Galapagos' Iconic View...

Vanessa's map shows us getting closer to the equator.

Isla Bartolomé is one of the few Galapagos islands which has retained (more or less) its original English name, having been named after Sir Bartholomew James Sulivan, a long term friend of Charles Darwin.

The Endeavour II anchored off Bartolome.

Bartolomé's main feature is a 120m volcanic cone which is accessible via a prepared dry-landing platform and a man-made wooden track of 376 steps up an arid hill, virtually to the top. The view is said to be one of Galapagos' most iconic landscapes, and thanks to a 5:00am start, we saw it in perfect light as the sun came up. Socrates said that he guided the crew of the seafaring movie "Master and Commander" up here for filming several years ago.

It was a hard climb to the top for us oldies, but very rewarding when we got there.

The iconic landscape that signifies "Galapagos"!

Sun rises on the volcanic landscape of Bartolome, an island in perpetual drought.

After breakfast, we were able to swim and snorkel in Sulivan Bay, naming source obvious, just near the spectactular pinnacle, a caldera artifact, as we saw from the volcano-top lookout. This was possibly our best underwater outing, under bright sunshine and with very clear water. And later in the same day, we got a second opportunity to snorkel beside another volcanic caldera in the multiple small Bainbridge Islets. We fleetingly saw reef sharks and giant rays, but they all eluded our Nikon underwater camera!

The endemic Galapagos penguins wouldn't swim with us, but they make a loud braying noise.

Whatever this yellow fringed black & white fish is, it was pretty uncommon.

These two fish blended well with the sandy bottom, and seemed to be dancing with each other.

Something we didn't see on any other snorkel outing, a field of 100's of star fish.

The angelfish swim back and forth in huge schools. Smaller fry stay out of their way.

Diving to get a better view of the reef sharks.

We puzzle why some groups from Endeavour II bother to snorkel. When in the water, they talk and laugh endlessly, giving special meaning to the expression "could talk underwater", and they shriek loudly whenever a new fish is spotted.

The glass-bottomed Zodiac gets loaded back onto Endeavour II.

As the Endeavour II cruised around the Bainbridge Islets today, passengers were excited to see numerous dolphins riding the ship's bow-wave and off midships. The captain turned the ship around so we could get a better view. We also had close encounters with dolphins and more jumping manta rays while we were in the Zodiacs, so a great day for seeing these aquatic creatures.

In the Bainbridge Islets, a unique geographical structure - a captive lake inside a small volcano caldera. With bonus flamingos in the lake!

Vanessa, our expedition leader, gave us a very interesting talk today on the particular role the Galapagos Islands played in Darwin's expeditions in the Beagle and how what he saw and collected helped develop an understanding of natural selection and the evolution of species. Amazingly, we noted that some of our fellow passengers seemed totally unaware of this - maybe they are creationists by faith?

Hunt for Floreana Mockingbird...

Reflections on the bow of the National Geographic Endeavour II.

The Endeavour II preparing to anchor at Floreana.

The island of Floreana, due west of Espanola, is another which seems to have had name changes depending on its ownership. Previous names are Charles and Santa Maria. Floreana has suffered more from ravages caused by invasive species (introduced by man) than most others in the Galapagos, but massive eradication + repatriation programs are helping to restore the island to what it used to be. Lindblad-National Geographic is a major funder of such projects.

Dawn at Punta Cormorant, a turtle egg burial hole from last night.

Again on Floreana, we had the opportunity for a choice of before-breakfast nature and/or photography hikes at Punta Cormorant, followed by a Zodiac tour looking for the elusive and rare Floreana mocking-bird. The 05:30 start in the dark doesn't save us from the sudden heat as the sun pops up over the horizon.

Searching for turtles on the beach at Punta Cormorant. photographer-naturalists Rich and Socrates on the right.

A surfing turtle, pretty well the only glimpse we got off this beach.

We saw lots of new stuff, such as a turtle surfing, some pink flamingos in the distance, and the legendary blue-footed booby. The first boobies we saw were in the midst of a courtship dance where they stamp and display those glorious big blue feet.

Famous blue-footed boobys captured doing a courting ritual on Floreana.

You can rely on a Galapagos mocking-bird to get under your feet somewhere.

We think this is a Darwin Finch. Distinctions between finches (and mocking-birds) collected by Darwin on different Galapagos islands gave important insights into theories on evolution.

This distant glimpse is the closest we could get to flamingos on this outing.

A flamingo photograph we couldn't get, this one from the National Geographic collection in the Endeavour II.

But the most amazing activity on Floreana was a Zodiac ride hunting for the nearly extinct Floreana mocking-bird which survive only on two isolated isles off Floreana, and their population is declining. It is listed as "critically endangered", yet according to our expert local guide Antonio, we found one, by tracking its distinctive chirp on a coastal cactus on Champion Islet.

Sun shines through the prickles of these ubiquitous cacti. Floreana mocking-birds feed on their flowers.

From Zodiacs, we searched a long time for the Floreana Mockingbird around the coast of Champion Islet. Antonio claimed this to be one, but we don't know he can be so certain?

And we saw a few Galapagos penguins, a species totally endemic to the Galapagos and even then, only three of the Galapagos islands. This fellow is the only penguin which lives (in the wild) north of the equator, although those we spied today were just south of the equaltor.

