Day 9 - Rabida and Chinese Hat Islands

 

Map of Area

The Solaris stayed in Puerto Egas overnight so we had a decent nights sleep although it did start the engines and raise the anchor (both very noisy) at about 4.00 am to sail to our next destination which was Rabida Island, just off Santiago. Rabida Island means Red Island where 70% is red due to the iron content in the rocks. Here we saw several nesting Galapagos Flamingos and White Cheeked Pintail Ducks on a lake and lots of cactii and native plants.


Flamingos flying over Rabida Island

Starfish on beach

Galapagos Flamingos mating

Galapagos Penguins

Rabida Island

White Cheeked Pintail Duck

Old Cactus plant

Young Cactus plant

Rabida Island

View from Rabida Island

                                            
                                        
Galapagos Flamingos nesting


After the walk we went kayaking again but it took some time to find calm enough water as it was very windy and the waves were quite high. When it was time to finish the kayaking we were told that we were taking the kayaks back first and then we were being taken back to the beach that we had started from to retrieve our back packs. The kayaks were handed over to the Captain of the Solaris and we headed back to the beach. On the way back to the Solaris we saw 3 kayaks drifting in the sea and our inflatable went to retrieve them. Apparently the Captain accidentally let go of the rope and the kayaks drifted off.


Sea Urchin



Fish and Sea Urchins



Blue Coral

After lunch the boat sailed to a nearby small island called Chinese Hat which is a volcano that is the shape of a Chinese Coolie Hat. We saw a few sea lions and pups and a Galapagos Hawk feeding on a sea lion pup that had recently died. It is not yet known why, but a large number of sea lion pups are dying on and around this island and scientists are trying to find out the reason. There was a lot of red succulent plant here. It is red during the dry season but will turn green when the rain comes.



Chinese Hat Island - Succulent type plant that 
is red during the dry season but turns green after rain

Crab feeding on dead Sea Lion pup

Galapagos Hawk

Sea Lions (male and female)

Galapagos Oystercatcher

Galapagos Hawk feeding on dead sea lion pup

Island very near to Chinese Hat

Chinese Hat Island

Galapagos Hawk eating dead Sea Lion pup

Galapagos Hawk eating dead Sea Lion pup



We ended the day with the final and best snorkelling session of the week. This was just off Chinese Hat and it was like swimming in an aquarium. We even saw a lot of white tipped reef sharks as well as a turtle and loads of fish. We ended the swim at a rock with loads of Galapagos Penguins watching us. So for Paul and myself the year started with Penguins and ended with Penguins.


White Tipped Reef Shark

Star Fish

Fish

Fish

Fish

Fish

Fish

Fish

Fish

Fish

Fish

Fish

Fish

Fish

Shark

Shark

White Tipped Reef Shark

White Tipped Reef Shark



Fish

Fish

Galapagos Penguins



Fish

Fish - This was like swimming in an aquarium



Fish - This was like swimming in an aquarium

Galapagos Penguins

Galapagos Penguins




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