Pearls On Wheels

Sea lions and many birds greet us on our early morning visit on Seymour Norte. A sea lion licks her newborn, nudges it and talks to it until it latches on and suckles. A frigate bird spies the placenta. Spectators include marine iguana a mocking bird a boobie a blue footed boobie Nearby another mother watches her pup. Mother and child. Time for  a feed The frigate bird spies the placenta - and dives. The big bird awaits. Hasta luego, Galapagos Archipelago. Location: Day5: Seymour Norte, Galapagos

The sun will rise...? ...But, not until 12.44pm 17 January 2012 in Deadhorse, Alaska. During one of our conversations, Jorina posed the question, "What is certainty?" We are a group of travellers. We know about uncertainty. We know about new life which springs from uncertainty when we step aside from familiar comfort and security. How would you answer her question "What is certainty?" Where do these steps lead? Portulacca plants among the first to colonize the lava flows. A female marine iguana basking on the solar heated lava rocks. A huge red crab scuttles along. And back to M/S Encantada, and a morning snorkelling trip. Spot my blue feet. Pelican in a cactus garden with two blue footed boobie friends. There is a turtle near the mangroves. And another swimming with his friend. Three white tipped reef sharks basking. We snorkelled with white tipped reef sharks this morning. I am very proud of my blue shoes.

1897. Post Charles Darwin's visit. A volcanic eruption produced 150sq km lava. We walked over some of it in the morning. A few pioneer plants were growing in the fissures. After a fruit snack which included tamarillos we snorkelled along the sea face of the lava flow. Corals were beginning to grow. Many fish species were feeding on the algae. In the afternoon we snorkelled from beach to beach around these rocks. Sea lions, penguins, many huge shoals of various fish accompanied us. I wished I had an underwater camera with me. Afternoon stroll up 366 steps, and down again. Lava cactus. To the lookout where we could see volcanoes and the vast lava flows. My Tilley hat stayed on board despite the wind. A female marine iguana sunning herself. A curious lizard. Frigate birds soared around the Encantada and followed us as we sailed along into the sunset. Location: Day three: Bartolome Isla