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On Santa Cruz we got our first look at the Galapagos, including marine iguanas lying on the path. While we were watching them, one male started moving and bobbing its head in front of us and suddenly charged toward Tommy making him jump back. I don’t think he was quite ready for the wildlife to be so unafraid of humans.

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Watching the sunset over Bartolomé: We hiked up to the top of the rock of Isla Bartolomé, an island with many craters, and watched the sun set behind the rock tower and the mountains on Santiago as the clouds on the sky turned red.

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Snorkeling off of Genovesa and trying to find hammerheads, Tommy and I stuck together and snorkeled about a mile in rough current and gave up, tired, without seeing a hammerhead, although other people had. Then while we’re waiting in the dingy, suddenly Luis yells that there are many hammerheads. Tommy and I look at each other and get our masks and snorkels back on and jump in the water, but by the time we swim over to Luis the hammerheads are gone, so I ask Luis if he can help Tommy find a hammerhead. Luis takes Tommy and I follow for about 10 minutes when suddenly in the murky water there is a 3 meter hammerhead swimming below us near the bottom. It looked so cool and unconcerned with us.

Between San Cristóbal and Isla Lobos I saw my first sea turtle in the wild. In the shallow water while snorkeling we found a sea turtle that was gliding slowly in the clear water. We were able to float along next to it for a long time and watch it “fly”.

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Another highlight of the trip was watching the giant tortoises walk. They’re so slow and deliberate, barely lifting their feet off the ground as they move like prehistoric monsters. It looks like so much effort that they should be exhausted after a few yards.