Monday, February 13, 2012
Jack's Revised presentation
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Packing list by Mikey Oh
Suggested packing list by Mikey Oh
1.
SUNSCREEN! A LOT OF THEM
2.
A whole bunch of socks
3.
Mole skin
4.
Good walking shoes + good shoes/sandles that dries well for wet landing
5.
Sunglasses
6.
Spanish-English Dictionary
Galapagos Costal Life - Mikey Oh
Mike
Oh
Galapagos
Winter Term
Photo
Essay: Coastal life of the Galapagos
Galapagos fur seals are endemic to
the Galapagos Islands. They are
the smallest of the eared seals, or otariids. They live on rocky cliffs by the
water where shade is provided to protect them from the sun. The picture is showing habitat of the
fur seal, and a fur seal pup. Fur
seals have the longest nursing period than any other seals, and the adult fur
seals leave their offspring behind for up to four days while they go hunt for
food. Their usual diet is fish or
squids, and they usually hunt at night.
Reason they usually hunt at night is because their diets are easier to
hunt during night; squids rise near the surface during nighttime. They live in
colonies, but during mating season (mid-August to mid-November), female seals
have their own territory to breed in.
In order to reproduce, females must protect their territory; therefore
extremely violent to other pups that are not their own. Large amount of pups die during the
time of El Nino because of starvation.
During El Nino, fur seal population decreases by large percentage. However, fur seal do not face constant
danger of predators. Sharks and orcas
can be recognized as their predator, but it is very rare.
Galapagos penguin is endemic to the Galapagos Islands. They are primarily seen on Fernandina and Isabela Island, but they also appear on other islands such as Bartolome Island or Santiago Island. They are third smallest penguin, and only penguin to cross the northern hemisphere. They feed on small fish, hunt during the day and stay on land during the night. They don’t stay too far from their breeding sites, and mainly depend on the cold currents for their food. Their breeding pattern is very interesting that during El Nino, they put off breeding in order to raise the chances of survival. They usually put off breeding unless the surface temperature of the ocean is below 24°C. Since the Galapagos is located on the equator, the strong sun becomes major problem for Galapagos penguin. They have developed behaviors to stay cool on land, although main method is going into the water. They hunch over to provide shadow for their feet, where they can lose heat due to the blood flow. Also, they are able to pant to cool the throat. Their small size resulted in having many predators, on land and under water. Hawk, owl, and snakes attack penguins, and sea lions, fur seals, and sharks hunt penguins. Also, El Nino destroys Galapagos penguin’s food source, resulting decrease in population.
Red-footed boobies are the smallest
of all types of boobies. They can
be differentiated from other boobies by its red foot and blue and pink
beak. They are not endemic to the
Galapagos Islands, but found on many tropical islands. They feed at sea, with their great
diving skills. They are also
strong fliers that they can travel about 150km to hunt. They are well adapted
for diving with their closable nostrils, long bills, and long wings to wrap the
body before the diving. Once under
water, they use their feet to swim.
They nest on land around coast.
They have several morphs, such as white morph or brown morph, which
describes their body color. Red-footed
boobies live longest out of 3 boobies in the Galapagos. However, their reproduction rate is
slower than Blue-footed or Nazka boobies.
Unlike other two boobies, Red-footed boobies lay their eggs on the
tree. They mate in large mass, and
both parents takes care of the egg.
Marine Iguana is endemic iguana to the Galapagos Islands, and has unique ability to be underwater. Their ancestor is thought to be the green iguana of South America, taken by the current leading to the Galapagos Islands. It dives about 10 m into the water, and uses its tail and body movement to swim. Their tails are flat on the sides unlike round tail of land iguana, which helps them swim. They dive to eat marine algae or seaweed, and they shoot out excess salt from their body using special gland in their nostril. Because of the cold seawater, they must warm their body with sun before diving. This is why it is common to see marine iguanas sunbathing on rocks by the coast. Their black body color also helps them absorb heat quickly, which helps them minimize the danger of losing too much heat after emerging from water. Marine Iguanas cannot move effectively if their body heat is low. They are very vulnerable after eating underwater, therefore becomes aggressive before warming up. Another time Marine Iguanas are aggressive is during mating season. Males are highly territorial while mating season, protecting group of females.
