After a short evening cruise from Puerto Ayora, we anchored in Barrington Bay on Isla Santa Fé. We were up and breakfasted early (again) and landed on the beach just after sunrise to be greeted by a colony of Galápagos Sea Lions.
A Brown Pelican took an early morning bath,
then hung out the washing on the rocks.
You are supposed to stay at least two metres away from the animals and I was about that far away as I took this wide angle shot to show the bay, the boats and the sea lions on the beach.
However, the animals don't seem to obey this regulation. When I lay down to get a 'sea lion's eye view', the temptation was obviously too much for this cow...
The cows mostly slept,
many in large 'clumps', lying next to and on top of each other. They are certainly social animals.
They seem happy with (or oblivious to) human company.
Others sat around, watching the pups - this one appearing to be in Rodinesque contemplation
Many of the pups were more lively and alert, playing at the water's edge and taking more interest in the human passers-by.
It seemed to be all too much for this cow, which did not move even when the waves washed around her.
A passing rain shower provided a double rainbow for a few seconds.
There was only one other bird on the beach
but this Galápagos Lava Lizard provided some reptilian variation.
The primary target for this trip was the Santa Fé Land Iguana, which required a walk along a short trail through a cactus forest. It didn't take us long to find one
and then another
The Santa Fé Land Iguana is a different species from the Galápagos Land Iguana found on other islands. It is paler in colour and the spines extend further down the back. There is a recently discovered third species, the Pink Land Iguana, but we were not going to see these as they live high up on Volcán Wolf on Isla Isabela.
We passed some large Prickly Pear Cactus trees. Prickly Pear on islands where there are land iguanas grow tall with hardened woody trunks formed by old nodes folding over and fusing together.
As the path wound its way back to the beach along the cliff top, there were more land iguanas, including this one with a view.
We also found more lava lizards.
This afternoon - South Plaza for seabirds and more land iguanas.
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| Galápagos Sea Lion, Barrington Bay Isla Santa Fé, Galápagos Pentax K-3, Pentax 16-50mm f/2.8 @ 36mm, ISO 800, f/5.6, 1/500 |
A Brown Pelican took an early morning bath,
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| Brown Pelican, Barrington Bay Isla Santa Fé, Galápagos Pentax K-3, Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200mm, ISO 800, f/5.6, 1/250 |
then hung out the washing on the rocks.
 |
| Brown Pelican, Barrington Bay Isla Santa Fé, Galápagos Pentax K-3, Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 180mm, ISO 800, f/5.6, 1/200 |
You are supposed to stay at least two metres away from the animals and I was about that far away as I took this wide angle shot to show the bay, the boats and the sea lions on the beach.
 |
| Galápagos Sea Lion, Barrington Bay Isla Santa Fé, Galápagos Pentax K-3, Sigma 10-20mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 12mm, ISO 800, f/5.6, 1/800 |
However, the animals don't seem to obey this regulation. When I lay down to get a 'sea lion's eye view', the temptation was obviously too much for this cow...
 |
| Galápagos Sea Lion, Barrington Bay Isla Santa Fé, Galápagos Pentax K-3, Sigma 10-20mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 10mm, ISO 800, f/5.6, 1/320 |
The cows mostly slept,
 |
| Galápagos Sea Lion, Barrington Bay Isla Santa Fé, Galápagos Pentax K-3, Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 115mm, ISO 800, f/5.6, 1/1000 |
many in large 'clumps', lying next to and on top of each other. They are certainly social animals.
 |
| Galápagos Sea Lion, Barrington Bay Isla Santa Fé, Galápagos Pentax K-3, Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 70mm, ISO 800, f/5.6, 1/500 |
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| Galápagos Sea Lion, Barrington Bay Isla Santa Fé, Galápagos Pentax K-3, Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 160mm, ISO 800, f/5.6, 1/400 |
They seem happy with (or oblivious to) human company.
