The Galapagos Islands - February 2010
Day 4 - Bachas Beach & Bartolome Island

Bachas Beach, named for the barges left behind by the US Military in WWII, still has the remains of two of them rotting on the shoreline. The beach is part of Santa Cruz Island and was a great spot to see a female sea turtle burying her eggs. It was also our second snorkeling expedition in somewhat murky waters due to the closeness to the shore, but I did capture two shots of a huge spiny lobster.

Bartolome Island is one of the more recent islands formed by a now extinct volcano. The landscape, described by astronaut Buzz Aldrin, is closest thing to being on the moon. The hike to the peak of the volcano's cone is up 358 steps and well worth climb for the views on the way up. Several species of plants, including cactus, have established themselves in the volcanic soil. And everywhere you look, evidence of lava flows, cones, and tubes are present. From there, we motored around to the other side of the island for some photos of the Galapagos penguins. They are the only penguins found north of the Equator and can swim at speeds of up to 20 miles per hour.

Following a tradition as old as the oceans, the crossing of the Equator on a cruise ship is considered a sacred right of passage. The ceremony, overseen by King Neptune himself, occurred at exactly 9:51pm for us on the fourth day of our cruise. A queen was chosen from amongst the travelers. Sacrifices were made in her honor. And everyone onboard the ship received a certificate to remember the occasion.

Day 3

Introduction

Day 5