Galapagos sea lions are descendent of California sea lions. The current leading to the Galapagos
has brought some of the California sea lions to the archipelago. They are slightly smaller than
California sea lions, and they are around 1.5m~2.5m, and weigh up to
400kg. They live around the coast
forming community with one alpha male.
Other males who lost the competition live in separate community
consisted of other males without power.
They challenge alpha male, fighting for the territory. Because of this challenge system, male sea lions develop many
different traits. Their forehead
grows larger and pointier to use during the fight, and their necks get thicker
and tougher to protect its vital organs.
Most dominant males don’t last over few months. One that loses gets chased off from the
community, moving in with other males.
The alpha male constantly patrols around their territory, checking both
underwater and land. The female
recognizes its cub through its smell and bark. The female can spot its cub’s bark within large number of
other cubs barking. The cow
nurtures its pup up to 3 years, having a very strong bond between the mother
and the cub. Large part of their
daily life is lying around the beach sunbathing in large groups.
Jack's Birds of the Galapagos
Birds of the Galapagos
Jack Russell
The Galapagos
Albatross, also known as the Waved Albatross, are the largest birds found
within the Galapagos Islands. There are various different types of Albatrosses,
all belonging to the Diomedeidae family, throughout the world, however the
Waved Albatross is the only one who resides in a tropic location. Within the
family, the Galapagos Albatross is only mid-sized comparatively. They weight
around 7.5 lbs and have a wing span between 2-3 meters long.
These
birds primarily feed on fish, squid, and crustaceans. From the food, they
produce a type of stomach oil that they store in the proventriculus. This oil
is used as energy for long flights and also is used to feed their chicks.
One
of the most distinctive attributes of the Galapagos Albatross is their mating
dance. The picture above was taken in during the mating dance. Through a series
of clicks, snaps, and moans, the Albatross move their heads up and down then
side to side in sync wit the sounds that they are making. The mating season is
between April and June, and then they incubate the eggs for the next two
months. Their nests are found is rocky areas with little vegetation and brush.
The Blue-Footed
Booby is a tropical bird most know for their blue webbed feet and dwelling
throughout the Galapagos Islands. The name Blue-Footed Booby was appointed due
to their blue feet and their clumsiness on land. Booby, coming from the Spanish
word, bobo, means “silly” or clown.” They used to be a fine source of food on
the island because they were easy to capture and good to eat. The Blue-Footed
Booby is one of ten species that make up the Sulidae family. These birds
averagly weight a little over 3lbs and are 32in long. Their diets include of
sardines, anchovies, mackerel, and flying fish. When hunting they work in
groups and wait for the leader to nose dive into the water, at which point they
all follow. This allows them to separate and surround their prey at the same
time.
The
males impress the females by showing off their bright blue feet by stomping
them on the ground and dance side to side. The male then spreads his wings and
lets out his call. The Boobys are monogamous, in which they have a breeding
ground in which they meet back up with their mate, or in some cases try to find
a new one. This cycle repeats every 8-9 months. Both the male and the female
care for the eggs, switching day by day. They care for 2-3 eggs at a time and
are one of the few birds on Galapagos that rears more than one chick at a time.
The Frigatebird is
one of the most aggressive birds in the sky. Deriving from the Fregatidae
family, they are one of five within their species. Also known as Pirate Birds,
Frigates have a reputation for stealing food from other birds mid-flight.
Working in packs and using the hooks on the ends of their bills, they force
birds to either drop the fish that they have caught, or induce vomiting which
the Frigatebirds also feed from. Although Frigates are seabirds, they do not go
into the water. This is because they do not have waterproof feathers. So if
they were to drive into the water, they would not be able to take back off.
Their only source of food is from stealing from other birds.
Frigatebirds
have long cornered wings and a pointed double-prong tail. The male Frigatebird
has a large red gular pouch that inflates in order to attract females. They
only acquire one spouse and they nest colonially. Their nests are placed on the
ground in light brush. They only lay one egg and both parents care for the egg
and the chick. The frigatebirds don’t mate annually simply because it takes so
long to finish rearing their young.
