Galapagos, Day 7

We had a long voyage overnight from Floreana to Espanola. It was quite rough, and for once I had difficulty sleeping. Patrizio later informed us that there was a 2 metre swell. We woke up at the idyllic Gardener Bay, where we could see a long, sandy beach adorned with sea lions. We set off towards this after breakfast, and walked amongst the sea lions, who didn't seem to care about us.Here reality hit home to me in a big way. I was almost reduced to tears, as there was a new-born baby that couldn't find its mother - doomed. It followed us around, pathetically bleating. And there was another almost dead one. More trouble in paradise. I was so sad and so powerless to do anything.

There were many mocking birds, finches, plummeting boobies and pelicans, lava lizards and pigmented marine iguanas, a reddish colour rather than the normal grey. We also saw a lava heron catch a finch in is beak. We don't know whether it intended eating it or was just annoyed by it, but it was quite inpressive, and Alessandro and Victor Hugo said it was behaviour they hadn't seen before.

We snorkelled off the beach, towards a rocky formation off-shore and 4 young sea lions frolicked with me for a while. I was quite wary of the large male that swam by. The numbers and colours of fish were astounding. I spotted a couple of rays on the way back to the beach.

Sadly, that was the final snorkel, and all the gear had to be returned. Sad also knowing that this is the last full day.

We then motored around to Suarez Point, where we were promised the most challenging but rewarding walk on the galapagos. The challenge was the uneven, rocky terrain, but it was not too bad. Bruce had convinced Chuck to try, and despite his age, he coped better than sme of the younguns.

Blue Footed BoobyNazca (masked) Booby

                                                    Lava Heron with Darwin Finch in beak

And the rewards? Waved albatross (adults and chicks), a huge colony of Blue-footed boobies and Nazca boobies, more iguanas and sea lions, Galapagos Hawks, Frigate Birds, swallow-tailed gulls, a blow hole, tropic birds.............so many birds, it was all covered in poo and smelled bad. Wonderful.

Big Chicken (Waved Albatross)