Galapagos – swimming with sea lion pups and our last day in isolation

Another early start, and back on the zodiacs, this time to visit Santiago to see fur seals (although I still can’t tell the difference between a seal and a sea lion). Another wet landing onto a volcanic beach with black sand, and then off on the long walk in search of fur seals. We walked over the lava fields and this time arrived at pools with lava bridges, with turquoise blue sea with the fur seals resting. Ali got to see her favourite bird, the oystercatcher. We saw lava gulls, grear blue heronlava heron, yellow crowned night heron, ruddy turnstone, sandpiper, Sanderling, yellow warbler, Smooth billed ani, marine iguana, lava lizards but before all that, we saw a huge pod of dolphins circling the ship.

Then the best ever snorkelling, the water was so clear, you only went a few inches when I was met by a sea lion pup swimming directly towards me and then quickly twisting. The topical fish were amazing, the colours of oranges, black, rainbow fish were amazing but the best bit was by far the sea lion pups, they twisted, turned, swam directly by the side of you. They mimicked your every move so I would dive down and they would follow but in a much more elegant way. They swam directly to my mask, and then quickly twisted by the side of me. The smallest seal pup was playing with a flipper lost by someone else, when I retrieved it, it just stared at me right in the face as those it couldn’t comprehend why I was taking its new toy. They really are like puppies and swimming with them is something I will never forget.

A Mexican lunch and the afternoon lecture was done in small groups with our naturalists from Galapagos talking about their lives on the islands and growing up in paradise. 95% of islanders are very conservation aware, however education and healthcare is very much lacking on the islands. It was also the last straw of people asking us if we were sisters, my automatic response now is that ‘we are engaged’. I still find it funny when people say ‘that’s ok’, as though we are seeking approval but I know it’s nothing vindictive, they just don’t know what to say.

Our afternoon excursion was on the Island of Santa Cruz, and a very different terrain, every island has been so different. This island had very red dry soil. We had a very welcome dry landing, and over the lava field onto the beach and more marine iguana’s. We are getting quite complacent of marine iguana’s. We saw an inland lake with WImbrels and black necked stilts then walked to the top of a vantage point to a great view over the islands we have visited, Isabela, Bartholme, Baltra and Santiago. On route we saw the yellow land iguana’s. Unfortunately this is our last day in utter islation, tomorrow we are back in civilisation and seeing people. We have been on our own on the islands, just us and the animals. All good things must come to an end, but tomorrow is going to be a highlight, the giant tortoise at the Charles Darwin research centre.