The Yellow-crowned Night Heron is a medium-large sized
water-bird that is part of the Ardeidae family. The have a wingspan of 39in and
are 23in long. These birds are found on multiple islands within the Galapagos,
including: Fernandia Island, Isabela Island, Tower Island, and San Cristobal
Island. The Yellow-Crowned Night heron is endemic to the Galapagos.
The Yellow-Crowned Night Heron is active during both the night
and the day, and feeds on insects of crabs. They bread year round and nest
close to the ground on roots and rocks. The adults have dark grey feathers
while the along have more of a brownish tint.
The Galapagos Hawk is at the top of the food chain within the
Galapagos Islands. It usually has dark brown feathers and is 55cm long, with a
wingspan of 120cm. The Galapagos Hawk, endemic to the Galapagos, mainly feeds
on insects along with lava lizards, snakes, and rodents. It also is known for
stealing eggs from other birds. It uses it’s strong razor claws to dig into its
prey, either killing the animal on impact or keeping the talons dug in and
waiting for the animal lose all it’s energy. They tend to hunt in groups of two
or three and soar between 50-200 meters high.
The Galapagos Hawks have no regular mating season, instead
they mate often and sporadically. The male hawk begins by faking attacks
against the female, causing the female to find a perching spot, and the male
proceeds to follow. The males are
monogamous however the female’s have multiple mates. The nests are made on lava
ledges or in low trees. The female switches with the males to watch over and
incubate the egg.
Jack's Journal Entry: Day 2
Journal Entry: Day 2
Jack Russell
The first night on the boat wasn’t as bad as I
thought it would be. What really did me in was the wake-up call. We all got up
to the sound of Jose ringing the bell sometime around 6 am, which is six hours
earlier than I’m used to. We ate a delicious breakfast and then set out to
South Plaza Island. It was amazing how much we saw in such a short period of
time. There were too man sea loins to count. Many of them were still young and finding
food and comfort from their mothers. Washington said that the rearing process
was more than two years. Along with the hundreds of crabs we saw on the beach,
there was a large amount of land iguanas close by. The Iguanas stay close to
trees and cactus bearing fruit. They fight over the territory around the
vegetation because the females stay close to where food is available. We were
able to also see a hybrid Iguana, which is a mix between a land iguana and a
marine iguana. Washington said that there was only a few found on the entire
planet. After our walk we returned to the boat for a little siesta time. Soon
after we got ready for the snorkeling. We all got into our wetsuits and headed
out in the dingies. I have been snorkeling many times before however there is
still an initial rush when first entering the cold water. We snorkeled for
about an hour and a half but it felt like 30min. The fish and marine life that
we saw was amazing, however it I was expecting that. What I wasn’t expecting
was seeing a huge sea loins rush right by me, spinning me in the process. Some
people said they saw a sea turtle, but I must have missed it. Eventually we all
got back into the dingys and headed back to the boat. We all got out of our wet
suit and sat down to yet another delicious meal on the boat. All in all, one of
the longest most exciting days I’ve had in my life. Not bad for only the 2nd
day in the Galapagos.
Mikey's Journal : Day 4
Day 4
We woke up very early around 5:15, which was even earlier
than normal days, to try to see the sea turtles on the beach after laying their
eggs. We marched for like 10
minutes into the island to get to another beach, where we could possibly see
the sea turtles. We weren’t lucky
enough to see the turtles, but we saw a turtle or two on the surface close to
the beach. Also, the morning view
was magnificent! After the beach,
we walked back towards the beach we landed, and saw a lone flamingo in the
lagoon. The beach we landed on
happened to be green beach, where lava crystals are creating the color
green. Washington showed us
multiple types of sea urchins that were gathered on a boulder, and also told us
to taste the dew on the mangrove.
Because the mangrove grows in the coast where lacks fresh water, it uses
salt water and lets out salt through its leaves. So the dew was very salty. We went snorkeling after, to a site called Corona del
Diablo, meaning crown of the devil.
First site we dived, I saw the first shark of the trip. The white tipped reef sharks weren’t
aggressive, and just chilled under the cave. Also sea lions were swimming around us at one point, which
were the best feeling in the world.
