Las Baches, Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos

Our first landing was what was called a “wet” landing – basically, expect to get at least your feet wet!!  We got from the Beagle to the landing site via panga.  That’s the name that folks on the Galapagos use for what I know as a zodiac.  Anyway, we hit the treasure trove in terms of animals on our first landing!

First Iguana

As we walked out of the surf and onto shore, we got our first taste of wildlife, this little iguana.  I know, he kind of looks scary and creepy, but really, he was more leery of us than we were of him!  He kind of reminded me of the monsters in the old black and white “B” horror movies I watched when I was younger – with monsters attacking some poor folks in Japan, usually!

A Gathering of Sally Lightfoot Crabs

As we walked along a trail on the shore, we came across these really bright colored, almost pretty crabs.  They are commonly called Red Crabs, but their formal name is Sally Lightfoot Crabs.  The bright blue color is actually the color of their tummies.

Sally Lightfoots in the Surf

Here’s another view of the Sally Lightfoots.  I loved the way the surf just sort of swirled around these bright little guys.

Great Blue Heron – Tree Sitting

Great Blue Herons are birds that I’ve seen around the Midwest where I lived for many years.  But, here, they seem to know this is their place and we are the interlopers, and they do not display any fear.  They just go about their business of looking for food (in this case, baby sea turtles) and calmly keep us at a distance they feel comfortable with.

Heron Stroll Before Dinner

Later in our hike, I came across this other heron.  He seemed to be taking a stroll before dinner.  He walked fairly close to me, as I just stood there and watched him.

Pretty in Pink

Just after we saw our first heron, in a small little pond just over the sandy bluff separating the sea from this pond, we saw some flamingos in the wild.  It was such a calm, serene sight, and I love the reflection that can be seen in the still water.

Sooty Tern

I heard this little guy way before I saw him.  He may be small, but his voice is huge!  He was so loud!  He’s actually not known for being on this island, but I guess he didn’t get the memo!

First Frigatebird in Silhouette

We’ll see more of these birds over the next few days, but this was our first sighting of a Frigatebird.  I really like the silhouette against the late afternoon sky.  A very different bird, but then, that is more of a promise of the Galapagos than anything else.

Enjoy!