Day Five: Baby Sea Lion Steals Show

We continued our exploration of Santiago at Buccaneer’s Cove (think real pirates back in the 1800’s). I kayaked by myself in a single knack over some big waves.  We saw blue footed boobies and more mating sea turtles.

We also saw lots of colorful fish and a barracuda.  The shark and ray were my favorites.  We snorkeled into a real underwater cave off the notorious pirate cove.  The cave was really cool and dark. Here is a video of the underwater highlights.

Santiago is the Island where Darwin spent about half of his time in the Galapagos. Back in Darwin's day, pirates weren't the only ones pillaging. Sailors regularly hauled several huge tortoises aboard ship to use as dinner later in the voyage.  The turtles could live for over a year without food and water, making them ideal fresh meat in an age before refrigeration. 

Darwin himself wrote of his love for cute Galapagos doves for dinner.  

In Puerto Egos, Santiago, I fell in love with this cute baby sea lion I called "Henrietta."  I and got some terrific video of her playing in the water, and later loping around on land. Keep in mind that Henrietta is not in zoo.  Like most of the animals here in the Galapagos, she is not afraid of me, even though I was less than a few feet away, standing on the same lava flow with her at the edge of the Pacific Ocean.

Henrietta was on shore waiting for her Mommy to bring her some fish from the sea, Although baby sea lions can get into lots of mischief while Mommy is at work at the fish market, there are no predators to eat them. 

We think Henrietta was about 4 weeks old.