Travel Blog: Ecuador 2009 Part 2
30th March Posted by Tony Deis on Mar 30, 2009 in South America The 11 mile hike on Sierra Negro on Isabela Island was 7 hours of incredible scenery: the second largest crater in the world with its last eruption in 2005. We hiked over fields of new and old lava, awed at the earthly moonscape. The next day was about watching wildlife, starting with flamingos feeding and marine iguanas constantly crossing the road. We ended up at the Giant Tortoise Breeding Center and a close-up look at their many species of tortoises. We got the inside scoop of how they collect, incubate and hatch the eggs and even saw 2 pairs of these 400 pound animals breeding. After a walk on the beach, it was back for another snorkeling trip. In the bay we watched frigate-birds at a fishing boat battling for tuna scraps with the sea lions. Here we saw the only penguins in the Northern Hemisphere, the galapagos penguin. Our snorkel started in the mangroves and moved to swimming through two meter wide volcanic tubes teeming with marine life. We even observed one more penguin above and below the water. After our snorkel we hiked a trail through volcanic formations, ending up on a beach with sea lions and their pups. As with their entire trip, their lack of fear was stunning, allowing us to remain respectfully among them. Another new day and a another gorgeous island. A two hour boat ride brought us to Santa Cruz, the most populated land in the Galapagos. After checking into the Hotel Castro, we went to see giant tortoises in the wild. We then hiked to Tortuga Bay, the epitome of a perfect beach. It was swimming in paradise. We kayaked with sea turtles, sharks and eagle rays in the clear water below us. Dinner that night was fresh tuna and shrimp, with a few mojitos and pina coladas for good measure. The next day, after a visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station and some island shopping, we boated to the island of Santa Fe for our last snorkel. This was my secret spot: schools of tropical fish in the crystal-clear water and as always, sea lions swimming with us. The most spectacular of all, blue-footed boobies dived for the very fish we came to observe. As I watched them dip deep under water, one eventually popped up a foot from my face. Coming soon my Andean Cloud Forest Adventure... Come see Africa with Nicole This is where Nicole helped found and run the lion research camp. Nicole is the biologist, adventurer and guide who knows all the ins and outs of Botswana, one of the must incredible places you could ever visit in Africa. Check out Botswana June 2009
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