Galloping to the Galapagos - Chapter Three

Life on the Bonita Yacht

Monday, November 30

We woke up at Santiago Island with a full day of activities. Every breakfast starts with a bowl of fresh fruit and juice. Each day the juice is different: mango, watermelon, orange, tree tomato, guava, pineapple. Yogurt and granola are available, but superfluous with a hot breakfast on the way. Bacon and eggs with salsa and a ball of fried green banana (I think).

Author’s note: I tried to like it, but it just tasted like raw dough to me so was a no-go.

The first excursion of the day was a zodiac tour around Bucanero Cove, the inlet where we anchored. The landscape is rugged. These islands were formed from lava, not ash-spewing like Mount St. Helen's but slow flowing lava that over flows the side of the valcano, spilling down into the water to build up until there is an island.

We see our first Blue Footed Boobies, starfish - including round red and green ones, and rock formations that look like a monk and an elephant - you might have to look hard to see the elephant.

Author's note: I was really looking forward to the Blue Fotted Boobies, and indeed their feet are very blue.

We saw frolicking sea lions (right beside our zodiac!), resting sea lions and a friendly pelican.

Author's note: We often saw the pelicans 'shivering' which I believe is a behavior as opposed to a comment on water temperature.

Our next excursion is in the same cove, snorkeling with sea lions, and lots of different fish.

Chef starts lunch with a demo of how to make ceviche, which is delicious! It’s served the traditional Galapagos way with fried plantain chips and popcorn! Lunch is steak with sautéed veggies and rice - again with a great sauce! Sponge cake with whipped cream is dessert.

After lunch snorkeling in front of Espumilla Beach is not as good. Lots of rocks and crevices with many pencil urchins, an interesting school of skinny long mullets, but not much else.

Early afternoon's activity is exploring Egas Port. We spot Sea Lions as soon as we start walking. This guy was napping on a ledge right beside the path totally oblivious to our presence.

Again we see Land Iguanas and Marine Iguanas - and lizards who just pretend we aren't there.

We walk all the way to the natural bridge that looks (to me) like a giant bird about to take a bite.

On our way back we find a group of sea lion cubs. One was focused on nursing but three very inquisitive babies wanted to interact with us. We were so close we could have picked them up, but of course we didn't.