Marine Iguanas

Our day started with a 6 A.M. hike to Tortuga Bay on the south side of Santa Cruz Island. The white sand beach reminded me of our New Jersey beaches. I wondered why the sand was not black from the volcanic rock. I found out it is because the sand on this beach was formed from coral and sea shells, not volcanic rock.

As we walked down the beach, we watched for wildlife. We saw sanderlings, ruddy turnstones, oyster catchers, brown pelicans, yellow warblers, and then, finally, a marine iguana! I had been waiting to see them since arriving on the Galapagos Islands! Just like the tortoises, the marine iguana were very easy to photograph. (See photo link below.)

We saw one marine iguana, then two, then three, and soon dozens! The longer and harder we looked at the lava rocks on the beach, the more iguanas we spotted. Their black bodies camouflaged very well against the rocks. In contrast, the orange-red sally light-foot crabs stuck out like sore thumbs! (See photo link.)

We also saw two blue-footed boobies on our hike, but I'll tell you about them later. In a few days we are going snorkeling on Lobos Island where we should see more blue-foots, and I hope to get video on them.

This link should bring you to a page of photos from the Tortuga Bay hike:
http://www.mtlaurelschools.org/administration/mbpage.php