The lava formations on Santiago Island form tide pools that put all other tide pools to shame — we were looking at crabs, fish and marine iguanas from lava bridges while fur seals and sea lions kept tabs on us this morning. Greg offered a bottle of wine for the first person who could find an octopus, but a moray eel and a large brittle star were the closest anyone could come. Snorkeling among the lava formations followed, and the marine life included more turtles and a ton of fish, including some spiny puffer fish and a few other species that we hadn’t seen elsewhere.
A few dolphins briefly joined us on the cruise to Santa Cruz island, and after they left us we went ashore near Dragon Hill to look for land iguanas. Greg said we’d be lucky if we saw six, and sure enough with the luck we’ve had on this trip six of the beasts showed up. Several flamingos were also hanging out in the lagoon, and I’m hoping the pictures come out as good as I think they may. The day’s final activity was kayaking on Venice Island, an aptly named series of channels and mangrove lagoons containing sharks, rays, turtles, and sea lions. Now everyone is camped out on deck waiting for a lunar eclipse — even if the eclipse doesn’t happen the full moon on the water with the Southern Cross looking down on us is a sight worth staying up for.