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| A fun morning of hiking, snorkeling and seeing some Sharks! |
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| Emma explaining our day |
One of our most-anticipated adventures was a half day in Tintoreras Islet on Isabela Island, where we were staying.
We were accompanied by our local Naturalist, Emma, a very engaging and knowledgeable young woman. Galápagos has a large number of Naturalist/Guides who must accompany tour groups in the National Park. So, Gate 1 works in tandem with the local guides on all Galápagos tours.
We returned to the Isabela Island dock, where, after passing lounging Marine Iguanas, we were greeted by a large group of Galápagos Sea Lions swimming in the clear water and lying on the steps that go into the water.
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| Making good use of the dock |
I mentioned earlier that Galápagos animals are unusually comfortable around people; that was certainly the case here. In fact, I am certain some were showing off.
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| A cute youngster |
Galápagos Sea Lions
The smallest Sea Lion species, Galápagos Sea Lions live and breed on the Galápagos Islands and, in smaller numbers, on Isla de la Plata, Ecuador. The population ranges from 20,000 to 50,000 individuals.
Before 1953, they were thought to be a subspecies of California Sea Lions.
They range from 4.9 to 8.2 feet long and weigh between 110 and 880 lbs., with males averaging larger than females. Adult males have a thick neck, chest and shoulders and a small, bump-like projection on the forehead. Females have a longer, slender neck and a thick torso. Females and juveniles have a nearly flat head and little or no forehead.
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| I am pretty sure all the Sea Lions we saw were females and juveniles |
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| Showing off his whiskers |
Both sexes have a pointy, whiskered nose and long, narrow muzzle. Young pups are almost dog-like in profile.
Like all Sea Lions, they have external ears, distinguishing them from seals.
Fore-flippers have short fur and the flippers are covered in black, leathery skin with a claw at the end of each digit.
Although clumsy on land, Sea Lions are agile in water, using their flippers independently to easily change direction. They look as though they thoroughly enjoy both swimming …
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| Graceful as can be |
… and sunning …
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| Enjoying the pretty day |
When wet, Sea Lions are dark brown, but once dry, their color varies greatly. Females tend to be lighter than males and pups are chestnut brown.
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| Left: Two colors or adults; Right: A dark brown pup |
Galápagos Sea Lions reach maturity at about five years old and live 15 to 24 years. Feeding mostly on sardines, they sometimes travel up to 10 miles from the coast over a span of days to hunt. This is when they come into contact with their main predators: Sharks and Orcas.
Most of the time, Galápagos Sea Lions occupy the shoreline on areas ranging from steep, rocky cliffs to low-lying sandy beaches. To avoid overheating during the day, they take refuge under vegetation, rocks, cliffs or, where we were, docks and piers.
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| They also like to lounge on unoccupied fishing boats |
Sea Lions can be quite vocal, with males often barking in long, loud and distinctive repeated sequences. Females and juveniles don’t produce repetitive barks, but both sexes of younger pups growl. From birth, a mother Sea Lion recognizes her pup's voice and can pinpoint it from a crowd of 30 or more barking Sea Lions.
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| A juvenile in the water |
On land, Sea Lions form colonies at hauling-out areas, each headed by a dominant bull.
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| A big bull; Photo: Ocean Treasures |
Males fight to control a harem of between five and 25 cows, along with the surrounding territory. They swim the colony border, defending the coastline against other adult males. But dominance is short-lived because the bull can’t feed while defending his colony. He is eventually overpowered by a better-nourished, fresh bull and chased from his territory.
Because there is only one male in each harem, there is always a surplus of bachelor male Sea Lions, which usually congregate fairly peaceably on less favorable areas of the coastline in bachelor colonies.
Breeding takes place from May through January and mothers care for pups for up to three years. Therefore, there are dependent pups in the colonies year-round. They often nap, play and feed together and, often, a single cow will babysit a group of pups while their mothers go off to feed.
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| Close-up from the dock |
As we stood on the dock – and later after we boarded the small boat that took us across the pretty little bay – we observed more wildlife including: Marine Iguanas, which I will talk about in a minute; Magnificent Frigatebirds; Sally Lightfoot Crabs; and a single dark gray Lava Gull.
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| Another Lifer: a Lava Gull |
Sally Lightfoot Crabs
Distinctive against Galápagos’ black lava rock are the bright red Sally Lightfoot Crabs the islands are known for.
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| The color is striking |
Coastal scavengers found all along the western coast of South and Central America, Sally Lightfoots are essentially coastal janitors. They feed on anything from Sea Lion placenta to the ticks that plague Iguanas to other Crabs, keeping the shore clean of organic debris.
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| A great dancer |
Females carry their eggs on their stomachs until the larvae hatch and swim out to deep water to eat phytoplankton.
