark too. Then around the corner of the rocks the depth got shallower, there were rock ledges with algae growing on them, I was about to turn back as it was almost too shallow to safely kick, when suddenly 3, yes THREE Sea Turtles were swimming and grazing on the algae right in front of me. I was so excited, there was no one else around. I swam around with them for a bit, then yelled at Peter and Felicity and Peter, who came over and also saw one or two of them. They were quite big turtles and very close, I really could have grabbed the shell and gone for a ride, they ‘flew’ through the water, oblivious to me, my bubbles and camera, they grazed on the algae, it was excellent.

That was our last snorkelling opportunity – so very glad I decided to go in, I really wasn’t convinced we’d see Turtles.

Some sort of seed drifted ashore.

Looking through a rusted object,
remains of the Salt mine.

A Sea Lion, resting on the edge.

The Galapagos marker.

Cactus flowers.

Yellow - Crowned Night Heron.

Fur Sea Lion. 

Brown Pelican, with mating
plumage.

See these guys have longer fur and longer external
ears too.

This big Fur Sea Lion, was quite wet.

The Heron was crouched in the rocks, resting.

These Fur Sea Lions, look as comfortable as can be.

This big fella was up quite a way from the water...
and...

...decided, he was....

...going to jump in.

Marine Iguana.

Cool volcanic rock.

A rock bridge, over beautiful
clear water.

Lovely green stuff, I think this is what the Marine
Iguanas munch on.

Oystercatcher.

Cool rock, amazing erosion.

A PILE of Marine Iguana

All lined up on the ledge.

A dry and light coloured Fur Sea Lion.

Then down to the beach to the beach for a snorkel. Saw all the same fish a shark a bit closer, some different Sea Stars and the star of the show Sea Lions.

Soft coral in the sand.

The Green Sea Turtles.

I was so close. I could have touched them.

Back to the ship, where we dumped all our snorkelling gear on the transom, for the crew to collect up and clean etc for the next trip, quick shower, before an early dinner. Our final dinner up on the sky deck, a BBQ cooked up there by the Chef. Tables were made up from the day beds and set with cutlery and napkins etc, it was all very nicely done. We helped ourselves to buffet salads and BBQ – sausages, octopus, chicken and prawns, followed by a dessert of Chocolate Mousse Cake and fruit, accompanied by a nice glass of shandy.

Fiddling with the photo show. Good work pulling it
together Peter and Rosie.

Chilling with a red. Ros and Veronica.

Waiting around in the bar area. L-R Bob, John,
Penny and Suzie.

Vicente - our barman and manager of food and
things.

Carlos very proud of his BBQ dinner on Sky Deck.

Willi (Wellington) with the
 dessert. Willi, waitered in the
dining room and assisted us on and
off Zodiacs, luggage also.

Bob and Larraine.

L-R: Jenny, Penny, Lee, Marg, Bruce, Dorelle, John.

L-R: Doug, Jan, Trish, Max, Bob, Cherie.

L-R: Setsu, Karla, Bruce, Joy, David, Peter, Rosie,
Graham.

L-R: Felicity, Peter, Maude, Liz, Ros, Veronica,
Peter.

Santiago.

L-R: Ann, Bob, Larraine, Gay, Suzie and I
© Liz Allen.

Just before we were called to dinner, we started the photo show, but had to stall that for a while. Following dinner it was time for briefing, where we were informed that our flight in the morning has been brought forward to 8.30am, so now a wake up call at 5.30 and disembark at 6.30. This means we won’t get a chance to see the Giant Tortoises in the wild – bummer.

So after the completion of the photo show – which was excellent, its always interesting to see how everyone interprets things differently and sees different things on the same trip – we finalised bar bills, then down to cabins for the final pack – grrrr!!! Also needed to sort out tips for crew and guides and complete our feedback forms.