Got up this morning bright and early. After getting the cameras ready for the day, I went out in search of breakfast. I found a little bakery open that had water and banana bread, so that would have to do. Juan Carlos was supposed to meet me at my hotel at 8 am and take me to the meeting point for today's tour. I was sitting outside the hostel waiting for him when 8 came and went. So, I WhatsApped Alethea and told her he wasn't there, and she promptly replied that it's 7! Okay. So, my watch is staying on mainland time instead of island time. I have to remember to add an hour to everything while here, then. Island time is one hour less than home, not two, so when my phone gives me local vs home, that's how I'll know if it's switched. In the meantime, add an hour.
So I went back to my room and watched some Netflix until time for Juan Carlos to actually get here. He showed up a few minutes before and walked me just down to the corner and introduced me to my guide who introduced me to the actual tour provider who took me, a family from Ambato (two sisters and their two adult kids), and a Pan Am'er from Spain onto our boat for the day. A Pan Am'er is a person who is traveling the PanAmerican Highway. This guy shipped his vehicle from Spain to Montevideo, Uruguay. He has been driving around South America, down into Ushuaia (but did not go on to Antarctica), and back up through Patagonia, Peru, and parking his truck in Quito for the flight to the islands. Apparently, the family from Ambato had never snorkeled before, so we went to Playa Escondido first. Not much to see there, but a nice place to teach people to snorkel. It was a good spot to test out the water tightness on my camera, which was water tight in her condom (an Outex underwater housing that looks like a condom when put on), and to test my new snorkel equipment, which worked well. So I walked around the beach and took some pix of some Sally Lightfoot crabs and other things.
I took this swimming marine iguana before we got off the boat with my phone. I didn't want to use the camera yet in case there was an issue with the housing.
Lava gull
I noticed my straps weren't tight enough on my camera and that I was getting a condensation spot on my outer lens. I was afraid I would have to open the housing to fix the smudge when I got back on the boat, but by the time we got back to the boat, it had cleared itself. I missed the picture of the pelican, though. I also learned that I prefer to use the camera without the condom if I'm not in the water. I should have brought a second body and lens or gotten the smaller condom. I'll know better next time.
We had some fruit (cut up oranges and bananas with strawberry syrup) for snack, looked at a few puffers who came up to the boat, and headed to our first snorkel site.
When we pulled up, the angel fish swarmed the boat. They were everywhere! I got in the water first because everybody was afraid it would be cold. It was just a tad chilly, but I acclimated quickly. I was only wearing my rash guard. Some of them were in wetsuites. Our guide wanted everybody to stay together, which was a problem for me because I kept being kicked by the folks who didn't know how to snorkel. So, I didn't really stay with the group, but close enough to not cause a problem. The Pan-Am guy and I kinda stayed off to the side so we saw more clear water instead of bubbles and feet. Lots of king angels, yellowtail surgeonfish, parrot fish and others. Sooo many starfish, and I think the Pan-Am guy said he saw an octopus, but I'm not sure and I didn't see one. It did look like some coral was starting to try to grow on some of the rocks.
Hogfish
After snorkeling here, we got back on the boat and had some bread and butter and jam with tea before heading off for the next spot. We trolled a line on the back of the boat, but didn't catch anything. When we got to the next spot, nobody other than me wanted to get back in the water. Our guide said other than sea lions, most of the rest of it was about the same as the other spot, so I just put my knock-off go pro on across my chest and left the camera on the boat.
We started off over a bait ball. Periodically a bigger fish would swim through and they act just like in the Tampa aquarium! It was neat to see in real life. I wish I could swim under water. I would have liked to disrupt the bait ball myself.
Then we headed over close to the rocks where the sea lions were hanging out. OMG! They came right up to me! My guide kept moving me closer to them. I finally came up and asked him if we were allowed to be this close, and he said yes, so... At first, I was a little afraid. I mean, they are pretty big and I'm not the strongest of swimmers. But they clearly just wanted to see how close they could get to me without touching. They weren't at all interested in being aggressive or even in playing rough. They just wanted to look at me and swim around me. One of them hung upside down and looked at me, turning it's neck right side up once in a while. Several swam under me and circled each other while swimming in front of me or beside me. A couple of them caught a fish and watched me while they ate it. One decided to get really close to my face and have a staring contest, eye to eye! And one swam under me while rolling then came up and jumped over me! My guide pushed my butt down further under the water to make sure I didn't touch him. We aren't allowed to touch the wildlife. I was laughing so hard and having so much fun, and I'm sure the noises I was making was attracting them more! I felt like a little kid. Even clapped my hands together a few times! (Later, I learned that bubbles attract them, and my laughing and clapping was definitely making bubbles!) Then suddenly, all the sea lions started heading out of the water, and the guide grabbed me and pulled me onto the rocks. A zodiac started coming around and getting people out of the water and taking them to their boats. Apparently, somebody saw a big shark. Our guide wasn't sure if it was a bull shark or a galapagos shark, but it wasn't one of the little sharks that hang out with people. We were also in an area where baby sea lions have been recently born, so there is blood in the water that will attract both of those types of sharks (and others), so the snorkeling was over for everybody. This was one of the best experiences of my life, and I hated for it to end.
After getting back on board, we had lunch of fish, rice, and chifles and watched the sea lions on the rocks. We also watched the blue-footed boobies. I had seen many of them on the mainland, but on the sandy water it's not so evident how they reflect the colors below them on their white chests. These guys looked like they were glowing torquoise! Absolutely gorgeous! I tried to get some pictures, but they just aren't even decent. I have a hard enough time taking bird pictures on terra firma. On a rocking boat, it's just not happening!
We got back, and I went back to my room and took a shower. Started downloading pix and learned that I did not actually turn on the go pro for the sea lions. I could have sworn I checked it, though, and it said it was running. Regardless, I didn't get a single bit of the bait ball or sea lions except some phone shots I took from the boat.
I did get decent shots of the sea lions taking up the bench on the pier and some iguanas sunning themselves.
Hopefully, I'll have better luck with the penguins and maybe have another opportunity with the sea lions.
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