After a rapid series of molts, they turn into crabs and swim to shore, where they start to scavenge like their parents.
The Crabs start out dark with red spots for better camouflage, becoming increasingly red every time they molt.
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| Look left to see two black juveniles |
Adults are bright red with splashes of intense blue and a white or pale blue underbelly.
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| Apparently, red says "watch out" |
Juveniles travel in large groups until they reach maturity, after which they become largely solitary unless mating. When not mating or feeding, they hide in cracks in rocks. If they are disturbed, they spray water or shed one of their legs as a defense mechanism.
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| That Crab by the Lava Gull is tempting fate |
On the Water
Once we boarded our boat, we made our way across the beautiful turquoise bay toward our hiking destination.
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| A perfect day |
We enjoyed watching some fishermen who were only too happy to show off their freshly caught tuna, which they were cleaning.
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| That's a nice fish |
That, of course, was attracting a large contingent of Magnificent Frigatebirds, that were wheeling in the air above and around the boats.
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| Looking for lunch |
I wrote extensively about these incredible birds after I saw a large number in Costa Rica, so I won’t say to much about them, except to note that, unlike lots of other seabirds, they cannot dive under the surface.
So, they either skim fish (or chum) off the surface or, better yet, steal it from other birds. There was a lot of that going on.
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| Putting on quite a show |
Tintoreras Islet is one of the few places where you can see the four species of mangroves that grow in Galápagos: red, white, button and black. The tropical plants are well-adapted to loose, wet soils, salt water and being periodically submerged by tides. They provide shelter and protection for the many birds and animals that live along the shore.
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| Left: Brown Pelican; Right: Magnificent Frigatebirds |
While crossing the water, I got a good look at a couple of Blue-footed Boobies fishing near the dock. Yass! This was a target bird. I got some nice shots of this Lifer, but wished I could get closer.
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| Striking birds |
I also saw a bird that I identified as an Elliot’s Petrel (unless eBird comes back and tells me I am wrong), but the photos were so out of focus that I could barely use them for identification.
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| But, I did see a lovely pair of Brown Noddies flying in tandem |
On the Islet
When we got to the Islet, where we disembarked and immediately encountered a male Isabela Lava Lizard …
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| A fairly good-sized Lizard |
… two Galápagos Sea Lions …
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| It was nice for the National Park to provide them a place to rest |
… and many, many Marine Iguanas ...
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| Sunning on the rocks |
Emma led us across the small lava island, which is fairly barren (and, thus, hot) with some sandy beaches and mangrove stands.
At first, I though it was a rookery because it appeared to be covered with bird guano. But, it turns out that the white substance coating the piles of a’a’ lava is actually a type of lichen.
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| So, that’s why it didn’t smell! |
Marine Iguanas
Let’s talk about Marine Iguanas, which were everywhere and not at all perturbed by our presence.
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| They didn't seem to notice Emma |
The only lizard in the world that can live and forage at sea, the Marine Iguana is endemic to the Galápagos Archipelago. There are actually eleven very similar subspecies, found on different islands, with those from Isabela being among the largest.
Adults are gray/black for most of the year, but males change color during the mating season, with different subspecies adopting different colorations, usually shades of red and/or green. All the ones we saw were dark because the mating season had recently ended.
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| Two looks; Right photo: AnimalsandEarth |
Juveniles are generally black, with a lighter dorsal stripe than the adults.
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| A juvenile |
Marine Iguanas have a larger nasal cavity than other Iguana species to accommodate large glands needed to filter sea water. It’s not unusual for them to spit when cleansing themselves of accumulated salt.
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| The head may appear white from encrusted salt |
With a thick body and short limbs, adults have a row of spines extending from the nape down the back to the tail. Males have longer spines, larger bony plates on the top of their heads and much longer digits and claws than females.
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| Males look pretty scary |
Marine Iguanas typically range from five to 22 inches from snout to vent with tails an additional 6.7 to 33 inches long. A male can weigh up to 26 lbs.! Females are 30 percent smaller. Females reach maturity at three to five years; males at six to eight. Marine Iguanas can live up to 60 years, but average 12 or less.
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| A dive; Photo: RobertHarding.com |
Most individuals, however, forage near-shore in water less than three feet deep; they typically spend only three minutes underwater.
As an ectothermic (cold-blooded), animal, Marine Iguanas can spend only a limited time in cold water. Then, they must bask in the sun to warm up.
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| The black rock helps warm the Iguana |
Their dark skin quickly and efficiently absorbs heat and their bodies can make multiple adjustments when the weather is cloudy or cool. To conserve heat during the night, they often sleep closely together in groups of up to 50. If they get too warm, they pant and lift the body up to allow cool air to pass underneath, seek shade or return to the water.