To cool us off, there was time for snorkelling in the heat of the day. Again, no coral, but pretty fish, and some quite interesting sea-cliffs or walls to look at. The first appearance of the Endeavour II's glass bottomed Zodiac was made, for those who didn't want to snorkel. The expedition team now divides snorkellers up into "experienced" for drifting, deep water snorkelling, and off the beach snorkellers. For further aquatic recreation, there was swimming, kayaking and paddle boarding available.

The most common species in the water was homo sapiens! It actually was rather too crowded, but Lindblad prefer it this way for safety, and they enforce the buddy system.

A snorkeller bobs up to see the glass-bottomed Zodiac. Sorry about the water on the lens!

Some passengers on the Endeavour II brought their own high-tech snorkelling gear.

We saw some turtles while snorkelling, but no photos as good as this one in the L-NG Endeavour II.

Kayakers looking for sea lions and blue footed boobys.

Two brothers from Houston enjoyed calm waters on the bow of a Zodiac.

You've got to be quick to snap these turtles as they pop up for a breath.

Maybe the only penguin we didn't see in Antarctica, the endemic but not common Galapagos penguin.

The day was hot, hard and long! But an interesting diversion in the afternoon was a visit (by Zodiac) to the Post Office Barrel, following a 1793 approach to mail deliveries. We were able to leave post cards in the barrel, but in echange for that, we have to agree to hand-deliver any cards already in the barrel which are addressed to near our homes. We got six post cards with addresses in the Sydney area, but one is so incomplete that it is effectively undeliverable.

This location, a beach, was Charles Darwin's second calling in place on his 5 week 4 island visit to the Galapagos in 1835, and was also, apparently, the proposed site for a luxury resort which never eventuated.

Three of our local guides call out the addresses on cards from the Post Office Barrel.

Onto the great white continent...

Our first zodiac experience on this expedition was to a gravelly beach in Neko Harbour on the actual Antarctic Peninsula. For many of us, this was our official arrival on the 7th continent. The name "Neko" is from a factory whaling ship operating here in the 1910's & 20's. The weather for our visit was mixed. We had some rain (so much worse than snow!) and a strong wind cropped up to blow ice floes in on the beach and make our zodiac departures "quite interesting".

Clare on board Pegasus.

Neko's claim to fame is smelly and noisy gentoo penguin rookeries which host thousands of the cute little fellows and their new chicks. Beforehand, we are given strict instructions on how to treat the penguins, which are basically, stay a good distance unless the come to you (which they do, often), give them right of way, and don't walk on the penguin highways which are the obvious beaten tracks that the gentoos like to use. Gentoos are the third biggest penguin after the emperor and king varieties.

Gentoos enjoying themselves at the beach.

Gentoo penguin, with characteristic red beak.

Gentoo on the penguin highway. We were instructed to give way to all penguins.

Somehow, the penguins seem to know where they are going.

A number of skuas circle the rookeries and land frequently, looking for unprotected chicks. The adult penguins despatch them easily, but an isolated chick would be easy game.

Penguin colony threatened by a skua looking for unguarded chicks.

Penguin parents keep their young very close.

Skuas are the scourge of young penguins.

The people are more interested in the penguins than vice versa.

A gentoo penguin rules over his domain.

Gentoo mums and chicks.

Selfie?

On the penguin highway.

From the beach, it's possible to walk up a steep hill to a rocky point which overlooks a glacier. The Lindblad staff mark the safe track for us with red and yellow flags, small equivalents of lifesaving flags on Australian beaches. It's a pleasant enough walk, and helps wear off breakfast, but a lot of older (and some younger) passengers make heavy work of it. Lindblad staff and Orion crew are fantastic in the amount of care and personal assistance they offer frail expeditioners.

Clambering up the hill to a good overlook above Neko Harbour.

The 100m climb is hard going in slushy snow.

Just another little iceberg.

These conditions are hard on cameras and batteries. Everyone has their own favourite way of keeping equipment dry and lenses clean. They are variously successful. Plastic bags are popular but problematic. It's raining and spraying but not heavily, so using a hand towel seems to be workable. Lens cleaners get soaking wet quickly, and we don't have a great solution here. Batteries are best if kept warm. Professionals have a separate battery back they carry inside their coat. Mere mortals like us keep spare batteries in coat pockets.

A view of the glacier from the hard rock of the Antarctic continent!

Many calves from the glacier are getting ready.

That irresistable deep blue colour of Antarctic ice.

After the climb at Neko Harbour.

Glacier on the verge of many calvings.

Biosecurity concerns are paramount for ventures to the shore. Everyone's boots and outer clothing were inspected and if necessary cleaned the day before, and we signed off on protocol. Before getting into the zodiac, we dip our boots into some "pink solution" (we think it is the duPont virucidal disinfectant Virkon S), and when we get back, we brush the boots before using the pink brew again. Tripod feet get the same treatment. And for our security, to make sure no-one gets left behind, there's a tag board when you mark yourself off and back on the Orion. We take off our life-jackets and leave them near the shore in barrels, so making sure all life jackets have been removed is an extra layer of security. Getting on and off the zodiacs is a ritual of great care.

Negotiating the ice floes at the beach.

A transient glimpse of blue sky on a very wet day!