The second site was actually very exciting; because of the strong
current and how close we were floating on top of the corals. We were mainly going to see the
hammerhead sharks, but we didn’t see them the first two tries. So Washington took us to another spot,
where after long search we spotted two hammerheads! As much as they were cool enough to make me want to approach
them, I just wasn’t sure if they were aggressive or not. We came back to the boat, had lunch,
then went to the island to play soccer with the crew, where –of course- I got
mad blisters due to playing soccer without shoes on hot sand. Then, we sent our post card to the
famous post box. I wanted to take
some post cards and deliver them, but all the California post cards I found
were to the city that I had no clue where. So, I just didn’t pick any. After, we went into a lava cave, where towards the end salt
water was filled enough for us to swim.
That water was VERY cold, but it helped me forget the pain of massive
blisters I just got. This place
was so dark that when we turned off our flashlights, we couldn't even see our
hands right in front of the face.
After we came back to the boat, sailed to Puerto Ayora. The first night on land after we came
to the Galapagos began.
Revised packing list
Revised packing list
Digital Camera- you don’t want to use disposables, trust me
Underwater
digital would be best
Tons
of memory
Multiple pairs of swim suits
Less shorts than swim suits
Shorts
don’t dry very easily, especially khaki shorts
More t-shirts than you think you need
Plan
on a shirt a day…they get nasty pretty quick
Rain jacket
Water bottle
It
gets extremely hot…you’ll need this
More sunscreen than you would ever think you would need
If
you think you need 5 bottles, bring 6
Also
make sure you get everywhere…splotches are unsightly
Aloe
Seasickness medication
The
ride can get rough
Other meds as needed
Allergy,
Tylenol, ibuprofen
Sunglasses
Hat/visor
Reading material, or other method of entertainment
There is a ton of waiting around in
airports…you will get bored, I
guarantee it
2 pairs of shoes
one
for wet landings, one for dry landings and walking around
backpack or other bag to carry essentials with you onto the
islands
Journal
Journal
1/6/12
Today
we were supposed to meet at the hub at 3:30 a.m. After a long night, however, I
awoke to see that my clock said 8:30 a.m., and that I had 28 missed calls. I
thought I had missed the whole trip. I was torn between despair and pure rage.
I almost broke into tears, and all the while I was yelling obscenities that
shouldn’t be repeated. I called the last missed call on the list, and to my
amazement, Katherine picked up and told me that the flight from Guayaquil to
the Galapagos had been cancelled, so they were still waiting at the airport,
and I almost burst into tears again. I grabbed all of my stuff, threw it in my
car, and drove as fast as I could to the Indianapolis airport. I parked my car,
ran inside, and found the group still waiting in the lobby. I had made it. Even
though we weren’t sure whether we were going to get to go yet, I was happy just
to have the chance, since when I woke up I thought I had a 0% chance of going.
After
waiting for what seemed like forever, we heard the news: we were going to
Miami, which was a start. Later we boarded the plane, and we spent the night in
Miami.
1/7/12
Today
we had some time to waste before our flight to Guayaquil, so we hung out by the
pool and ate some lunch. Later, we packed our stuff, and we were off to the
airport again.
While
we were waiting, Kevin gave us the best news we had heard: we were getting a
flight from Guayaquil to the Galapagos the next day, which put us right back on
schedule. We were all ecstatic. After boarding the plane, we were on our way.
While on the plane, I got a beer, so I pulled out my wallet thinking I would
need I.D., which was apparently not the case, so I loosely put my wallet back
into its pocket, or so I thought. After we had arrived, gotten off the plane
and through customs, we were waiting outside, and I noticed that the pocket I
put my wallet in was open. My heart sank. I’m not sure what actually happened,
whether I left it on the plane, or whether someone took it from the open
pocket, but my wallet was nowhere to be found. In it, I had $500, my driver’s
license. school I.D., and various other cards. I don’t think I’ve ever been
angrier with myself.
We
finally got to the hostel, and as I lay in bed, I couldn’t sleep with how angry
I was. After laying there and thinking to myself all night, I reconciled my
mistake with myself. I told myself that it was only money, which I don’t
put much value on, as it’s only a piece of paper that the government puts value
on, and tomorrow it could all be worthless. I decided that the experiences that
I would have were worth much more than I was paying for the trip, even if $500
was all for naught. I still hope that someone who actually needed the money
found my wallet, as $500 could feed easily feed a family for more than a week,
and I was only going to waste it on beer. That’s how I like to think of it,
anyways.