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| A cooling strategy |
Somewhat clumsy on land, Marine Iguanas are graceful, but slow, swimmers, using their laterally flattened tails for propulsion and their spines to provide stability.
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| It was exciting to see them swimming |
If they lose part of a tail – which is a common problem living among Sea Lions and Sharks – they cannot swim and must forage in shallow water or on exposed rocks. They are buoyant and float to the ocean surface if they are not actively swimming or holding on to rocks underwater.
Marine Iguanas live in colonies on rocky shores, but can also be seen in marshes, mangrove swamps and on beaches.
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| A good-sized group |
While we were there, mating season had ended, so the males were fairly calm. Females, however, were starting to stake out territory and dig nests which often leads to territory disputes. Indeed, we encountered two females squaring off in the middle of the trail.
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| A territorial scuffle |
Females dig nests in the sand from 12 to 31 inches deep into which they deposit between one and six (typically two or three) 3.5-by-1.8-inch leathery white eggs. The depth affects the sex of the young: eggs buried deep get warmer and produce males; eggs near the top, where it is cooler, produce females.
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| Left: A nest hole; Right: A female digging a nest |
The female guards the nest for several days after the eggs have been buried to ensure they are not dug up by other nesting females. But that’s about the extent of motherly love. Eggs hatch in three to four months and the three-to-five-inch-long hatchlings run for cover and find locations with optimum conditions for feeding, temperature regulation and shelter.
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| Great Blue Heron |
Natural land predators include the Galápagos Hawk, Short-eared Owl, Lava Gull, Herons and Galápagos Racer Snakes.
Marine Iguanas can be found throughout the islands.
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| Tintoreras certainly had a lot |
But, what is really special about Tintoreras is the Sharks. In fact, Tintoreras means Tiger Shark. We didn’t see any Tiger Sharks, but we did see their cousins, the White-tipped Reef Shark.
White-tipped Reef Sharks
The Islet has a narrow channel cut through the lava that fills with water when the tide is right. This is where Sharks seek shelter in the calm, warm, clear water. Emma told us that there are usually a few Sharks in the channel. We hit the jackpot because there were at least two dozen White-tipped Reef Sharks there!
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| Wow! |
Plus, two juvenile Galápagos Sea Lions swimming among them.
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| Just wow! |
It was amazing.
These were the first White-tipped Reef Sharks I have ever seen (except maybe the baby Sharks we saw the day before when waiting to board the boat in Santa Cruz), but Becca and Aaron saw them in Maui last November.
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| The White-tipped Reef Shark Becca and Aaron saw |
A small Shark that does not usually exceed five feet in length or 40 lbs. in weight, this species is easily recognizable by its slender body, short broad head and white-tipped dorsal and caudal fins.
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| The water was clear enough to see detail |
One of the most common sharks found on Indo-Pacific coral reefs, the White-tipped Reef Shark occurs as far west as South Africa and as far east as Central America. It is typically found on or near the bottom in clear water, at a depth 26 to 131 feet.
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| Here, the water was probably three to four feet deep |
During the day, White-tipped Reef Sharks spend much of their time resting inside caves. Unlike other Sharks that must constantly swim to breathe, these Sharks pump water over their gills and lie still on the bottom. At night, they hunt in groups, seeking bony fishes, crustaceans and octopus. Individuals may stay within a particular area of a reef for months or years, frequently returning to the same shelter.
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| The Sharks' habit of staying in the same place makes the Islet is reliable for viewing |
White-tipped Reef Sharks are rarely aggressive towards humans, although they may swim close to people in the water to investigate. Spear fishers can be at risk of being bitten if the Shark perceives that they are stealing prey.
Predators include Tiger Sharks, Galápagos Sharks and Silvertip Sharks, although a White-tipped was once found in the stomach of a giant grouper.
We watched for a while ...
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| We were mesmerized by their lazy progress through the water |
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| Us by the channel; Photo: Emma |
And, then we watched some more.
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| This was a treat! |
Emma even took a short video.
Just past the channel is a lagoon, where we saw a Green Sea Turtle, a small Loggerhead Turtle way of the other side and a Marine Iguana swimming from one side to the other.
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| Green Sea Turtle and a Marine Iguana |
After the hot, dusty hike, we returned to the boat and headed to a spot where we could snorkel.
Snorkeling
Scott and I had really been looking forward to snorkeling, so I was sad that he was too sick to come.
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| I wanted to swim with Sea Lions |
It didn’t quite measure up.
As I have discussed in past blogs, for me, one of the biggest challenges of snorkeling from shore is getting in and out of the water. I have sensitive feet, crummy balance and a real phobia about scrambling over rocks.
So, imagine how thrilled I was to see that we had to traverse a clumpy, jagged outcrop of lava to get to the water. Then, we had to navigate more sharp lava until the water got deep enough to swim.
