Back to the Letty, Cruise around San Cristobal, First Night on Board

Galapagos Islands map from www.discoverGalapagos.com

I can’t resist the sea lions. They are as relaxed around us as a beloved pet dog at home, and they have the same sweet faces that make me ogle puppies (yes, I am one of those people).

After we leave Playa Ochoa, we cruise close to shore, getting a view of the island from our ship.  “Sally Lightfoot” Crabs are quite the attention getters. They're also very hard workers.

Sally Lightfoot Crabs

The crabs scour for food in groups. Two bright colored crabs stand out against the dark rocks,  but you can see others in the background).  These scavengers are a critical part of the Galapagos ecosystem, cleaning the shore of organic debris. The crabs will feed on placenta left on the beach after a sea lion birth or provide  personalized grooming service for iguanas, removing dead skin, parasites, and algae. (I’m sure the iguanas tip well.) 

The females carry their eggs on their bellies, taking them out to the water to hatch.  The larvae survive on  microscopic organisms  by ‘filtering’ the sea water, casting off their shells as they outgrow them, and eventually returning to shore as juveniles. There they continue to grow, molt, and become more colorful.

Time to take in the sunset from the deck, and then we’re ready for our welcome dinner.

welcome aboard the Letty - cocktails

After dinner we gather in the lounge of the ship to get to know each other and talk a little about tomorrow’s adventures.   We’ll be traveling as we sleep, starting tomorrow at Genovesa Island.

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