GALAPAGOS 2010: Black Turtle Cove
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Aug 18, 2010 | by Kevin Loughlin
Back to the island of Santa Cruz to explore the mangroves of Black Turtle Cove on the northwest corner of the island. Blue-footed Boobies line the shores alongside the Sally Lightfoot Crabs.
Inside the protected cove, Brown Noddies wait for pelicans to catch a meal, then try to grab some scraps… often perching on the heads of the pelicans in doing so!
The Blue-footed Boobies often dive right beside the zodiac after sardines. They make for a difficult target to capture with our cameras!
Golden Cow-nosed Rays and Spotted Eagle Rays patrol the shallows, barely moving their “wings” as they glide gently just below the surface.
Lava Herons (currently lumped with the Striated Heron) perch low on mangrove branches to fish.
Our target species here is the endemic “Black” subspecies of the Green Turtle. Dozens can often be seen as we paddle through the cove.
An uncommon sight, this Hawksbill Turtle offered great views as it swam around our zodiac several times!