The Galapagos Islands - 4th to 11th Feb 2018
It's hard to write a diary on a boat which is rocking on the ocean... queasiness might get the better of me, but I'll give it a go...
After an early flight and great inefficiencies in Quito airport (getting our Galapagos permits) we
arrived in San Cristobel, in the Galapagos Islands, around 10am. Meeting our guide, Franklin, and fellow shipmates, we headed straight to the marina and our boat, the Eden. A little long in the tooth, she had seen better days but was spacious and for 9 guests and 6 crew, home for the next week.
Franklin wasted no time in giving us our tour and safety briefing and the boat got underway while Walter, our chef, served up a delicious lunch. Within an hour or so we moored up for our first island walk. The boat's tender took us to the shore - which was littered with sea lions! Not minding us at all, Franklin had to shoo them off the concrete jetty. Literally dozens of them: males, females and loads of cubs. Huge red and bright blue crabs scuttled across the rocks as Franklin ushered us forwards.
We'd barely switched our phones into camera mode and there he was - our first blue footed boobie! Although quite young, and thus with less blue feet. 2 meters further on, a pair of boobies (didn't take long to get that phrase in here!) male and female, finding out whether they liked each other. We have arrived in the middle of mating season; the male making a big show of things - totally oblivious to our group watching and photographing only a few feet away. As Franklin gave us insight into the animals and birds, we watched frigate birds (who steal food from other birds by making them regurgitate their catch - obviously the islands' bullies), fire lizards and pelicans - all from up close. It's really amazing how these creatures are completely at ease with humans - something that very shortly would really tickle me!
Back on board we changed into our swimsuits for a snorkel along the rocky shoreline. Within seconds we were all absorbed by the colourful fish of all shape and sizes darting in and out of the rocks. Sea lions gliding past us gracefully, twisting and turning like underwater ballerinas. And then a huge turtle! Nibbling at the algae as it gently moved through the water. My reverie was broken by something on my leg. Panicked that I was about to be eaten, I turned around to come face to face with a young sea lion, his huge eyes looking directly at me. He'd been swimming around me and it was his whiskers I'd felt on my skin. He swam off, leaving me laughing into my snorkel. More fish, sea lions, turtles and rays and we clambered back on board. What an amazing first day! I had not imagined we would get THIS close to the animals. It is really special that we can, and that the relationship humans have with them is such that they are not fearful of us.
We all got to know each other over dinner. 4 Americans, (Rich, Jean, Larry& Kathleen, Rob & Margaret - joined us the next day), 3 Italians (Alessandra, Francesca and her 4 year old daughter Allegna 4 1/2 years old) and 2 Brits (us). A super nice and interesting group. This is going to make our trip very fun....and I'm sure we were all sighing with relief that we've got a good bunch. Early bed to our cabins and at midnight the engines roared into life for our overnight motor to the next island.
The second day kicked off with an early walk on another island, looking for an elusive double endemic land iguana. (Double endemic means they only exist on a single Galapagos island) Not so elusive, as it turns out. We saw 1...2...3... it must have been 20 by the time we'd finished the walk. Resting, walking, munching on cactus leaves - we got the full show. They seem to attach themselves to a prickly pear cactus tree, soaking up the sun at the base while waiting for a flower or leaf to fall. Franklin also showed us a 'sacred tree' or palo santo - which produces quinine - an antidote to malaria before the disease became resistant. Back on the beach, we watched more sea lions sunbathing or playing in the shallows. Babies suckling on their mothers, with one little one all alone; mothers can leave them for 1 or 2 days while they go feeding in the ocean. I hope she came back for him!
We were scheduled to go snorkeling in the bay there, but collectively decided not to, on the information that there had been 2 shark-tourist incidents in this bay the past week, so 'made do' with a swim by the boat, watching a fish feeding frenzy and enjoying them coming up to nibble our toes and fingers.
The afternoon took us on another walk, up close and personal with land and marine iguanas, beautiful nocturnal seagulls nesting on their eggs while their mate warded off iguanas, tiny newly hatched Darwin finches screaming from their nest when daddy came back with food, and lovely Galapagos mocking birds. Walking along the cliffs, past the prickly pear cactus regrowth programme, hundreds of birds nesting and flying around the cliffs.
Back on board and we were joined by frigate birds, hitching a ride on the boat with us. And suddenly - DOLPHINS - swimming alongside and up at the bows. Streaming through the water, jumping up for show as they sped along with the boat until they got either bored or exhausted and swam off. What a treat!
