Snorkeling in the Devil's Crown (Floreana, 15.9.17) and the Baltra/Santa Cruz canal (17.9.17) - Evolution: From the Galapagos to the 21st Century

I am new to snorkeling, and it was quite a daunting prospect to have to go in at the deep end, so to speak, with my first proper attempt going backward off the side of the boat at the Devil’s crown. You’ve already seen some of the pictures from above sea level, now here are a few below. Just to refresh your memory, here’s the Crown. And here are some of the things that we saw.

The top of a now submerged volcano, The Devil's Crown is host to a wide variety of fish and marine life. — The top of a now submerged volcano, The Devil’s Crown is host to a wide variety of fish and marine life.

The channel through the centre of the Devil’s Crown

fullsizeoutput_1f0d — A yellow damselfish (Stegastes spp.)

Guineafowl pufferfish (Arothron meleagris)

fullsizeoutput_1eed — Yellow tailed surgeonfish (Prionurus laticlavius)

fullsizeoutput_1ee8 — echinderms and fish

Panamic sergeant major (Abudefduf troschelii)

fullsizeoutput_1ee1 — …….yet more yellow tailed surgeonfish

The diversity of marine life was amazing, in no small part from the banning of tourist boats, and the tourists themselves, entering the Crown.

The Baltra/SantaCruz Canal

The canal between the islands of Baltra and Santa Cruz

We took a motor launch from Puerto Ayora along the coast to the canal between Baltra and Santa Cruz. We dropped anchor and were surprised when Ken told us that last year the water had been really choppy. While not a mill pond, the sea was gently bobbing the boat up and down about 10cm. Perfect conditions for the novice snorkeler that I am.

There is a small ‘bay’, not more that 45m in length and only a few metres deep. The water is crystal clear, and I thought that I would try out my ‘not-a-GoPro’.

It worked really well. I have a video that I shall post to YouTube, when I am back in the UK, and I shall post the link. Here now are some stills. I didn’t catch any footage of the sealion, but here are a few of the highlights.

fullsizeoutput_1f2d — White-tipped reef shark (Triaenodon obesus), abpout 7 feet long. I saw 10 of these beautiful animals!

fullsizeoutput_1f2f — Cortez rainbow wrasse (Thalassoma lucusanum) and a pencil urchin (Eucidaris Thouarsii)

fullsizeoutput_1f26 — Juvenile Streamer Hogfish (Bodianus diplotaenia)

fullsizeoutput_1f27 — Anchovy-like fish, shoals and shoals of these fish, no more than 100mm long.

It was phenomenal to spend time in the water with so many animals. It was quite surprising to suddenly find myself looking eye to eye with a sealion, but a day in the life of even a beginner snorkeler like myself.

The sharks were truly amazing. They were completely docile and disinterested in me. from time to time one would effortlessly rise from the seabed curl around and reposition itself. I have since discovered that there are also tiger sharks in the canal, but the waters around Galapagos so rich in food that they never show the slightest inclination in attacking a human, too much effort when food is on your doorstep already…..

There are a couple of fish that I haven’t had time to identify yet, rest assured that I will find out what they are, and I will let you know.