The start of the big one..flew in a day early and met up with Rheya, an Aussie girl touring South America. Before the others arrived we took an afternoon to hike around local viewing points and the conservation centre, and to enjoy the sights and sounds of the local town being over run by sea lions - lying on benches, walking/waddling down the main street and basically flopped down on the pavement all over the shop, and not in the least bit intimidated by humans, even getting up to sit next to us on benches.
Day 2 we hired a taxi to take us around the highlands, visiting a lagoon, a giant tortoise reserve and a couple of beaches on the far side of the island to see our first pre historic looking marine iguanas and a lot more sea lions. Then met up with the next 2 American arrivals and we all headed off for a hike and first snorkel of the trip at Loberia beach - had our first sightings of sea turtles and many hundred sea lions incuding mums nursing new born pups, still rocking umbilical cords. Quite a surreal experience having sea lions everywhere on the beach, some of them coming to lie behind us to get in our shadows out of the sun.
Day 3 and a boat ride to snorkel at Kicker Rock, a number of turtle and playful sea lion experiences (getting banged head on by them under water) plus first sightings of some white tipped sharks, plus blue footed boobies and masked boobies on the rocks. Then more snorkelling back on the mainland with some more new arrivals from Germany and yet more sea turtles. Next, disaster strikes - my underwater camera breaks down, deciding to let water in through the zoom mechanism...and buying one in Galapagos is impossible unless you want to splash out 600 dollars. Time to buy some crappy 20 dollar disposable cameras and hope for the best...