Floreana
Galapagos means tortoise. The giant tortoises make the enchanted isles famous. Sea turtles get less press. Yet the marine turtles connect us, returning to the white sandy beaches where they were born to nest on both sides of the equator.
We began our day on National Geographic Endeavour visiting the post office barrel where, like the whalers, we picked up letters we promise to hand deliver and left postcards for other sailors to carry to far away places for friends and family. On the Zodiac ride we witnessed sea turtles mating. A sea turtle left her tracks on the beach where she crawled out last night and nested, leaving leathery eggs for Mother Nature to incubate on the mystery island of Floreana.
Blue water snorkeling around Champion Islet provided us with extraordinarily clear and calm conditions. Blue footed boobies were diving for fish, sea lion pups played with a sea cucumber, colorful king angelfish schooled, and a green sea turtle surfaced for air before returning to her house on the edge of the reef.
Punta Cormorant is a favorite nesting beach for sea turtles. This afternoon a few hatchlings crawled out of their chamber ready to run for the sea. They were met by frigate birds, diving and swooping in on them, carrying them off for a gourmet meal. Predation, like protection, is respected in the Galápagos National Park. Frigates must make a living too.
The circle that makes life was in the landscapes and portraits of our experiences today.
Galapagos means tortoise. The giant tortoises make the enchanted isles famous. Sea turtles get less press. Yet the marine turtles connect us, returning to the white sandy beaches where they were born to nest on both sides of the equator.
We began our day on National Geographic Endeavour visiting the post office barrel where, like the whalers, we picked up letters we promise to hand deliver and left postcards for other sailors to carry to far away places for friends and family. On the Zodiac ride we witnessed sea turtles mating. A sea turtle left her tracks on the beach where she crawled out last night and nested, leaving leathery eggs for Mother Nature to incubate on the mystery island of Floreana.
Blue water snorkeling around Champion Islet provided us with extraordinarily clear and calm conditions. Blue footed boobies were diving for fish, sea lion pups played with a sea cucumber, colorful king angelfish schooled, and a green sea turtle surfaced for air before returning to her house on the edge of the reef.
Punta Cormorant is a favorite nesting beach for sea turtles. This afternoon a few hatchlings crawled out of their chamber ready to run for the sea. They were met by frigate birds, diving and swooping in on them, carrying them off for a gourmet meal. Predation, like protection, is respected in the Galápagos National Park. Frigates must make a living too.
The circle that makes life was in the landscapes and portraits of our experiences today.
