Ecuadorian legislature.
Quito
Archbishop's residence.
Quito
Main plaza.
Quito
President's residence.
Quito
Jesuit cathedral.
Quito
Jesuit cathedral.
Quito
Jesuit cathedral.
Quito
Franciscan cathedral.
Quito
Supporting the globe, one of us on each side of the equator.
La Ciudad Mitad del Mundo, north of Quito
On the equator.
La Ciudad Mitad del Mundo, north of Quito
Quito at night.
Quito
Sailing Yacht Sagitta, our home for 11 days.
North Seymour Island
Blue-footed boobies courting.
North Seymour Island
Blue-footed booby.
North Seymour Island
Afternoon over Daphne Minor.
Near North Seymour Island
Comfortable sea lions.
Gardner Bay, Espanola Island
Holiday at the beach.
Gardner Bay, Espanola Island
Sally Lightfoot crab. Allegedly named for a dancer who was fond of red dresses.
Gardner Bay, Espanola Island
Sally Lightfoot crabs.
Gardner Bay, Espanola Island
Female lava lizard.
Gardner Bay, Espanola Island
Marine iguana in Espanola breeding colors.
Punta Suarez, Espanola Island
Marine iguana in Espanola breeding colors.
Punta Suarez, Espanola Island
Juvenile booby; seems to find the world a bit intimidating.
Punta Suarez, Espanola Island
Darwin's observations of variations in Galapagos mockingbirds led to key insights concerning the origin of species.
Punta Suarez, Espanola Island
Grim determination -- for an iguana, anyway.
Punta Suarez, Espanola Island
Michelle observing rays in the water below.
Punta Suarez, Espanola Island
Lava lizard. ("Practically any species whose name begins with Darwin, Galapagos, or lava is endemic.")
Punta Suarez, Espanola Island
Inside the Van Straelen visitor center at the Charles Darwin Research Station.
Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island
Tortoises bred at the Darwin Research Station.
Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island
Lonesome George (on the right), last of the Pinta Island tortoises, in his home at the Darwin Research Station.
Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island
Resident at the Darwin Research Station.
Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island
Resident at the Darwin Research Station.
Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island
Dinner at the Darwin Research Station.
Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island
Resident at the Darwin Research Station.
Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island
Iguana in the breeding program at the Darwin Research Station. Human contact has to be minimized so that these critters retain some natural defensiveness; we felt privileged to be allowed to see them.
Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island
A part of Puerto Ayora, population 15,000.
Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island
Another look at a small part of Puerto Ayora. Note the statue just left of center, and the Cyber Cafe in the background.
Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island.
Traffic problems in the Santa Cruz highlands.
Santa Cruz Island
Keeping a weather eye on the tourists.
Santa Cruz Island
Definitely a graduate of the Darwin Research Station.
Santa Cruz Island
Some things haven't changed much in the last few million years.
Santa Cruz Island
Tourists and tortoise.
Santa Cruz Island
Tortoise fight! (In case you're wondering, the small female won.)
Santa Cruz Island
Touche!
Santa Cruz Island
Vermillion flycatcher in the dusk.
Santa Cruz Island
Finches at Jacqueline de Roy's patio. Jacqueline is one of the longest-term residents of Puerto Ayora; her daughter Tui is a well-known nature photographer.
Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island
Inside Jacqueline de Roy's house.
Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island
Walkway to Jacqueline de Roy's house.
Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island
The geometry of the iguana.
Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island
Life aboard the Sagitta.
Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island
Volcanic landscape.
Floreana Island
Greg Estes (our naturalist) and friend. "Hold out a stick, and they'll visit."
Floreana Island
The Post Office Barrel, a mail drop dating back to the early whaling days. Also used as an espionage device by the Americans against the British. We left a postcard, which was picked up and mailed to us from Wisconsin. Thanks, Judith A. Boeck!
Post Office Bay, Floreana Island
Mark, Prisca, Tory, Linda, Brian, Diana, Alex, Amanda, Sara, Julie, Bill, Allen, Michelle, and John. Photo by Greg.
Post Office Bay, Floreana Island
Cloudscape.
Isabela Island
Loading the panga (skiff) to go snorkeling.
Elizabeth Bay, Isabela Island
Hikers leaving the panga (skiff).
Urvina Bay, Isabela Island
Local resident.
Urvina Bay, Isabela Island
A very substantial land iguana.
Urvina Bay, Isabela Island
Tasty!
Urvina Bay, Isabela Island
Feral cats, a major problem in the Galapagos.
Urvina Bay, Isabela Island
This iguana handles close-ups particularly well.
Urvina Bay, Isabela Island
Coral heads, raised out of the ocean by an uplift (one of the seismic events that happens frequently in this volcanically-active region).
Urvina Bay, Isabela Island
Hard to find, but dead center you may see a flightless cormorant, one of the unusual birds endemic to the Galapagos. It lives much of its life in the water.
