Rabida Day 4 March 10th
Rabida and Eden, Santa Cruz
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Rabida and Eden, Santa Cruz
Rabida is a small picturesque island with red cliffs and maroon-coloured sand due to the the high amount of iron in the lava . Here one can see Darwin’s finches, lava lizards and Galápagos Mockingbirds. A short but rewarding hike will lead along the cliffs where the red rocks, green Palo Santo trees and the blue turquoise sea create landscapes of stunning contrast. The underwater world teems with colourful tropical species and the vibrant submarine landscape is equally amazing. There will be the opportunity to swim or simply stroll along the beach and
admire the sea lions snoozing along the shore. One can also go for a stunning snorkel-excursion with sea lions, reef sharks, marine iguanas, colourful anemones and parrotfish, or kayak along the picturesque Rabida cliffs.
Several small volcanic craters and the high amount of iron in the lava gives the island its distinctive red color and overall appearance.
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Red Beach Sand Against the Blue Sky and Blue Sea with Intensely Green VegetationRabida Island
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Crab on the Beach with our Ship in the BackgroundRabida
Courtesy Jorge Pigann
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Crab on the BeachRabida
Courtesy Jorge Pigann
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Starfish of the Red Sand BeachRabida
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StarfishRabida
The Lagoon Behind the Beach
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Just beyond the Beach and Over a Small Hill – a Lagoon with Flamingos below and a forest of Palo Santo Trees on the mountain aboveRabida
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An odd contrast of Palo Santo Trees without leaves and dead white branches on the hill and lush vegetation of dense green thickets of saltbrush below.Palo Santo means ?holy stick.? aka Bursera graveolens. The saltbrush is also known as Cryptocarpus pyriformis.
Rabida
See Full Flamingo Collection
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Palo Santo (Holy Stick) Tree with MossRabida
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Palo Santo Tree with a few leaves and Spanish MossPalo Santo means Holy Stick
Rabida
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Palo Santo Tree with a few leaves and BerriesPalo Santo means Holy Stick
Rabida
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Leaf Fruit and Flower of the Palo Santo Tree which means Holy Stick197748p.8.jpg
Dead and Dying CactusRabida
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Infrastructure of a Dead CactusRabida
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Lava LizardRabida
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Lava LizardRabida
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Ballet Dancer in the Sky with a Tutu of Spanish MossRabida
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A WebArt of the Cactus
Rabida
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The Cactus Musician with MaracasArt of the Cactus
Rabida
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The Cactus FishArt of the Cactus
Rabida
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Prickly LoveArt of the Cactus
Rabida
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Galapagos Mockingbird looking at the heart of the Cactus For LoveRabida
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Galapagos MockingbirdRabida
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Galapagos Mockingbird on a CactusRabida
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Cactus on the RocksRabida
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Tree with MossRabida
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Cactus by the SeaRabida
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Sea Lion in the Waters of the CoveRabida
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Male FinchRabida
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Male FinchRabida
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Hermit CrabRabida
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SunsetRabida
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SunsetRabida
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Full MoonRabida
Eden Islet
Silver Galapagos sails to Eden Islet for snorkelling, kayaking and Zodiac rides. Eden is a small, eroded tuff cone and an excellent example of the unique geology of the Galápagos. It is home to Great Blue Herons, sea lions, and Blue-footed Boobies; while
the small tidal areas can be a resting place for reef sharks, eagle rays and green turtles. Eden is also an excellent spot for kayaking.
Rábida Island (Spanish pronunciation: [?ra?iða]), is one of the Galápagos Islands.[1][2] The 5 km² island has also been known as Jervis Island named in honour of the 18th-century British admiral John Jervis. In Ecuador it is officially known as Isla Rábida.
Wildlife
In addition to flamingos
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Female 1024px-Galapagos%2C_sea-lion%2C_female_%28by_Casey_Klebba%29.jpg
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In 1971 the National Park Service successfully eradicated goats from Rábida. This introduced species upset the natural environment and led to the extinction of several native creatures including geckos,
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During January 2011, invasive rodents were removed from the island by The Galápagos National Park, assisted by Island Conservation to benefit Galapagos penguins and Scalesia stewartii (a tree forming daisy and the plant equivalent of one of Darwin’s finches).[4]