 |
| Jo and Galápagos Sea Lions, Barrington Bay Isla Santa Fé, Galápagos Pentax K-3, Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 70mm, ISO 800, f/4.5, 1/1250 |
Others sat around, watching the pups - this one appearing to be in Rodinesque contemplation
 |
| Galápagos Sea Lion, Barrington Bay Isla Santa Fé, Galápagos Pentax K-3, Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 150mm, ISO 800, f/5.6, 1/320 |
Many of the pups were more lively and alert, playing at the water's edge and taking more interest in the human passers-by.
 |
| Galápagos Sea Lion, Barrington Bay Isla Santa Fé, Galápagos Pentax K-3, Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 122.5mm, ISO 800, f/5.6, 1/800 |
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| Galápagos Sea Lion, Barrington Bay Isla Santa Fé, Galápagos Pentax K-3, Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 70mm, ISO 400, f/8, 1800 |
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| Galápagos Sea Lion, Barrington Bay Isla Santa Fé, Galápagos Pentax K-3, Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 70mm, ISO 400, f/8, 1/500 |
It seemed to be all too much for this cow, which did not move even when the waves washed around her.
 |
| Galápagos Sea Lion, Barrington Bay Isla Santa Fé, Galápagos Pentax K-3, Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 115mm, ISO 400, f/8, 1/1000 |
A passing rain shower provided a double rainbow for a few seconds.
 |
| Galápagos Sea Lion, Barrington Bay Isla Santa Fé, Galápagos Pentax K-3, Pentax 16-50mm f/2.8 @ 28mm, ISO 400, f/8, 1/1250 |
There was only one other bird on the beach
 |
| American Oystercatcher, Barrington Bay Isla Santa Fé, Galápagos Pentax K-3, Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 160mm, ISO 800, f/5.6, 1/1000 |
but this Galápagos Lava Lizard provided some reptilian variation.
 |
| Galápagos Lava Lizard, Barrington Bay Isla Santa Fé, Galápagos Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8, ISO 400, f/8, 1/1000 |
The primary target for this trip was the Santa Fé Land Iguana, which required a walk along a short trail through a cactus forest. It didn't take us long to find one
 |
| Santa Fé Land Iguana, Barrington Bay Isla Santa Fé, Galápagos Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8, ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/1000 |
and then another
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| Santa Fé Land Iguana, Barrington Bay Isla Santa Fé, Galápagos Pentax K-3, Sigma 300mm f/2.8, ISO 400, f/5, 1/3200 |
The Santa Fé Land Iguana is a different species from the Galápagos Land Iguana found on other islands. It is paler in colour and the spines extend further down the back. There is a recently discovered third species, the Pink Land Iguana, but we were not going to see these as they live high up on Volcán Wolf on Isla Isabela.
 |
| Santa Fé Land Iguana, Barrington Bay Isla Santa Fé, Galápagos Pentax K-3, Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 70mm, ISO 400, f/8, 1/1250 |
We passed some large Prickly Pear Cactus trees. Prickly Pear on islands where there are land iguanas grow tall with hardened woody trunks formed by old nodes folding over and fusing together.
 |
| Prickly Pear Cactus, Barrington Bay Isla Santa Fé, Galápagos Pentax K-3, Pentax 16-50mm f/2.8 @ 28mm, ISO 400, f/11, 1/640 |
As the path wound its way back to the beach along the cliff top, there were more land iguanas, including this one with a view.
 |
| Santa Fé Land Iguana, Barrington Bay Isla Santa Fé, Galápagos Pentax K-3, Pentax 16-50mm f/2.8 @ 31mm, ISO 400, f/16, 1/320 |
We also found more lava lizards.
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| Galápagos Lava Lizard (female), Barrington Bay Isla Santa Fé, Galápagos Pentax K-3, Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200mm, ISO 400, f/8, 1/1600 |
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| Galápagos Lava Lizard (male), Barrington Bay Isla Santa Fé, Galápagos Pentax K-3, Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 150mm, ISO 400, f/16, 1/250 |
This afternoon - South Plaza for seabirds and more land iguanas.
Another smashig post with great shots.Love how the Sea Lioon was so inquisitive to co get so close to them.e tome that close to you. they are beautiful animals and wonderful to be ab
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