1/8/12
We got up at 6 a.m. this morning,
although I didn’t get much sleep, as I was still pissed at myself for losing my
wallet. After making it to the airport and through customs, the only thing left
to do was wait. Finally, we got on the plane, and 2 hours later we were landing
in Baltra. After waiting for our bags to be thrown into a room, finding them,
and then getting past the armed guard making sure we weren’t stealing bags, we
finally got to meet the infamous Washington, and he did not disappoint. After
formalities, we loaded onto a bus, and were on our way to the dock.
A
short bus ride later, we arrived at the dock, and got our first taste of the
wildlife of the Galapagos as a sea lion was resting on the beams under the
dock. After taking pictures, we loaded into the dinghy that would take us to
the Guantanamera, where we would be spending the next 8 days. After a safety
speech and room assignments, we were off to Santa Cruz, where we were going to
make our first wet landing.
When
we landed on the beach, Washington led us up and down the coast, showing us all
there was to see along the way. On this landing we saw lava crabs, Sally
lightfoot crabs, marine iguanas, and mating sea turtles. The thing that struck
me the most, however, was the view. Everywhere I looked, I saw ocean, or
another island just barely visible in the distance. One particular sight that
had me awe stricken was a single tree growing on a rock outcropping that barely
poked its head over the water. After taking in the sights, we tried our snorkeling
gear for the first time, after which we headed back to the boat.
Later
that night, after dinner, Washington introduced the crew, all of whom seemed
really nice and genuinely happy that we were there. After introductions, Jose, our
bartender, brought us pina coladas, and it was the best I’ve ever had. We then
watched a National Geographic about the islands before we called it a night.
1/9/12
Today,
we woke up, had breakfast, and by 7:30 we were in the dinghies heading to South
Plaza island. When we landed, I was amazed by how many sea lions were there.
Some were in the water, some were on the shore, and more still had climbed
further on shore to bask in the sun.
Along
with the sea lions, we got our first glimpse of the land iguanas. Washington
explained how the males sit under the prickly pear cactus and wait for the
fruit to drop, which attracts the females.
My
favorite part of South Plaza, however, was the hybrid iguana. They have the
long claws of the marine iguana, and have been documented feeding on algae like
a marine iguana. They can also use these claws to climb into the cactus to eat
the fruit, rather than wait on the ground. Washington said that only 4 exist,
but if they are sexually viable, I would expect more to appear, due to their
ability to utilize two food sources, as well as their ability to outcompete the
land iguanas for their main food source. After touring the island, we went back
to the boat, and headed for Santa Fe.
After
arriving at Santa Fe, we went on our first dive, and it was amazing. There were
more fish than I could even hope to count, and to top it off, we had sea lions
swimming around us almost the entire time. They may seem clumsy on land, but in
the water, they are the most graceful swimmers I have ever seen. Towards the
end of the jump, I saw what I thought was a rock, but upon closer inspection, I
realized it was a string ray bigger than I had ever seen. Finally, we got in
the boat, and prepared for our next landing.
Next,
we did another wet landing on the beach, which had plenty of sea lions for us
to melt over. As we walked along the path, we saw finches, lava lizards, and
one especially large land iguana that Washington goaded out by throwing a rock,
mimicking the sound of a cactus fruit falling. Then, as we were walking along,
we saw a pack of blue-footed boobies diving into the water. I never realized
how quickly they could go from flying, to becoming a torpedo and slicing
through the water. It was amazing to watch. Finally, we headed back to the
boat.
After
dinner, we had another briefing, and Washington showed us the pictures that he
had taken during the day. Then we were off to Espanola, and the roughest boat
ride I’ve ever been a part of. It was almost impossible to stand, let alone sit
on those flimsy plastic lawn chairs, which just buckled every time the boat
rocked.
1/10/12
Today
we woke up, had breakfast, and headed off to Gardner Bay. On the beach, we saw
tons of sea lions. The coolest part of the beach, however, was the Galapagos
Hawk that seemed to almost pose for us. I spent a lot of my time searching the
small tide pools made by the rocks, and found nothing, whereas Washington
looked for maybe 5 minutes and found an octopus. I don’t know how he does it.
