Catt-Trax 2 - Galapagos Islands - Comments

Wow

Shelley — Thu, 10 May 2007 07:34:03 -0700

Hi Danny,

What a great adventure this has been! I've been following along, and as always, your insatiable curiosity is infectious and I've learned so much, and remembered quite a bit that I had forgotten I already knew.

It will be good to have you back in communication, but sad to see the journey come to a close.

Safe travels through Columbia,

Shelley

What Great Pictures

Leah — Wed, 09 May 2007 20:43:07 -0700

I have so enjoyed following your trip, and seeing the amazing places, people and nature along the way. I'm inspired to go visit parts of the world that I'd never have thought of otherwise.

The photos along the way have been incredible - Couldn't say which one was my favorite, but I did especially like the frogs from Ecuador! Maybe when you're home I can obtain copies for a friend - they'd make a wonderful birthday gift for a little boy who loves frogs.

Hope you are well,

Leah

Success!

Jessie Kleeberger — Wed, 09 May 2007 10:04:36 -0700

Hi Danny!

Sounds like the journey was a complete success! That's great! Your note about observing everything around you reminded me of something that read about barnacles in the Galapagos, this obviously being an observation beneath your feet, and slightly irrelavent since you are no longer there. Anyway, relatively recently a researcher/naturalist in the Galapagos documented a reduction in the number calcified plates of the outer barnacle shell of a common barnacle (Balanus balanus, I think) from 8 to 6 to 4 plates. Barnacles in the intertidal are preyed on by gastropod snails that drill through the calcium carbonate outershell and then sort of "slurp' out the barnacle guy inside. The explanation given for this observation was that the snails tended to drill at places on the shell where the plates came together, the sutures. At these places the shell was thinner and required less energy to drill through. Also interesting, this same trend was noticed on the BC coastal intertidal zone with our common barnacle species, B. glandula, whose main predators are Nucella sp. gastropod snails. But, most fascinating, is this evolution happening right before our eyes, or just another incredible adaptation to life in the intertidal? I am not sure if anyone knows for sure! A bit of barnacle natural history for you. Nonetheless, it is kind of neat, especially since I have a unique interest in barnacles (long story). Welcome home, great job on the site. and look forward to hearing more about it in the fall. Have a great summer!

Jessie Kleeberger

I guess it's almost over...

Marla — Tue, 08 May 2007 15:01:38 -0700

Hi Danny,

My last posting. Since I guess you are home soon. Be careful in Columbia! It's been a fascinating journey. The Galapagos was my favourite part. How can one not fall in love with the blue-footed booby? :) Such a fascinating place. And your photos are so incredible it really makes the rest of us feel as though we have been there. It's been inspirational on many levels. Great job! Enjoy the final few days of your adventure.

Marla

ps. I think the photo above should be your "Danny Catt" photo for this site :)

Tortuga!

Pikake — Tue, 08 May 2007 11:15:34 -0700

Love this photo!

Hola in Mexico!

Danny Catt — Mon, 07 May 2007 14:28:00 -0700

Hello Atziri,

Thanks so much for your message... I was looking for your email to send you a hello and lo and behold you sent a message on the blog. Great to hear from you. How are things in Mexico? I hope all is well and I am pleased you have enjoyed the photos. I will be adding another post or two before I arrive home within the week.

Cheers

Danny :)

Volcanic islands

Pikake — Mon, 07 May 2007 10:53:49 -0700

I didn't realize how volcanic the Galapagos are. I went on "the Route" to see the satellite image of them, and they are quite a site. I invite others to view it after they give this posting a read. It's quite interesting. I like to try to see any of the animals, but alas, "no hay".

http://blogs.bcit.ca/catttrax2/journey/route

Click on the May 1 KMZ icon.

Great photos (again). I am really looking forward to seeing you and hearing of your adventures!

Terry

Hallucinating animals and

Atziri — Mon, 07 May 2007 00:35:27 -0700

Hallucinating animals and amazing pictures. Looking forward for more pictures and narrations. Good luck, take care! Atziri

Vulnerable

K. Bogen — Sun, 06 May 2007 20:52:39 -0700

Dear Mr. Catt :)

The flora and fauna of the Galapagos seem so exceptionally vulnerable, exposing their personal lives and stories to total strangers, if not enemies. How absolutely beautiful they are. Your pictures and notes raise our awareness of the importance of the institutions that protect such vulnerable critters. The Flightless Cormorant and Sally Lightfoot Crab are our favourites.

We enjoyed listening to your interview with a former student. The sounds from the forest at night were cool. We are studying the gold rush in school this month and the effects of the gold rush on salmon spawning, and the First Nations people. Mr. Catt, could you please tell us a bit about the type of fish that live in the Amazon River and how the gold mining might affect them?

The COAST class :)