Today we awaken close to where we arrived at Baltra Island. It is incredible to see the difference from one island to the next with such a short distance traveled in-between. As we land at North Seymour we have an incredible amount of air traffic above us with magnificent frigate birds, brown pelicans, blue footed boobies catching the updrafts of wind as it comes off of the ocean. As we move over the rocky terrain we start to find nesting areas for frigate birds and blue footed boobies with the occasional Galapagos land iguana lumbering about. Blue footed boobies are very productive at this time of year as the main productivity in the ocean is quite high. We find adults with various chicks in the nest with an occasional juvenile asking for food from the parent. Male frigate birds with their inflated gular sacks are trying to attract females that fly overhead. As we stop upon the trail to observe a land iguana, the land iguana walks zigzag through the entire group and slowly moves into the underbrush. This desert lake terrain is otherworldly as we walk among the Palo Santo incense trees. As we head out to the outer coast we find one of the densest breeding areas for frigate birds in the Galapagos with over 100 adults and juveniles grouped together in front of the coast. Galapagos sea lions lay upon the sandy dunes with an occasional pop searching for its mother so it may nurse. As we return to the ship the low lying clouds start to rise and show us the sun.
Our navigation into the afternoon brings us to Rabida Island we have a chance to explore the undersea world. As we snorkel in the emerald waters we come upon white tipped reef sharks, Pacific green sea turtles, diamond stingrays, and large schools of razor surgeon fish. Large parrot fish add color to the shallow reef ecosystem that we float over. Tuna rising to the surface chase small sardines and anchovies as brown noddies and Blue footed boobies try to obtain their sustenance. Bottlenose dolphins enter into the feeding taking the larger fish as shark rise to the surface and break the water with their dorsal fins.
As we land on the island into the afternoon the late light shines upon an extreme background of red volcanic soil with white incense trees as far as the eye can see. The sounds and sites of this island are burned into the memory as the darkness falls on a colorful sky.
