Galapagos Islands - Day One - North Seymour

The Galapagos Islands have been a dream destination for Clairy for a very long time. Therefore, after much discussion we decided their was no way we could be this close and not give them a visit. Finding the right boat, itinerary and (hopefully) group of people was always going to be a tad tricky.

We read through our (pretty decent) Galapagos section in the Ecuador Lonely Planet and decided on our essential items. After a bit of searching we came across a nice Quitoan lady by the name of Monica who found us a place on the boat we had decided on. Monica spoke very little English though, making the process slightly more complicated, however her way of referring to me as Weeeeleeeeaaaam always raised a smile.

After confirming we wanted to go, we realised we had just 3 days to stump up the cash . For some bizarre reason none of the Quito based tour operators seem able to accept credit/debit cards, so many overly stressful banking visits were required to enable us to get the desired large wads. Later we found that most others had faced a similar dash for cash situation in Quito's most muggable neighbourhoods.

As ours was a well late booking, we had to catch a bus first to Guayaquil, an 8 hour trek from Quito to get the plane to Isla Baltra on the Galapagos Islands. We decided we didn't want to be totally pooped when we arrived, so did this bus journey the day before and had a comedy night in a fairly nice hotel only slightly spoiled by the 30 or 40 kids having a party at 3am in the hotel room next to ours. We got our own back in the morning by hammering on the doors at 5:45 and then running off to breakfast. Clair then really rubbed it in by ringing them from the hotel phone system until they picked up then swiftly hanging up. God yeah...we can be mature if we need to be!

Soon we were off! We were both insanely excited and after one and a half hours we could make out some beautiful looking islands below us!


Mmmm...Lovely blue sea.




The landscape on Isla Baltra itself is hot and arid with lots of bright red volcanic rocks. We later found out that those darn Americans had dynamited the island to build an airbase during the second world war.


The airport on Isla Baltra is tiny, and we were soon the other side of immigration and trying to locate our guide. I asked another guide and he helpfully informed me that he hadn't seen our boat in these waters for months. He did it with an entirely straight face so I'm not sure whether he was just being a git or not. Soon enough though we were introduced to Lobo who rounded us all up, made sure we had our luggage and we all popped on the bus to take us to the boat. We were pretty chuffed that our group was mainly youngish (having been slightly concerned we might end up with a boat full of wrinkleys), and it was nice combination of many different nationalities.

Waiting for our boat the Floreana to round the headland, we spotted some Sealions lounging on various buoys, and a couple of Blue-Footed Boobies swooped overhead. Soon enough though it sailed into view.


As the boat set off towards Seymour Island, we were introduced to each other and our naturalist Lobo laid out the various rules that had to be followed when visiting the islands. There were quite a lot of rules and regulations, but as the week went on we definitely came to appreciate just how necessary they all were. We were shown to our cabins which were pretty nice considering the tiny space available. We had bunk beds, air-con and a private bathroom. We were pleased to not be right next to the engine.

Soon enough the bell was rung (an increasingly familiar feature throughout the week!) and we all were loaded on to the two small inflatable motorboats to be taken to our first trail. It was a dry landing, and a young Sealion was shouting away at no one in particular on the landing steps. There were literally hundreds of these stunning Sally-Lightfoot Crabs so I snapped a quick piccy (it would be the first of many).


We all filed past the little Sealion and began our crawling pace behind Lobo on round the trail. Lobo had explained that we would be going at his pace for various reasons. One, so that we didn't all march off and trample anything. Two, so that if there was something to see, we could slowly all go past and get a piccy. Three to keep us out of any danger.

We soon passed some beautiful Blue-Footed Boobies. This was where we realised just how different the place is to almost anywhere else. The birds have no fear of humans. We were literally walking not 2 metres from them and they would occasionally glance at you but not shy away at all. It was incredible. This is a male with an egg.


We then passed some Frigate birds. Some of the males had their red gular pouches inflated.


At this point I was slightly worrying that the pace we were going at was just so outrageously slow and that Lobo may be someone who really likes the sound of his own voice. It was also quite painful that everything he said he had to repeat in Spanish, for a French lady who didn't understand English too well (I mean come on...there were fifteen of us and only one of her!). But I eventually realised that he was just genuinely enthusiastic about his subjects and wanted to give us as broad a knowledge as possible.

The climate was dry and arid. The trees look dead but are just dormant until the wet season. You can see the white and black markers that indicate the trail you must not venture outside of.


Our first encounter with the Land Iguana. There are many different subspecies on the different islands.


Our boat anchored off the island.


We went down a tiny trail to the cliff-edge where this pile of Frigate birds were hanging out.


All over the place are these painted locusts. They have quite a comedy flying technique where they don't have much directional control, hense they seemed to bounce of us quite regularly.


We were about a foot away from these lady Frigate birds, but they didn't seem to mind. I like the beady eye of the one further away, checking us out.


The Land Iguanas have a very strange expression. The slope of there mouths often makes them look like they're smiling.


'Oh hi! I can't believe I'm on the Galapagos Islands!'


A dead Frigate bird.


Definitely an alive one.


As we passed back the way we had came, this same bird from a previous piccy had been joined by her mate, who was feeling a mite protective of her. Apparently males regularly sit with their wing over their mate to indicate she's taken.


Totally crashed out. A familiar pose.


Cactus fruits. This cactus is endemic to this island (it is the only place where it reproduces). There are many different subspecies of these cactii, that all look substantially different.


Ahh, this Blue-Footed Booby was doing their trademark slow foot lifting dance. Such lovely little things.


We loved the way this nesting one had carefully done its business around the nest in an explosive style.


A beautiful sunset appeared as we reached the beach at the end of the trail.


And we were greeted by a sleeping Sealion colony. They feed during the night, so spend a lot of the day just lying about the place.


We got back on the boat, were advised of our busy schedule tomorrow then had our first dinner together with a free ships cocktail. Here we met the Captain. Lyn, a nice French-Canadian women asked how long he'd been piloting boats. He replied that that he'd been doing it just a week, and had learned it from a simluation on the internet. Before that he claimed that he owed a horse ranch. She almost believed him as well. Twas well funny. The food was fab as well. Lots of veggies and nice simple meals. I had been a bit nervous about leaving our food supplies up to someone else for a week but it looked like it would be just fine!

A great start to our Galapagos adventure!