Galapagos day 3

Penguins. Yes I got to swim with penguins (not to mention a shark- ok I swam away from the shark).

Exhausted Marine Turtle

Have you ever seen the movie Master and Comander? It was filmed in the Galapagos and I guess a significant part was filmed at Pinacle rock on Bartolome. 

We walked a "young" volcanic Island in the morning. It was only 100 years old. Bartolome on the other hand is a million years old. The lava is very different. It is very black when it is young and there is very little vegetation as it ages it begins to break down and slowly different forms of life arrive.The older islands are browner. Santiago island looked like it was in a shadow as it was half black and half brown.

Lava Field

I climbed (the kids and Andrew stayed on the boat) to the top look out of Bartolome Island and was rewarded with an amazing view.

We were also luck to see two marine turtles heading back to the water from their nests. These poor ladies must have been exhausted! They first spend hours supporting themselves and the male while they mate. Then she has to climb up the beach and dig a huge hole with her flippers. She lays the eggs and then has to get herself back to the ocean. This is usually all done at night so we were very lucky to get to see this twice. It concerned our guide however about what was changing in the environment that caused them to be nesting in the day. 

Lava Tunnel

Penguin

Pinacle Rock

Underwater Crater

View from Bartolome Look out