A visit to Isabela Island

Got an early start to go to Isabella island today (although maybe every morning will start with a 6 am breakfast and 7 am walk to the pier). They said it would be a 2 hour boat ride - it was at least that! 

The boat was not what I expected. No yacht for us (ok I want expecting that either), but a fully enclosed boat with 15 double seats, and cloudy plexiglas windows, some of which open (ie. mine). Of course as we get going I understand the enclosure.  We're bouncing around on the waves, water's splashing up high on the windows and front of the boat, and we're quickly in the middle of the ocean with little land in sight - just small piles of rocks in the distance (these must be the islets).  really nothing to see except for the occasional albatross flying nearby.  I heard I might see whales or dolphins, but no luck (or maybe just didn't pay attention enough).

We finally arrived at Isabela Island and met our guide for the day, Carlos.  Isabela is the largest island, mainly because out is really five volcanoes that merged into 1 big island over time.  We stayed around the two southernmost volcanoes.

We started at a viewpoint.  In the distance one of the islets across the way seemed to disappear and reappear over time due to cloud cover, this the reason the islands were originally called the "enchanted islands" (wonder if that's where they got the idea for Bali Hai).

I got some great pictures of a couple  of mockingbirds (you can sing the song now...to yourself, so people don't think you're strange.)  We learned there are two types of cacti on the island - candelabra and lava.  The trunk of the older lava cactus looks like the bark of a tree and no longer had needles there.

Stopped at an inlet.  They had tons of marine iguanas, and the males were not the dark black we have been seeing.  They have more colors because of the coral and sea urchins they eat.  Carlos mentioned they recently found a new type of iguana near one of the volcanos - it's pink!

We also got a surprise visit from a peligan, and Rosie saw black crabs.  They are black for camoflage against the black rocks.

I found ET. What do you think?

Back on the road again to visit the Giant Tortoise Breeding Center, which had two is the five types of tortoises on the island (one for each volcano, ie previously separate islands).  The shells for the tortoises are different as they adapted to their environment.  One in a rainier area has a more rounded shell; another evolved with what looks like a half circle taken out of the front of their shell because they lived in an area where they had to reach up to eat.  Quick note, 10 of the world's 12 giant tortoises are in the galapogos, half of those on Isabela. 

We ended the day with a quick stop to see flamingos, and then snorkeling.  I saw a sargeant major fish (black and white striped with yellow on top), as well as several I didn't recognize. 

Then back on the boat for the 2 hour ride home.  At least I have me time to write this. 

Everyone else shows up tomorrow afternoon.  Not sure yet what we're going to do in the morning, maybe some snorkeling.

New animals seen:  albatross, lizards, black crabs, flamingos, mockingbirds, giant tortoises, peligan