Story Pictures

Baltra Island dock

Baltra Island is the island that has the main airport in the Galapagos, and nothing else. Once you fly in, you are taken by bus to this dock where you pick up the ferry across a small channel to Santa Cruz Island (which has the largest population in the islands).

Baltra Island ferry

This ferry takes all passengers (and luggage) who fly into the Galapagos form the airport to the main island (Santa Cruz Island).

Collapsed Caldera

This is part of an ancient caldera (volcanic crater formed by the collapse of the mouth of a volcano) on Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos. The are a number of these calderas in the highlands of Santa Cruz, all overgrown with vegitation, although the walls are still visible.

Path in Santa Cruz Highlands

This is a section of the trail we followed when we hiked in the highlands of Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos.

Royal Palm Hotel

We stayed one night at the Royal Palm Hotel on Santa Cruz before we boarded our yacht. This is the courtyard and pool, as seen from the restaurant.

Royal Palm Hotel

We stayed one night at the Royal Palm Hotel on Santa Cruz before we boarded our yacht. This is one of the buildings with four rooms where we slept.

A unique vehicle

This car is definitely appropriate for the Galapagos islands. We saw this in Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos.

Puerto Ayora Fisk Market

There was a small fish market on the waterfront in Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos. You can see pelicans looking longingly at the fish being prepared for sale.

Puerto Ayora Waterfront

A section of the street facing the waterfront in Puerto Ayora, with some tourist storefronts. On Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos.

Building in Puerto Ayora

This is an interesting building seen in Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos.

Boats in Academy Bay

A contrast of styles with these boats in Academy Bay, just outside Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos.

Integrity

This was the yacht we stayed on in the Galapagos. This is a view of the rear where we board and disembark, always using the Panga boats.

Integrity

This was the yacht we stayed on in the Galapagos. This is a view of the side. The lower row of dark windows are the guest cabins. Above those are the lounge and dining room. The top has deck chairs and a hot tub.

Interesting wood worked gate

The wooden gate on this building outside of Puerto Ayora was interesting enough to photograph. On Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos.

Path on Española Island

This is a section of the trail we followed when we hiked from Punta Suárez on Española Island in the Galapagos.

Blow hole near Punta Suárez

A blow hole on the coast of Española Island in the Galapagos, seen on the hike from Punta Suárez.

Albatross Egg

This is a non-viable albatross egg we found on the trail on from Punta Suárez on Española Island in the Galapagos.

Path on San Cristóbal Island

This is a section of the trail we followed when we hiked from Punta Pitt on San Cristóbal Island in the Galapagos.

Mockingbird Nest

This is the nest of a mockingbird that we saw alongside the trail from Punta Pitt on San Cristóbal Island in the Galapagos.

Path on San Cristóbal Island

This is a section of the trail we followed when we hiked from Punta Pitt on San Cristóbal Island in the Galapagos.

Path on San Cristóbal Island

As we hiked over the ridge on San Cristóbal Island in the Galapagos, I took this photograph of the trail behind us with another group coming down the path.

Path on San Cristóbal Island

The hike from Punta Pitt on San Cristóbal Island included some stairs cut into the side of the hills. This is a small section of the trail as it climbs up to the ridge.

Kayaking at Santa Fé Island

Santa Fé Island had a small bay on the northeastern part of the island. In the early morning we hiked among the giant cactuses, and in the later morning we snorkeled and then kayaked in the small bay. This is a picture from our yacht showing the kayakers from our group and snorkelers from another tour group.

Returning Kayaks

A chain of kayaks being towed behind the Panga boat as it returns to the yacht. The kayakers from our group are in the Panga.

Path on South Plaza Island

This is a section of the trail we followed when we hiked on South Plaza Island in the Galapagos.

Path on South Plaza Island

This is a section of the trail we followed when we hiked on South Plaza Island in the Galapagos. This path goes across a ridge, with a steep drop to the ocean on our right hand side.

Boat in Darwin Bay

A small number of other boats were anchored near us in Darwin Bay at Genovesa Island in the Galapagos, including this interesting one.

Prince Phillip's Steps

These steps, carved into the wall surrounding Darwin Bay on Genovesa Island, allow access to the higher ground.

Pinnacle Rock

Pinnacle Rock on Bartolomé Island in the Galapagos. This formation is a distinctive characteristic of Bartolomé Island and is one of the most representative landmarks in the Galapagos.

Pinnacle Rock

Pinnacle Rock on Bartolomé Island in the Galapagos. This formation is a distinctive characteristic of Bartolomé Island and is one of the most representative landmarks in the Galapagos.

Boardwalk and Lava Cactus on Bartolomé Island

Bartolomé Island, in the Galapagos, has a boardwalk from the ocean to its peak, including almost 400 steps. Partway up the boardwalk, I took this picture looking back at the lower section of the trail. That is a lava cactus in the foreground, pretty much the only one we saw on this barren landscape.

Boardwalk on Bartolomé Island

This is a picture of the lower section of the boardwalk on Bartolomé Island in the Galapagos. You can see a Panga boat docked, having just let off some tourists.

Boardwalk on Bartolomé Island

A middle section of the boardwalk on Bartolomé Island as it winds its way around and up. That is part of our group climbing the stairs.

Lagoon at Red Beach

This is a lagoon behind Red Beach on Rábida Island in the Galapagos. It used to be a stop for migrating flamingos, but no longer.

Path on Rábida Island

This is a section of the trail we followed when we hiked from Red Beach on Rábida Island in the Galapagos.

Rocas Bainbridge

Rocas Bainbridge is a remote chain of small islands, near Santiago Island in the Galapagos. This island, which is a collapsed volcanic cone, currently holds a lagoon, which attracts migrating greater (pink) flamingos. This wide angle shot shows most of the width of this small island.

Rocas Bainbridge

Rocas Bainbridge is a remote chain of small islands, near Santiago Island in the Galapagos. This island, which is a collapsed volcanic cone, currently holds a lagoon, which attracts migrating greater (pink) flamingos. This shot shows a section of the small rock boundary between the ocean and the lagoon.

Greater Flamingos in Rocas Bainbridge

Rocas Bainbridge is a remote chain of small islands, near Santiago Island in the Galapagos. This island, which is a collapsed volcanic cone, currently holds a lagoon, which attracts migrating greater (pink) flamingos. This is a zoom of some of the flamingos currently occupying the lagoon. Sorry for the poor quality, but my zoom lens was not quite up to the shot (especially from the bow of a moving boat).

Lava Flow on Santiago Island

This small lava flow slides down the coast of Santiago Island. This was photographed from the boat on Sullivan Bay as we approached Bartolomé Island in the Galapagos.