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| Tricky to get in; Right photo: Emma |
Wilson and Emma were very helpful in guiding us across the rocks and into the water, especially guiding us as we walked backwards on our fins through the shallows. It was not fun, but I made it.
The water was disappointingly murky and, although there was some engaging sea life, it didn’t compare at all to Hawai’i, the Virgin Islands or Grand Cayman.
The coolest things we saw the highly territorial Galápagos Gregory fish with their yellow lips and blue eyes …
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| This little guys are fierce! |
… the aptly named Chocolate Chip Sea Stars …
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| We saw lots and lots of these |
… and the equally well-named Blue Sea Star and a Lollyfish Seas Cucumber …
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| Left: Blue Sea Star; Photo: Emma; Right: Lollyfish |
There were other fish and a fairly large number of Green Sea Turtles, but they were hard to see in the silty water.
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| Green Sea Turtle on the bottom; Photo: Emma |
Before the trip, Scott had given me a new Go-Pro, so I used it instead of my new underwater camera. I had charged all the batteries before we left the states, but didn’t recheck that morning. I had decided to just video rather than clicking stills and, to my great disappointment, the battery died rather quickly. Even sadder, it died right before a Marine Iguana swam so close that I had to push back to avoid getting rammed.
Emma did catch one swimming by Fran (it’s a bit jerky, though).
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| Jenny and Don; Photo: Emma |
At least I could honestly tell Scott he didn’t miss much.
Here's my video.
Blue-footed Booby
After snorkeling and climbing back over the lava, we cruised a bit more in the boat as we headed back to the dock. Because I was anticipating having to get out of the boat with all my gear, I had just stowed my camera with the long lens when Wilson spotted a Blue-footed Booby perched on a nearby rock.
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| It's tricky to get the shot from a boat |
I exasperatedly declared that I didn’t have my lens out and Wilson – bless him – said the boat would wait. What I ended up with were my favorite shots of the entire day.
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| I love this photo |
We were so close that I had to back my telephoto off to capture the whole bird.
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| I cut off its feet and its tail! |
A marine bird native to subtropical and tropical regions of the eastern Pacific Ocean, the Blue Booby is one of six species of Booby, named from the Spanish word bobo ("stupid, foolish or clown") in reference to the bird’s clumsiness on land.
Although found from the Gulf of California south along the western coasts of Central and South America to Peru, almost half of all breeding pairs nest on the Galápagos Islands.
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| In the air |
Blue-footed Boobies are easily recognizable by distinctive bright blue feet, which can range from a pale turquoise to a deep aquamarine.
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| The namesake feet |
Males and younger birds have lighter feet than females. Males display their feet in to attract mates in an elaborate mating ritual by lifting them up and down while strutting before the female.
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| You can barely see the feet |
The color is brighter in younger, healthier birds, which is probably why female select mates based on foot color.
The female is slightly larger than the male and can measure up to three feet long with a wingspan up to five feet. Its wings are long, pointed and brown in color; the neck and head are light brown with white streaks, while the belly and underside are white.
Its yellow eyes are placed on either side of its bill, oriented towards the front for excellent binocular vision.
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| The eyes are amazing |
The Galápagos birds are larger with lighter plumage than their relatives elsewhere.
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| Taking off |
Blue-footed Boobies eat on small schooling fish such as sardines, anchovies, mackerel and flying fish. They will also take squid and offal. They hunt by diving into the ocean after prey, sometimes from a great height, and can also swim underwater in pursuit of prey.
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| Fishing |
They hunt singly, in pairs or in larger flock, often traveling in groups as large as a dozen searching for large schools of small fish. The usually eat their prey underwater.
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| A dive; Photo: Birdzilla |
When the lead bird sees a fish shoal in the water, it signals to the rest of the group and they all dive in unison, pointing their bodies down like arrows. They can dive from heights as high as 330 feet, hitting the water at speeds up 27 mph and going as deep as 80 feet. Their skulls have special air sacs that protect the brain from enormous pressure and their nostrils are permanently closed, forcing them to breathe through the corners of the mouth.
I did see some diving like arrows, but they were far away. But, I was so happy to get to see the ones I saw up close.
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| Such a cool bird |
Back to the Lodge
After a short ride, the boat docked again and we headed back to our bus, stopping for traffic in the crosswalk.
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| A law-abiding Seal Lion |
I was sorry that Scott missed the hike and the close-up encounters with critters ...
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| CW: Marine Iguana, Lava Gull, Sally Lightfoot, Galápagos Sea Lions and White-tipped Reef Sharks |
... but at least the snorkeling miss wasn’t tragic.
When we got back to the Lodge for lunch, he was feeling better, but not great.
Trip date: March 7 - 19, 2023
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