The trail was paved all the way, just as well to protect the wildlife and flora. It was a very peaceful walk. We were accompanied by the sounds of finches. Hundreds of Lava lizards were basking on the path and scurried out of our way.
The beach looked amazing and just like Isla Gardner the sand was absolutely beautiful.
Beautiful as it is though, you can´t swim here because of the strong rip currents...unless you are an Marine Iguana of course! These two were taking a stroll on the miles of white sand. Where are you going?
We walked along the deserted beach passing only a few people. At the end of the beach was a rocky point were puffer fish had been trapped by the tide going out and swam in the shallow water with other small fish.
We spotted a Lava Heron waiting patiently for its quarry of Sally Lightfoot Crabs or Ghost Crabs.
As the beach curved around the point, the mangroves took over the shore line with their roots poking up through the sand like a mini forest.
Oh hi! A very large and static Grey Blue Heron hunting in the mangroves.
A trail was clearly marked around the coastline and it was really pleasant to follow this ourselves.
Another static Grey Blue Heron...they really are enormous at over a metre in height. We can see you! In the background is a Opuntia forest.
A group of large Marine Iguanas just off the trails edge, had their eyes closed and were totally crashed out.
The trail took us across some mega lava formations. Here's Wiji at the waters edge with Tortuga bay in the backgound. It was here that we looked over the edge and saw a Marine Iguana swimming in the water below. We rushed to film it in a comedy way. We hadn't seen any swimming so this was brilliant!
After following the trail on to the bay we swam in the warm shallow waters. We were later joined by our German friend from Isabela, Monica who lent Wiji her snorkle to see some of the Puffer Fish swimming about around us.
We hired a sea kayak from the Galapagos equivalent of coconut man in Tortuguero. We paddled around Tortuga bay in search of Turtles. We saw one at close range as it popped its head out of the water and was instantly surprised to see us pearing back. It was huge and probably a Green Turtle. We saw some other smaller turtles around the bay as we paddled about having a happy time of exploring the mangroves and the Sally Lightfoot Crab encrusted lava rocks. Wiji paddled at times like a maniac making the Kayak go really fast and lifting the front end that I was in out of the water nearly! We managed to amuse ourselves for some time, and had the bay mostly to ourselves.
Finally amoungst the mangrove roots on Tortuga Bay, a Ghost Crab that was out of its hole for more than a second!
Big Daddy Marine Iguana holds on tight to a rock as he sunbathes with his eyes shut.
When we decided to head back I instantly wished I had taken a few more photos so legged it back to the trail getting this piccy of Wiji in the distance on the main beach swinging our carrier bag about his legs to unsucessfully fend of the rather large horse flies that bit our calves. I wanted to get a picture of this part of the beach from the trail.
On each side of the trail were millions of Sea Urchin spines lying amongst the sand and small shells.
Looking back at part of the trail we followed. It was a very peaceful hot day.
Lots of Finches on the Sea Purslane.
Back on the main beach, a lone Marine Iguana heads back to the mangroves and towards Tortuga bay.
Wiji waits patiently for me...now stuck in the sand!
We decided that having really explored Tortuga Bay we should maybe chill on the main beach for a bit and watch the sea, as this would be our last chance.
Soon enough we were accompanied by the Common Cactus Finch, who hopped about our legs.
We watched the finch for ages...it was so close.
Here is a film of the swimming Marine Iguanas, a perfectly stationary Lava Heron and a couple of the lovely little Finches we came across.
After watching the Finch we took a last look at the beach and headed back on the trail path again with lots of Finches in the late afternoon sun.
This one was really looking at me.
A bit like a teasel on the outside, some kind of vine growing fruit.
A close up of a cactus trunk with its oozing papery bark.
The fruit that we first saw and ate the seeds of on our walk in the highlands of Santa Cruz with Lobo and the group. It tasted like passionfruit. We didn´t pick this one.
We really did dordle back from Tortuga Bay, having had such a lovely time. When we reached the gate we signed out and brought another lovely mora berry ice cream for the walk back into town.
Later that evening we visited our favourite Cevicheria. Here is Wiji enjoying the raw fish. This was our last meal here. We later went for a drink at the Limon Y Cafe then called it a night.
We had a totally amazing time in the Galapagos and were really glad that we had extended our stay. We hope that we can come back here one day and visit the north islands, Bartolome, Genovesa and Fernandina. Maybe when we are in our 50's?!
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