Urvina Bay, Isabela Island
Marine iguana.
Urvina Bay, Isabela Island
"1836", the oldest of many inscriptions by visitors to Tagus Cove.
Tagus Cove, Isabela Island
Darwin Lake (hypersaline, like the Dead Sea) in the foreground. Tagus Cove behind it. Fernandina Island in the distance.
Tagus Cove, Isabela Island
Marine iguanas going out for breakfast (algae).
Punta Espinosa, Fernandina Island
Swimming marine iguana.
Punta Espinosa, Fernandina Island
Allen contemplating iguanas.
Punta Espinosa, Fernandina Island [I think].
A little raggedy, but still dignified.
Punta Espinosa, Fernandina Island
Lava cactus, a "pioneer plant" that's one of the first to gain a foothold on the lava.
Punta Espinosa, Fernandina Island
Lava cactus in bloom.
Punta Espinosa, Fernandina Island
Iguana with a view. (Brown pelican flying by on the right.)
Punta Espinosa, Fernandina Island
Lava heron.
Punta Espinosa, Fernandina Island
Lava lizard.
Punta Espinosa, Fernandina Island
A pair of sun worshipers. (They turn broadside to the sun to warm up after entering the water, and face the sun to cool down during the heat of the day.)
Punta Espinosa, Fernandina Island
Sunset on the equator. It's just a little too dark to see the equator line on the ocean at the bottom of the picture. :-) Too many clouds to see the green flash on this trip, unfortunately.
Off Isabela Island
A group of blue-footed boobies diving at high speed into the water, to grab fish.
James (Santiago) Island
Fur seal.
James Bay, James (Santiago) Island
What we look like from the wildlife's point of view. (The guy with the tripod is John Madunich, our tour leader.)
James Bay, James (Santiago) Island
A brittle star.
James Bay, James (Santiago) Island
Marine iguanas forming a Celtic knot?
James Bay, James (Santiago) Island
Red scoria cliff and beach.
Rabida Island
Cactus and rolling hills in the afternoon.
Rabida Island
Red-footed booby.
Tower (Genovesa) Island
Male frigate bird, in courtship display.
Tower (Genovesa) Island
Male frigate bird with deflated pouch.
Tower (Genovesa) Island
OK, we won't go there.
Tower (Genovesa) Island
Greg Estes, our naturalist.
Tower (Genovesa) Island
Female frigate bird in flight.
Tower (Genovesa) Island
Male frigate bird in flight.
Tower (Genovesa) Island
Male frigate bird in flight, with pouch inflated. That's got to be awkward.
Tower (Genovesa) Island
Nazca booby (formerly known as a masked booby) shading an egg.
Tower (Genovesa) Island
Red-footed booby.
Tower (Genovesa) Island
Red-footed booby checking out the photographers.
Tower (Genovesa) Island
Volcanic landscape on Bartolome and Santiago.
Bartolome Island
Lava flows, cinder cones, and spatter cones, with Pinnacle Rock on the right.
Bartolome Island
Stark, but photogenic.
Bartolome Island
Pinnacle Rock, with the Sagitta at anchor.
Bartolome Island
Allen and Michelle.
Bartolome Island
Hybrid land/marine iguana. A rare beast.
South Plaza Island
You might think this guy has been wandering around in too many yellow flowers, but in fact he's always this stylish.
South Plaza Island
Mmm, portulaca flowers. Tasty.
South Plaza Island
Slurping down one last portulaca petal.
South Plaza Island
Lava gull with egg.
South Plaza Island
Eating flowers gets boring after a while; grass adds variety.
South Plaza Island
A sea lion pup tries (unsuccessfully) to grab Michelle's camera strap.
South Plaza Island
If the camera isn't available, then the hat will do.
South Plaza Island
Friends at last.
South Plaza Island
Leaving the island by 6PM to obey the park rules.
South Plaza Island
Michelle ascending to the Sagitta's crow's nest.
Somewhere on the way to Daphne Major
Rays swimming by the mangroves.
Black Turtle Cove, Santa Cruz Island
The setting for "The Beak of the Finch".
Daphne Major Island
The "welcome mat" -- the easiest landing spot.
Daphne Major Island
The cave at center served as the dining room. It's quite a ways from the only place on the island level enough for tents, but it's close to the "welcome mat," so the food and water doesn't have to be hauled as far.
Daphne Major Island
A look at some cacti. Each plant, and each finch living in and around it, became individually familiar to the researchers.
Daphne Major Island
Sleeping quarters. The only place on the island level enough to support a few decent-sized tents.
Daphne Major Island
Crew of the Sagitta.
Near Baltra Island
El Capitan.
Somewhere near Baltra Island
On board the Sagitta, leaving Daphne Major for the airport on Baltra and our return to Quito.
Daphne Major Island