Sleeping with Sea lions

23:05 mareku 0 Comments

All those (early) wake up calls can really make you tired: but luckily during the day I have a chance to sleep on the beach (if the Sea lions are not making to much noise and the babies are not to playfull)
It is our last day  of the week stay - which seems much much longer - and still we see some new animals, like the hammer head sharks, all kinds of fish (both under water) and young Albatrosses. They practice their wings before they take off for a (non-stop!) two year flight across the ocean.

The Post Office, Dolphins and Rays

22:59 mareku 0 Comments

On one of the Islands here the is a "Post Office" where people leave letters for other to pick up and to deliver. We left a couple and took a couple to deliver in Holland. It actually seem to work better then our TNT post system with all the strikes...
On our way the captain saw dolphins and we were off with the Zodiacs to watch them. They too were happy to see us and stayed a long time in our company. After that we visited a shallow mangrove bay where the rays get serviced against parasites by small fish.

Camcorders are out.

22:54 mareku 0 Comments

5 years ago when you were on vacation everybody was carrying camcorders are filming every single event. now I noticed nobody is using these things anymore and (digital)photography rules. is it because of the editing or just because we do not want to bother our friends with a whole movie? look at YouTube: you seldom find a classic holiday movie on it...
I also noticed that very few people even know how the movie feature of the point and shoot cameras works...

Next to the big animals we have seen the famous (Darwin) finches, mockingbirds (which can be very curious indeed) and lots of pretty flowers on the islands. Every morning I start out with yoga / stretching lessons of Roxane on the sun deck.(JoJo will be happy) We also crossed the Equator and got our certificates from the captain. 

22:49 mareku 0 Comments

There is almost as much staff on board as there are passengers, so we are really pampered. the service, food, explanation of the naturalists is all excellent and it surpasses my high expectations.
Is this the best way to see the Galapagos? Yes it must be!
Anyway - every day I expect that I have seen it all - but then just around the corner there is yet an other animal which comes up to you.
Today we had our first swimming games with the sea lions (which are in the video that I am making and publish later - I hope)

The secret of how to become 200 years old: move very, very slowly...

22:47 mareku 0 Comments

We had a rocky night, but the motion sickness pills did their job - and we didn't notice any discomfort. We arrived at Puerto Ayora at the Santa Cruz Island. Here is the Charles Darwin Research station where we had a look at the captive breeding program of the giant tortoises. And of course to see lonesome George, the tortoise who is the last of its species.

Then we were of to see the giant tortoises in the wild and I was amazed how many there are - everywhere were you looked you almost literally stumble over these animals.
The amazing thing of the Galapagos animals is that they really do not fear people, so you can come up very close to them. Sometimes they even approach you. That is the case with all kinds of animals: pelicans, sea lions, tortoises, lizards you name it... It's an exceptional experience and one you will remember for the rest of your life I guess.

22:43 mareku 0 Comments

After a very early wake up call at six we found out that the ship anchored at Bartolomé island, after sailing there at night. we climbed to the summit of the volcano and had a magnificent view of the island and its famous pinnacle rock. 







We snorkeled at the beach which was completely deserted except for some sea lions, a hawk, sea iguanas, crabs etc. etc. down under were many, many fish in huge schools. after this we were immediately on our way to the next stop: Santiago Island where the zodiacs brought us ashore to see seals and many many other animals.