Retired Nomads - Part 2 : Kicker Rock, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, San Cristobal & Punta Suarez, Isla Espanola, Galapagos

Monday, Kicker Rock Circumnavigation

Before 7:00 we boarded our Pangas to see the sunrise and get up close to Kicker Rock (Leon Dormido or sleeping lion) The island is the remains of a satellite volcanic cone off the island of San Cristobal. Saw lots of wildlife on it and we spent about an hour going around it. Back to the ship for breakfast and off for our morning excursion.

zodiacs being lowered from the ship to the water

pangas ready for us to board

lovely sunrise this morning

the small thing is a panga next to Kicker Rock

the ship circumnavigates the rock for those not wanting to go on pangas

Blue-footed Booby

Sea Lion on the rock

Nazca Boobies

another panga

various birds on the rock

Nazca Boobies

heading back to the ship

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, San Cristobal

We arrived in the town where streets had cobblestones and a charming waterfront park with lots of sea lions and Sally Lightfoot crabs. Here we boarded buses to get to the Interpretation Center. We had a scenic walk that took us to the Interpretation center which most of us rushed through to get out with the wildlife. You could be bused back to town or walk back on your own and we chose to walk back to town. On the walk we saw huge colonies of Nazca Boobies, Sea Lions, Frigate birds, and iguanas and other small birds.

We had time for some shopping before boarding pangas back to the ship. Greg picked up a shirt to wear to dinner. (as did the others that still had missing luggage) I picked up some gifts for family and friends and some cute earrings of blue footed boobies with a matching necklace and a pair of Frigate bird earrings. Here I saw a bunch of Blue Finned Tuna swim past at light speed. The guy standing next to me said “did you see that?” It happened so fast we weren’t sure we actually saw it.

pangas waiting for us to board

panga ride to San Cristobal

walk to the Interpretation Center

Marine Iguanas

Lava Lizard

Marine Iguanas

Lava Lizard

Celebrity Xpedition from outlook

Blue-footed Booby

Inchworm

sea lions playing in the bay

Charles Darwin statue

Lava Lizard

Finch

Yellow Warbler

back in town

Sally Lightfoot Crabs

waiting to board the pangas

putting the pangas back on the ship

Today was a Galapagos themed buffet for lunch and this was the day your snorkel gear was distributed. We had brought our own snorkels and fins, but of course they were in our lost checked luggage. So, we attended and got those and wetsuits to use for the week. Every day between excursions there was about a 3 hour break to eat and relax etc. There were movies of the Galapagos or other social things if you chose to attend.

It was now time for our afternoon excursion.

Punta Suarez, Isla Espanola

We had a dry landing here with a boulder covered trail 1.9 miles. (2.5 hours) Marine Iguanas, Galapagos Hawks, Blue-footed Boobies, Nazca Boobies, Mockingbirds, Sea Lions, Tropic Birds and unfortunately the Waved Albatross were late in returning to the island and we didn’t see any on what is called Airport Runway where they normally land in droves. The birds were late leaving the year before and the people that came in December expecting to not see any, got to see them. So, we expected to see lots of them and they had just barely started to arrive this year. One group did see 4 in the air and our group saw one on the ground. What an impressive bird. They have a 7-9 ft wingspan. You really had to be careful not to step on the wildlife. Nursing sea lions and iguanas everywhere.