After
making it back to the boat, we got ready for our second dive. When we got in
the water, I started looking straight down, and did not pay attention to where
the rest of the group was. I saw my first sea turtle, and a second shortly
after, but then I saw my first white-tipped reef shark, and quickly located and
rejoined the rest of the group.
After
loading into the dinghies and going back to the boat, we got ready to go to
Suarez Point, with the hopes of seeing a waved albatross. The beach that we
landed on was covered in marine iguanas and sea lions, so much so that a few
almost got stepped on. After walking along the path, we came to the Galapagos
airport, or so its called due to the albatross needing a cliff to take flight,
and we saw our first albatross. We waited for a while to watch it take off,
after which we continued along the path. Further back, we came to a clearing,
and lo and behold, there were multiple albatross still on the island.
Washington did their mating call, and shortly after, there were multiple
albatross doing their mating dance. It was amazing. Finally, we headed back to
the boat, and to Floreana.
1/11/12
I
woke up at 5:15 to Washington making a rooster call into my room. It was a
great start to the day. We woke up early to try to see the sea turtles still on
land, but unfortunately we were too late. Although we missed the sea turtles on
land, we still saw them mating in the water, and also got to watch the sunrise
from the beach. We also saw a solitary flamingo in the lagoon, though it was too
far away for me to take a picture. My arm only extends so far. We then went
back to the boat for breakfast.
After
breakfast, we went on our third dive at Devils Crown. On the first jump, I saw
a small school of barracuda watching the fish that were inbetween me and the
barracuda, so I quickly moved on. I also saw multiple white-tipped reef sharks,
and another giant stingray. The main attraction for Devils Crown is to see
hammerhead sharks, and since we didn’t see any during our scheduled jumps, Washington
decided we would go somewhere else in the hopes of seeing one. We went out into
open water, and jumped in. For a while, I saw pretty much nothing, but then,
out of nowhere, I saw a hammerhead down below me. I took my head out of the
water to try to tell someone where it was, but in that second that I looked
away, it had disappeared. Satisfied that everyone saw a hammerhead, we loaded
in the dinghies and went back to the boat.
After
lunch, which was fried chicken and mashed potatoes, we made our next wet
landing. On the beach, just behind some trees, there was a soccer field, and we
got to play soccer on a beach in the Galapagos Islands. Seeing as how I’ve
played soccer all my life, I was naturally ecstatic to get to play in such a
unique place. Even though I hurt my foot trying to one-time a volley, I had a
blast. Lunch, however, was not too ecstatic about me playing, so I had to take
a few breathers to make sure no fried chicken came back up.
After
Jose and I beat up on the other team, we went to post office bay. It was cool
to see a landmark that had been there for hundreds of years. I took a postcard
and left mine, and off we went to the lava tube.
Going
into the lava tube was an awesome experience. After a while, it became pitch
black, and we had to use flashlights to find our way. Then we came to the
water. I have never felt water so cold in my life, but we all pushed on. We all
made it to the end of the cave, and took some pictures. Then we went back to
the boat and got ready for another dive.
We
jumped in in the hopes of seeing multiple sea turtles, but since I normally
lagged behind the group, I only saw one, as the others had already left when
the group came by. Then we loaded back into the boat, and headed to Santa Cruz.
1/12/12
Today
we went into Porto Ayora to restock supplies, and while we were there, we went
up to a tortoise farm in the hills of Santa Cruz. There, we saw numerous giant
tortoises, and some people even got to try on a tortoise shell. Afterwards, on
the way back, we stopped by a MoneyGram so I could have my parents wire me some
money. Then, we went back to the boat for lunch, and headed to the Darwin
center.
After
a short dinghy ride across the port, we came to the Darwin center and took our
tour. We saw the tortoise repopulation project, where all the baby tortoises
are kept, and we saw Lonesome Georges pin and mates, but not Lonesome George,
who was hiding under a rock ledge. Afterwards, since we had city time, I went
back to the MoneyGram and got my money. Then, we hung out until we had to go
back to the boat.
1/13/12
Today,
we woke up and had breakfast, then went for our next landing on Rabida Island.
Here, we walked around and took in the view, although the wildlife was sparse. After
walking around, we went back to the boat to get ready for our next dive.
