0302
Ecuador (Galapagos)

10 Days in Galapagos
Leaving Guayaquil
Quality inflight meal
islands in sight
touch down
Welcome to the Galapagos
Crossing the channel to Santa Cruz Island
The tourist hub of the archapelagio
hitch across the island
from the brush dry desert North




To the tourist hub of Puerto Ayorta


where I check into the cheapest dive I could find
my first lizard
hurry over to the giant turtle farm
to witness the large and endangered beasts
that the islands are famous for
A story of destruction
brought about by humans and alien predators
and the current efforts to stop the trend
by incubating and rearing the turtles
before returning them to their native environments


Lonesome George - The last of his kind


Back the next morning for a better look






and also to the iguana farm aside
a giant breed
also under danger of extinction


and finally to the finch sanctuary
the bird resp. for Darwin_s theory of evolution
ofcourse also in danger
a walk along the coast
to witness some of the wild ones
basking in the sun
and without any real fear of anything


thousands of birds

blue footed boobies
pelicans
waiting for the fishermen

and fleeing from predators like me

light footed crabs





and sea lions


back to the port
and to the Salinas

across a cactus forest




To Los Griegas


and the mangroves of Playa Alemania
join with an afternoon snorkel tour
for a chance to see more





and ending in the same




A misty day stroll to Tortuga Bay
a brilliant walk through immense nature













to the white sands of Tortuga Bay

Tortuga Bay
iguana trail

they really have no fear
crab homes
curious birds



and back
once again across the island
to see some craters
and for a day of scuba diving

at Gordon Rocks
a world famous sight
the start of a great day


we saw it all
and again back across the island
to walk the lava tunnels

before hiking to Garrapatero Beach


where i camped the night

and was invited to a fish lunch by the guard
The boat to Isabela Island
where i saw another turtle farm

and a more tropical nature




while hitching my way
and fixing my way
to see the volcano Sierra Negra
the largest in the world
but not terribly exciting actually
more exciting was the exotic adventure skydivers
and Bill Booth the inventor of the 3-ring release
and the inventor of Javelin rigs
another snorkel tour

this time to see penguins
more boobies


more lava

more sea lions
and more igunanas
alot more





godzilla




the skydivers snorkeling
the flight back
Goodbye Galapagos