1. A Tour of the Galapagos Islands A Kent Christensen 14-23 November 2008 http://www.umich.edu/~akc/Galapagos2008-short.ppt National Geographic/Lindblad Expeditions (www.expeditions.com)

2. Galapagos Islands, 600 miles west of Ecuador Youngest ~0.5M years "hot spot" Oldest ~10M years Isabela Fernandina Santa Cruz Floreana Española Santiago San Cristóbal Baltra (airport)

3. Our cruise ship, National Geographic Polaris

4. My cabin aboard the Polaris

5. We traveled between ship and shore in rubber boats, called zodiacs

6. Sea lion

7. A mother sea lion and her nursing cub

8. Land iguana

10. Marine iguanas

11. Marine iguana

12. Lava lizard

13. Blue-footed boobies, male and female

14. Young frigatebird

15. Male frigatebird, expanded red throat pouch to court females

16. Galapagos waved albatross, on Española Island.

17. Galapagos hawk, one of the few predators

18. Mockingbird, Española Island

19. One of 13 kinds of Darwin's finches on Galapagos Islands

20. Galapagos penguin

21. Fresh water lake, Floreana Island

22. Flamingos on the lake, Floreana Island

23. White-cheeked pintail duck

24. Sally lightfoot crabs

25. Sally lightfoot crab

26. Historic post office barrel, Floreana Island

27. Bottle-nosed dolphins "bow riding" our ship

28. A green sea turtle in the water beside our zodiac

29. Wolf Volcano, Isabela Island, highest in the Galapagos, 5600 ft. (=1707 m)

30. Harbor of Puerta Ayora, with our ship in the background

31. Young tortoises at a breeding facility, Charles Darwin Research Station

32. Adult giant tortoise (and Kent), Charles Darwin Research Station

33. Lush vegetation in the central highlands of Santa Cruz Island. At left is the Altair Restaurant, where we had lunch

34. Wild giant tortoises migrating for optimal food.

35. Wild giant tortoise (and Kent)

36. Head of a giant tortoise

37. Snorkelers enjoying underwater marvels

38. Sea stars seen from a glass bottom boat

39. A razor surgeonfish, glass bottom boat

40. A stingray, glass bottom boat

41. Shark, glass bottom boat

42. A snorkeler swam under the glass bottom boat

43. Approaching Baltra Island and the airport, after eight wonderful days in the Galapagos Islands