While
on the boat, we noticed a ton of jellyfish-life creatures (they turned out to
be salps, not jellyfish) in the water, but we risked the dive anyways. Shortly
after getting in, however, people started to get stung by jellyfish, and we
quickly got back in the dinghies and headed back to the boat.
Since
that dive was cut short, Washington decided we would make another dive off of
Chinese Hat Island. Here, we saw penguins in the water, as well as marine iguanas
feeding in the water, which was pretty cool. Towards the end of the dive, I saw
a group of people getting in the dinghy, and another group going into a cave.
Naturally I went to find out what they were doing, and after crawling through a
little opening, we came to cavern big enough for us to stand in, where we took
a picture, then headed back to the boat, and off to Bartolome Island.
When
we got to Bartolome Island, we loaded into the dinghies to go see the penguins
and Pinnacle Rock on the way to the landing. After landing, we climbed the
stairs to the lighthouse at the top of the hill, where we had a great view of
the numerous extinct volcanoes that dotted the landscape below. This was one of
my favorite stops, as geology has always been an interesting subject to me, and
being able to see the tubes where lava had flowed from the once active volcano
was amazing. After taking some pictures, we headed back to the boat for dinner
and briefing, after which we were off for Genovesa.
1/14/12
We
woke up early today, and by 6 we were off for Prince Phillips Steps. These were
pretty cool, as they were just natural rock formations that was altered a
little to make them easier to ascend. After climbing the stairs, we got our
first glimpse of the red footed boobies, and they were everywhere. As we were
walking down the path, I had the honor of being pooped on, by what kind of bird
I’m not sure, I just remember it being wet and warm. I honestly wasn’t mad
though. Who could be mad they got pooed on while walking around an island in
the Galapagos? I couldn’t.
After we made it to the end of the
path, we had to turn around and go back the way we came. In natural fashion, I
was behind the group, and while walking along the path I saw movement out of
the corner of my eye, and looking down to my left, I saw a short eared owl
sitting just off the path. I snuck up as quietly as I could, although it was
watching me the whole time, and crouched down to take some pictures. I turned
to see that Wade and Kevin were behind me taking pictures of it too, so I tried
to stay as still as possible so as not to scare it away. When we caught up to
the rest of the group, we headed back to the boat for breakfast and our last
dive.
The dive at Genovesa was probably
my favorite, as I got some close up glimpses of some amazing animals. At one
point, I turned away from the wall we were following and saw a golden spotted
eagle ray, so I followed that until I accidently spooked it off. Shortly after
I turned my attention back to the wall, I notice a shape coming out of the blue
on my right, and I watch as a good sized hammerhead swam between me and the
wall, and after it swam by, I saw Kevin hot on its trail.
Later we went to Darwin Bay, where
we got to watch the tide come in, which was really cool. After walking around
for a while, we loaded back into the dinghies and went back to the boat.
After dinner, we had a closing
ceremony, complete with more of Jose’s pina coladas and other concoctions.
After Washington had finished, some music was played and people got to dance
with the crew members.
1/15/12
Today
is our last day on the boat, and we woke up at the crack of dawn to go see the
frigate birds doing their courtship dance. Along the way, we also came across a
sea lion pup that had been born in the wee hours of the morning. It was too
cute for me to even stand.
After
getting back to the boat, we packed our stuff and got ready to depart. We got
off the boat at the same place we got on, boarded a bus, and headed to the
Baltra airport to catch another bus that would take us to the ferry. Finally,
we took the ferry across, and loaded onto a bus that took us to our hotel for
the next 3 days, Casa Natura, which happened to be owned by Washington’s
brother.
The
rest of that day we had free time, and that night we had a group dinner at an
Italian restaurant off the main strip.
1/16/12
Today
was a nice day, so the group decided to go out to Tortuga Bay. If only we had
known how much of a hike it would be I don’t think we would have gone, but I’m
glad we did. The beach was beautiful, the water was awesome, and we had a good
time just hanging out on the beach.
1/17/12
Washington
came and picked us up today to go to his mom’s farm, and we made a few other
stops along the way. First we stopped at a lava tube, which was enormous. The
ceiling looked to be about 30 feet high, and it was about 10 feet wide, which
is a huge flow of lava. Later, we got to go to Washington’s mom’s farm, and
learned how to chop down a banana tree, then we hiked up the hill to eat.
