A Tour of the Galapagos Islands

A Kent Christensen

14-23 November 2008http://www.umich.edu/~akc/Galapagos2008-short.ppt

National Geographic/Lindblad Expeditions(www.expeditions.com)

Galapagos Islands, 600 miles west of Ecuador

Youngest ~0.5M years"hot spot"

Oldest~10M years

Isabela

Fernandina

Santa Cruz

Floreana

Española

Santiago

San Cristóbal

Baltra (airport)

Our cruise ship, National Geographic Polaris

My cabin aboard the Polaris

We traveled between ship and shore in rubber boats, called zodiacs

Sea lion

A mother sea lion and her nursing cub

Land iguana

Land iguana

Marine iguanas

Marine iguana

Lava lizard

Blue-footed boobies, male and female

Young frigatebird

Male frigatebird, expanded red throat pouch to court females

Galapagos waved

albatross, on Española Island.

Galapagos hawk, one of the

few predators

Mockingbird, Española Island

One of 13 kinds of Darwin's finches on Galapagos Islands

Galapagos penguin

Fresh water lake, Floreana Island

Flamingos on the lake, Floreana Island

White-cheeked pintail duck

Sally lightfoot crabs

Sally lightfoot crab

Historic post office barrel, Floreana Island

Bottle-nosed dolphins "bow riding" our ship

A green sea turtle in the water beside our zodiac

Wolf Volcano, Isabela Island, highest in the Galapagos, 5600 ft. (=1707 m)

Harbor of Puerta Ayora, with our ship in the background

Young tortoises at a breeding facility, Charles Darwin Research Station

Adult giant tortoise (and Kent), Charles Darwin Research

Station

Lush vegetation in the central highlands of Santa Cruz Island. At left is the Altair Restaurant, where we had lunch

Wild giant tortoises migrating for optimal food.

Wild giant tortoise (and Kent)

Head of a giant tortoise

Snorkelers enjoying underwater marvels

Sea stars seen from a glass bottom boat

A razor surgeonfish, glass bottom boat

A stingray, glass bottom boat

Shark, glass bottom boat

A snorkeler swam under the glass bottom boat

Approaching Baltra Island and the airport, after eight wonderful days in the Galapagos Islands