Today was perhaps my favorite day so far! Although it was perhaps the closest to the realities of nature that i have ever gotten.
The day started with us being taken by Zodiak (of course) to Champion Island. A little larger than the other island we snorkeled "around." This one was characterized by steep cliffs above and deep water below. Perfect climate for? you guessed it fishing. No not us. We got into the water to do our snorkel like good Lindblad cruisers and the magic happened immediately. There were far more fish and far more variety and and there were underwater shelves closer to the shore before the sea floor dropped via walls down to deeper waters. The marine life was colorful and varied near the walls and shelf. Just over the drop-off was where the "feeder" fish were in the thousands. At first they kept their distance in their huge schools.
Then as i wished in my head that they would trust me (us) they moved directly at me and surrounded me. It was as if i had willed myself into school. Not so. They had figured out us humans were no threat (at least the ones around them now) and were using us as shields and cover. The closest fish were no farther than one inch from me and they all crowded me for the "protection." Protection it turned out from above. No sooner had i wondered why so many of my fish "brethern" were trying to be below did the first Boobie, then the next and about a three other bird species were plunging around me (not four feet) from any part of me. The target? You guessed it all the fish now hiding by me and all the other snorkelers. Our arrival had only interrupted the feeding briefly. The sea birds now confident that we were like all the other big dumb mammals, not threat. Were plunging all around us by the tens and twenties.
It is fascinating to watch as they dive either from the cliffs or from the air (if they are aloft already). They come at it at "break neck" speeds and plunge go about 36 inches and then do a 70 degree upturn back toward the surface, sometimes with or without a fish. Meanwhile we are swimming, Sea Lions are in on the action and three peculiar fish. A trumpetlike fish, juvenile Barracuda and some large silver fish i was never able to identify, were all hunting too. In and around us was a feeding frenzy and none of it was disturbing. Oddly enough it was beautiful almost how synchronized everything seemed. I mean not to sound disturbing but never did we feel we were in danger of a plunging collision or a misplaced canine (from a Sea Lion) or whatever. The animals were both ignoring us and using us. Eventually we had to "drift" on around the island and leave the feeding waters.
One of the animals i wanted to see while here was a Green Sea Turtle. Very common i hear in these waters but being that they are among my favorite animals (my tatoo sake) i wanted to see one. I was just thinking where might they be since i expected them to be hunting where everyone else was when the silent, graceful swimmers that they are one very large individual appeared out of the blue green behind and to my left and glided by me, within five feet to take a look at me. It turned its head to look at me and then dove and turned to its left moving off as other snorkelers got in on my moment. I was so excited. I left the water after that. Nothing else could make this snorkel better.
In the afternoon we headed to Floreana Island. This was a wet landing. In a wet landing you jump into the water (calf deep) and wade into the beach. Our groups gathered on the beach before heading in. It was on this island we would see the Galapagos Great Flamingo (i didnt even know such a thing existed). There is a huge mineral lake that has the perfect conditions for brine shrimp. The main diet of flamingos and the reason they are pink. There were not many on the lake on the island a few sparse individuals spread out but there were a few individuals who were close enough for some pictures.
Floreana was arid like the other islands but had shrub and small trees throughout the landscape. The island was very hilly and had volcanic activity like the other islands. The paths were tight and had vegetation growing close on both sides. More bushy and having an endemic daisy-like bush with brigh yellow flowers. This island had quite a few endemic species of flowering bush which was unique from the other islands we had visited so far. It was on this island that we saw the endemic Floreana island species of mocking bird (expert at stealing drinks from visitor's water bottles) and several finches and the endemic pollinator to the Galapagos Archipeligo, the Carpenter Bee.
Further along on the trail was where we slammed right head on into the reality of mother nature. Although we had this experience in the water our values were not challenged as we were prepared for fish to be on the course. Our group had just walked around the corner onto the further beach where a scene was unfolding between Frigate Birds and baby Green Sea Turtles. Two other groups were already further down the beach. This spectacle was unfolding at this very moment for us. All we knew was this further beach (on the opposite side of the island from where we landed) was where Sea Turtles came to lay eggs. All over there were signs of their coming up on the beach, etc. There were three very large Frigates diving at the same mound where there was from our perspective a little dimple in the ground. We were all curious at this odd behavior when as we got closer we realized what was happening. Baby turtles were emerging and making for the sea. I dont know if any of you have seen the Mutual of Omaha episode way back when but i remember it as a kid and it was disturbing then. In fact i seem to remember myself as an 8 year old being distraught. Here i was witnessing my favorite animal as prey. One after another the babies emerged and were pick up by a swooping Frigate. We watched as a squirming baby turtle was in the beak of a uplifting bird. Not one baby emerged past the mound. The dimple was too high up on the dune for us to see the babies come out. Our only indicator was the success of the Frigates given light by the prey in their mouths.
The naturalists immediately called the other groups over at first we thought to witness this but in fact it was to rally more naturalists to protect what was going on. I dont think there was any danger of anyone in our group trying to stop it although we were all disturbed and heartbroken for the baby turtles. The naturalists kept us at a distance and kept asking us not to disturb what was going on. They were afraid one of us might turn turtle zealot and start throwing rocks at the Frigates. None of us did and the scene stopped as quickly as it started. Not because we were there but the swooping attempts were having less success which indicated to us that the few babies that had hatched early (supposed to be evening) were now depleted.
Our group headed back towards the other beach trying to workout the scene we had been witness to. We got back in our Zodiak and headed back to the ship. On the way our Naturalist tried to talk about why what happened was good (something about turtles are supposed to hatch at night so the Frigates were eating defective turtles). On the way to the ship the Zodiak driver spotted dolphins in the distance. The naturalist gave the go ahead and we followed a pod of about 80 Bottle-nosed Dolphins. Forrest got the only shot of an individual jumping out of the water in mid-air. They were jumping everywhere. But it was Forrest's shot that recorded the moment (the pic attached) one jumping in mid air. They were jumping everywhere and all around us and we must have ridden among them for a good 20 minutes. Cameras and fingers were pointing in every direction. And mothers guided their babies over to look at us at speeds you would not have thought possible for an animal that young.
We headed back to the ship on being recalled by the captain. All of us happy and amazed and contemplating the three scenes we had witnessed that day. Our small group had scene three very different things regarding the realities of nature that day. A good reminder but one not sad nor sobering but rather spiritual almost. I had thought back at the moment with the Sea Turtle in the morning and realized there really was a "Circle of Life" not that i had not believed before but that cliche had become just that something too familiar and abstract. Now it was real. I thought about id and Forrest and I talked about it. It had been a good day.
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