Santa Cruz Island highlands and North Seymour Island
Can it really get any better than this?
Rather early in the morning, I awoke everyone in order to prepare for our explorations into the highlands of Santa Cruz Island. We departed from the south-eastern corner where the town of Puerto Ayora resides, with all its people and stores. The buses were awaiting us, and up into the green highlands we went. The transition from the dry lowlands into lush pasture land was remarkable and quick. One has to pass through the two small towns of Bellavista and Santa Rosa in order to arrive where the large, domed race of giant tortoise roams the fields and forests. Today the island received its first rains of the “rainy” season. I have mentioned in earlier reports that this year seems to be a drought year. Well, the rains have finally arrived, but today they lasted only a short while, and didn’t dampen our spirits in the least. The tortoises we encountered had shiny carapaces from the light rain which washed them clean (except for the individual in the mud pool). Soon enough the rain stopped and the birds fluffed their feathers and started once again with their mating calls. Now they could start thinking of breeding, as the plants were also thinking of reproducing through flower and seed.
The afternoon proved spectacular. We arrived at North Seymour Island when the sun started heading for the horizon. Land iguanas showed their trails, then their tails, then in full. The marine iguanas sprawled over rock, sand and bush catching the last rays of light before nightfall. The show-stealers were the blue-footed boobies, however, unabashedly courting, parading their feet and mating. The frigates (both magnificent and great) had gular pouches inflated, others with chicks in nests.
Meanwhile the breakers were back-lit by the setting sun outlining surfing sea-lions. I wouldn’t mind an incarnation into a Galápagos sea-lion on an afternoon such as this. It made my day when I received a sea-lion kiss by way of whiskers tickling my face. The innocent curiosity of the young pups towards us humans is enough to catch my breath.
Can it really get any better than this?
Rather early in the morning, I awoke everyone in order to prepare for our explorations into the highlands of Santa Cruz Island. We departed from the south-eastern corner where the town of Puerto Ayora resides, with all its people and stores. The buses were awaiting us, and up into the green highlands we went. The transition from the dry lowlands into lush pasture land was remarkable and quick. One has to pass through the two small towns of Bellavista and Santa Rosa in order to arrive where the large, domed race of giant tortoise roams the fields and forests. Today the island received its first rains of the “rainy” season. I have mentioned in earlier reports that this year seems to be a drought year. Well, the rains have finally arrived, but today they lasted only a short while, and didn’t dampen our spirits in the least. The tortoises we encountered had shiny carapaces from the light rain which washed them clean (except for the individual in the mud pool). Soon enough the rain stopped and the birds fluffed their feathers and started once again with their mating calls. Now they could start thinking of breeding, as the plants were also thinking of reproducing through flower and seed.
The afternoon proved spectacular. We arrived at North Seymour Island when the sun started heading for the horizon. Land iguanas showed their trails, then their tails, then in full. The marine iguanas sprawled over rock, sand and bush catching the last rays of light before nightfall. The show-stealers were the blue-footed boobies, however, unabashedly courting, parading their feet and mating. The frigates (both magnificent and great) had gular pouches inflated, others with chicks in nests.
Meanwhile the breakers were back-lit by the setting sun outlining surfing sea-lions. I wouldn’t mind an incarnation into a Galápagos sea-lion on an afternoon such as this. It made my day when I received a sea-lion kiss by way of whiskers tickling my face. The innocent curiosity of the young pups towards us humans is enough to catch my breath.