Afterwards, we stopped by some sinkholes, which were also pretty neat.
1/18/12
Today
is our last day in the Galapagos, and after loading our stuff into the bus, we
set out for the ferry to take us back to Baltra. Before getting on the ferry,
we had to say our final goodbyes to Washington, which was hard to do. After
saying our goodbyes and boarding the ferry, we came to Baltra, where we boarded
another bus headed for the airport, and after a small wait, we were in the
plane on the way to Quito.
We
didn’t get in to Quito until near dark, so once we got to the hotel, we didn’t
dare go back outside, so most people went to bed pretty early.
1/19/12
Today
we went on a tour of Quito, where we saw some Cathedrals, and eventually came
to the Equator monument. They had demonstrations that claimed to show the
differences between the Northern and Southern hemisphere, though we all knew
that they were just gimmicks for the tourists. After that, we went to the mall
to get food, after which we headed back to the hotel to get money for the
market. The market was an unusual experience for me, as any time you try to
look at anything someone immediately comes up to try to sell it to you. There
is very little privacy in browsing the selections, and I felt like I was
constantly being watched. It was a little creepy. After making our purchases,
we headed back to the hotel to rest for the rest of the night.
1/20/12
Today
we woke up, and after gathering our belongings, we headed for the airport. The
rest of the day involved sitting either in airports or on the planes, and was
pretty boring, but tiring none the less. By the time we finally made it back to
Indianapolis, I was pretty beat. While I was happy to be back stateside, there
is still a part of me that wants to go back. Like, now. It has been the best
trip of a lifetime, and I can’t be happier that I got to come.
Photo–Narrative: Sea Lions of the Galapagos
Sea Lions of the Galapagos:
A Photo-narrative by Tom Piotrowski
Suggested Packing List
Packing List for Galapagos WT
A list of Necessities and Other Items One wants to have for this trip of a Lifetime.
Rain Jacket
Sweatshirt
Reusable Water Bottle
Camera–With LOTS of Memory
Underwater Camera–Digital is best
–Frankly Underwater Pictures were sometimes cooler than those on land
Several Swim Suits
Flashlight
Plenty of Tee-Shirts
Sunglasses
SUNSCREEN
SUNSCREEN
SUNSCREEN
Seasickness Meds (Some people wont need it, can never predict the sea conditions)
Entertainment, iPods, Books, Cards, Backgammon, Chess set, etc.
Journal
Sunburn ointment
Advil and other Meds.
Small Bag to travel around the islands with
Pack everything in a Duffle Bag rather than a suitcase
The Rooms on the Yacht are very very small and a duffle bag can be compressed. You will save yourself a big headache
DONT OVERPACK! HEAVY BAG FEES ON INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS ARE EXPENSIVE! DONT HAVE A +50 POUND BAG!!
–Tom Piotrowski
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Packing List
1. SUNSCREEN
2. 10 or so t-shirts
3. Shorts that are easy to walk in, that you don't mind getting dirty
4. jeans (for Quito, it gets cold at night)
5. A sweatshirt
6. Plenty of swimsuits
7. Watershoes for the wet landings
8. Flip flops for time on the boat
9. tennis shoes that you don't mind getting dirty/muddy/nasty
10. camera!
11. a hat
12. Ipod/charger for ipod
13. small bag for water/sunscreen/camera
14. Water bottle
15. Journal (with pens!)
16. spending money
2. 10 or so t-shirts
3. Shorts that are easy to walk in, that you don't mind getting dirty
4. jeans (for Quito, it gets cold at night)
5. A sweatshirt
6. Plenty of swimsuits
7. Watershoes for the wet landings
8. Flip flops for time on the boat
9. tennis shoes that you don't mind getting dirty/muddy/nasty
10. camera!
11. a hat
12. Ipod/charger for ipod
13. small bag for water/sunscreen/camera
14. Water bottle
15. Journal (with pens!)
16. spending money
Notecard
The Pencil sea urchin is found in all oceans. They eat algae, sea cucumbers and other invertebrates. They move very slowly and their spines protect them from predators.
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