Sally lightfood crab 3-19-2013Sally lightfoot crab – watercolor on 140# Arches coldpress

Sally lightfoot crabs (scientific name:  grapsus grapsus) were all over the Galapágos.  They really stood out against the rocks unlike the sea lions, iguanas and various birds who all blended in with the local landscape.   These crabs screamed, “LOOK AT ME.  I’m bright red.  How cool am I?”

OK, they didn’t really scream.  Crabs can’t scream.  But the voices in my head can and that’s what I heard every time I saw them.  Do you see why I need meditation/medication?  (See previous post.)

These sally’s are all over the rocks. One time I saw a sally lightfoot sitting on an iguana which is how I started singing Ride Sally Ride which was really a misrepresentation of the song Ride Captain Ride by Blood Sweat and Tears.  I sang it anyway.

Young Sally Lightfoot Crabs are black or dark brown in color and camouflage well on the black lava coasts of the Galapágos volcanic islands. Adults vary in color, but all are bright red/orange with some yellow and blue.  And they were all really cool to look at as they scurried across the rocks.

I miss the Galapágos.