King of the Mountain and Swimming with Sea Lions

Wednesday, April 6 and Thursday, April 7, 2016 WTRD 88-89

Thinking of my Dad today on his birthday.    He would have been 89 today on our 89th day of travel.

As is write this blog it is already April 7, 2016, and we are on day 89 of our South American Adventure.  Russ and I are up and about early this morning before other passengers, having a cup of coffee (me) and cocoa (Russ) on the deck of the QB as the sun is rising over Santa Fe Island.  I am trying to stay focused and mindful of where we are and what we are doing, but it's hard because I know by this time next week we will be home.

So as we drift through the sea, my mind is drifting home.

Yesterday, we were on Santa Cruz Island with 22,000 inhabitants and home of the Charles Darwin Research Center where we walk from town to the center.

Animals have adapted to human handouts

Walking on the Edge

The biggest and basically the only project that tourists can observe here is the tortoise recovery center.  Whalers, pirates, explorers, fisherman, early inhabitants, introduced rats, cats, and birds have reduced and severely endangered the species  There are 11 species of tortoises here all who have adapted to their specific island an even their specific volcanic habitat.  Some eat high vegetation and their shells overtime have adapted to lifting their heads high, while some who eat low vegetation have a more rounded shell as there is no need to pick their mouth too far off the ground.

This turtle's shell has adapted to lifting its head high to feed on higher vegetation

Darwin's finch

There is a "poison" apple tree from which many of the turtle species eat.  This tree produces an apple that is poison to humans and produces a sticky substance that burns skin tissue.

If picked up and handled, it can burn the skin.  If swallowed it can be fatal.  But the tortoises love them and is their primary food source once they drop from the trees.  

The tortoises move quite slowly, and their days must be very boring as well.  The males spend 2-4 hours mating with a single female who is only 1/3 of their size.  The male's breast plate is concave so that he can snuggle close to his mate.  When not mating, the tortoises play king of the mountain and climb on top of one another.  Interesting behaviors.

Turtles playing king of the mountain

Later in the day we visited the highlands of Santa Cruz Island where we saw another, more rounded species of tortoise.

Into the highlands we go.  How nice to see trees!

Spanish Moss

Turtle Enjoying a Cool Mud Bath in the Bog

Andres tries on a turtle shell.  It's not easy being a turtle with a heavy shell.

Today, April 7

We started our morning with a walk on Santa Fe Island, searching for the brown land iguana, endemic to Santa Fe.  It didn't take very long for us to find several of them.

In addition to the iguana, we also saw the little Galapagos dove with blue eyes and red feet, and several other birds

These land iguanas have adapted to their yellow, orange, and green environment

Look at the Iguana Skin and that of the Cactus Trunk - Adaption.

Yellow Warbler

 and some seal lion pups nursing from their moms.

By 9:30 we were in the warm Galapagos waters snorkeling.  Young sea lions wanted to swim and play with us.  They were diving, rolling, and flipping.  I felt something tug on my fin and it was a sea lion with his mouth clamped on it trying to tug it off.  We tried to take photos of these playful guys, but they were so quick, it was next to impossible.  This morning was a lot of fun!

We stayed in the water for nearly an hour, returned to the ship, and are currently motoring to our next destination which gives us all a time to relax, read, and catch up on journals and blogs.

All is well with the Worrall Travel Rs in the Galapagos Islands