Visiting Isla Isabela in the Galápagos Archipelago

Boobies, Penguins, and Sea-Lions (continued)

Galápagos penguins, an endemic species.

More penguins being exhaustively photographed.

Shortly after the booby meteor shower I spotted several little birds on a rock in the bay and David motored over to take a look. They were Galápagos penguins, flightless diving birds that have evolved into a unique species found nowhere else. You normally think of penguins living in the Antarctic, but these penguins live year-round in the Galápagos Archipelago, islands nearly on the equator. This is because cold upwelling currents create an environment that penguins find quite suitable. There were maybe eight or ten penguins on the rock, standing around and preening. They allowed us to get close enough for good pictures.

While we were maneuvering in the dink, another dinghy pulled up with two photographers in it. They obviously were pro's because they had sophisticated cameras with big telephoto lenses, beyond the means of amateurs. Out of the water, you can recognize penguins by their black and white "tuxedo", but bobbing in the water they look like small ducks or cormorants.

There are more penguin pictures on the next page.