Galapagos 1994

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  Betty and the Sea Lion

  Sea Lions are so sleek and graceful in the water, they probably wonder what these ungainly animals with all the tube and bubbles are, but they're curious enough to check them out.
  
  Nikonos V, Nikkor 15 mm f/2.8, 2 Ikelite 150 strobes, f/5.6, 1/90, Kodak Royal Gold 100.
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  Sea Lions, Champion Island.

  We were dropped by the panga (dingy) and drifted along a wall. The sea lions followed the panga as soon as they saw us, and we had sea lions everywhere. A raft of 30 to 40 sea lions played with a rope hanging from the back of the panga, while others swam over and around us. When the water is cold, the sea lions in a raft lie on their backs and stick their flippers up in the air to warm them.
  
  Nikonos V, 15 mm f/2.8 Nikkor, 2 Ikelite 150 strobes, f/5.6, 1/90, Kodak Royal Gold 100.
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  Green Turtle, Garland Island.

  Nikonos V, Nikkor 15 mm f/2.8, 2 Ikelite 150 strobes, f/5.6, 1/90, Kodak Royal Gold 100.
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  Land Iguana, Plaza Island.

  One of 15 - 20 land iguanas who were waiting for bits to fall off the prickly-pear cactus, which they immediately ate. Plaza Island has the largest population of land iguanas in the Galapagos. They dig burrows in the sparse soil amongst the cactus and iceplant.
  
  Nikon F4, 200 mm f/4 Micro-Nikkor, f/5.6, 1/500, Kodak Royal Gold 100.
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  Masked boobies, Hood Island (aka Isla Espanola).

  Part of this pair-bonding exercise involves rubbing their beaks against one another. They also display by stepping from foot to foot and calling.
  
  This is one of the most-viewed images on my site, but those who find it directly from a search engine almost always immediately leave. I wonder why?
  
  Nikon F4, 200 mm f/4 Micro-Nikkor, f/5.6, 1/250, fill flash, Kodak Royal Gold 100.
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  Flamingo, Floreana Island (aka Santa Maria).

  We arrived at a brackish interior lake just before sunset. There were 80 or 90 flamingos feeding. They kick up the muck and brine shrimp and strain it through the baleen-like structures on their bills, using their thick tongues as pistons five times a second. They are the same family as geese, and you can tell it because they honk.
  
  Nikon F4, 300 mm f/2.8 Nikkor, 2x extender, f/5.6 (f/2.8 indicated), 1/30, Kodak Royal Gold 100.
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  Blue-footed booby, Hood Island.

  We walked up a rocky path littered with blue-footed boobies and their nests They nest right on the path; you can walk right up to them. Some were sitting on eggs, and some had one to three chicks. If you're a male blue-footed booby, the bluer your feet are, the more successful you are with the lady boobies. During courtship, you show your feet to your intended partner, who inspects them for blueness.
  
  Nikon F4, 200 mm f/4 Micro-Nikkor, f/4, 1//25, fill-flash, Kodak Royal Gold 100.
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  Sally Lightfoot crab, James Island.

  We arrived near sunset, dropping onto a sandy beach with lots of Sally Lightfoot crabs and marine iguanas.
  
  Nikon F4, 200 mm f/4 Micro-Nikkor, f/8, 1/500, Kodak Royal Gold 100.
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  Waved Albatross, Hood Island (aka Isla Espanola).

  Hood Island has 12,000 breeding pairs of waved albatross, and is the only known breeding colony. These birds mate for life, and fly 25 million miles during their lifetime. Their complex pair-bonding display includes bill-dueling, neighing, snapping their bills like castanets, head-bobbing, sway-walking, and this move, called the open gate.
  
  Nikon F4, 200 mm f/4 Micro-Nikkor, f/4, 1/250, Kodak Royal Gold 100.
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  Sea Lions, Champion Island.

  We had several snorkelers on our trip, one of whom is in this picture. When we went up to Darwin Island to dive with the hammerheads, they jumped in with several hundred of the sharks -- I'm not sure I'd do that.
  
  Nikonos V, Nikkor 15 mm f/2.8, 2 Ikelite 150 strobes, f/5.6, 1/90, Kodak Royal Gold 100.
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  Sea Lion Pass

  On some islands, you could hardly see the other marine life because of the antics of the sea lions. They swam, twisted, wiggled, nipped fingers, tried to eat flashes, and gazed soulfully into our masks. The big bulls barked at us underwater.
  
  Nikonos V, Nikkor 15 mm f/2.8, 2 Ikelite 150 strobes, f/5.6, 1/90, Kodak Royal Gold 100.
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  Kicker Rock, at sunrise on the last day.

  Nikon F4, 20 mm f/2.8 Nikkor, f/8, 1/250, Kodak Royal Gold 100.