This was our first kayak at the Galapagos. We were oriented with our kayaks on Ochoa Beach on San Cristóbal. One on the water, we again oriented ourselves with the roles of 'engine room' and 'photographer' as we do with any double. Again, the repeatable system was a success.
We paddled to Isla Lobos, which is named after the sea lion (in Spanish, they are Sea Wolves). Here, baby sea lions sunbathed and swam in the shallow waters while their mothers watched from the shore. Blue footed boobies and Frigate birds lined the shores. This was the Galapagos we had in our minds!
This paddle was excellent for a first paddle as the waters were calm, the shore is close in sight, and very beautiful, and the interaction with wildlife gets 5 stars out of 5. When we arrived at the island, we first saw Blue Footed Boobys. A Booby is a type of bird, and this particular kind has turquoise blue feet as the name implies, and a blueish gray beak and eyes. When they want to attract a member of the opposite sex, they stomp their webbed feet making a smack-smack-smack noise which is referred to as 'dancing'. We were delighted to see our very first pair on the islands dancing away.
Along the coastline were masses of Frigate Birds that are black, and the male has a unique red pouch on its throat that it blows up to attract females. The red is scarlet and stands out amazingly bright even from a distance. Females soar overhead in terydactyl like fashion, making the landscape seem more surreal.
Pelicans perch on the rocks watching for fish, and take off with an enormous wing span that reaches farther than I am tall. The one in the photo here took off and flew only a few feet over my head for an impressive show.
Camouflaged on the rocks are the Marine Iguanas. They are on many of the islands in the Galapagos, but are unique in that they swim in the ocean. They feed off of algae, but spend most of their time basking in the sun.
The sea lions (not seals - sea lions have little ears), who are called Lobos Marinos which translates literally to Sea Wolf, are for whom this island is named. Babies sunbathe on the rocks and play in the shallow waters. kayakers are a unique site for them and their curiosity wins over as they circled us and dive beneath us, perhaps asking us to play along with them.
This kayak was beyond all that we ever could have imagined. The blue waters were clear, the landscape was beautiful, and the close up experience with unique animal life made us forget all worries and made us grateful we had chosen to go on this trip.