We moored up on Santa Cruz island, had dinner and, just before going to bed, were joined by a sea lion who hopped onto our swimming platform for a sleepover. Bliss.
Our following day was Giant Tortoise Day. Puerta Ayora, on Santa Cruz, is quite a busy town and a short walk to the Charles Darwin Research Centre which pilots many rehabilitation projects in the Galapagos, including the cactus regrowth and giant tortoise programme. Populations of all the different giant tortoise species have been decimated since the Galapagos were 'discovered' and breeding programmes are now successfully releasing young tortoises back into the wild when they reach 7-10 years old. Giant tortoises live 120-150 years, and some species, such as that of Lonesome George, who died in 2012, are already extinct. But the efforts being taken to save them are working and populations of these amazing prehistoric creatures are increasing.
Charlotte and I stopped for a coffee and WiFi before lunch on board. Walter produces the tastiest meals - 4 or 5 dishes with loads of fresh fish and vegetables. All very healthy and I'm definitely making up for the past couple of weeks of not eating!
The afternoon took us to see the wild giant tortoises inland, some way up the volcano. These tortoises go to the highlands to feed and build up energy reserves before walking all the way back to the shore to lay their eggs, and then trundling back up to the top again. Each cycle takes a year, but then they aren't the speediest of creatures. We saw many - munching through the grass and wallowing in self-made mud holes. Enormous, you want to give them a stroke, but obviously that's not an option and they disappear inside their shells if you step a little too close.
After dinner on board, we all headed back onto land for a walk around town and a cocktail. Passing the night food market with loads of fresh fish on offer we wished we hadn't already eaten, but the mojitos were a good substitute.
If day 3 was about tortoises, day 4 was something of a re-run. Not entirely, but all that was on the programme was another tortoise breeding centre. We had motored overnight to Isabella Island - one of the largest - and moored up at Puerto Villamil. A much smaller town, with less going on, Franklin wanted to take us snorkeling to a tidal lagoon. However, on landing at the dock, the island official was very clear that only locals, not tour boats, could go to the lagoon. So instead, the ever-resourceful Franklin guided us to a nature reserve where we spotted masses of land and marine iguanas, witnessed a couple of fights (between iguanas - it's mating season remember!), startling red and blue crabs and a beautiful array of coral pink flamingos and black necked stilted birds. The flamingos' pink hue comes from the crustaceans in the water, which only flamingos are able to break down, separating the elements which then turns their beaks, legs and feathers pink. Exquisitely graceful, they mostly stand on one leg, heads tucked behind under a wing, with their long necks in a lovely S-shape, sleeping.
In the afternoon we headed to another giant tortoise breeding centre. These were the flat shelled species, 18 of which were rescued when one of the volcanoes on Isabella erupted in 1997. They were the only ones that survived and the centre was able to hatch 200 more in the following 2 years from that small group. Once they reach sexual maturity at 25 or 30 they will be released back into their natural habitat, hopefully saving the species.
We had an hour or so on the beach, taking a dip in the ocean and taking advantage of an extra shot of WiFi. In the evening Franklin briefed us on the next day's activities - a 6am start! And we'll be under motor all night, which isn't great as it's very noisy and makes sleeping difficult. Jean offered me some melatonin and I'll try some different ear plugs; so far my nights have been very broken...
We set off at 8pm on our long journey. Franklin had warned us it would be rough for the first 4 hours, but it was closer to trying to sleep on a rollercoaster than a berth! Back, forwards, side to side - we were rolling all over the place. I decided to imagine I was in a swing and enjoy the ride, which I think worked! I definitely got some sleep although it was bliss when the motor finally went off in the early hours of the morning.
We had motored to the west coast of Isabella, which is where the 'hot-spot' is, or thinner crust of the
island. Sighting a flightless cormorant (they have evolved to have tiny wings as they only ever fish from the shore) we alighted onto the black rock of the island. A geology lesson from Franklin explained the formation of the rippled rock - literally formed as the lava solidified as it flowed - along with the hard crusts and stones, deep fissures and cracks.
It rarely rains on this side of the island, so unlike the other side of the volcano, there are only small pockets of vegetation and the odd cactus growing. But in one murky pond, we found flamingos, pelicans and many other birds and ducks. Life on the otherwise barren lava landscape.
On the rib going back to the boat, not only do we spot our first penguins in the water, but a mass of tuna feasting on smaller fish, creates a feeding frenzy for blue footed boobies, frigates and pelicans. Birds swarm the sky, the frigates flying low attempting to catch fish in their claws, while the boobies dive vertically down from up high, hitting the water at 50mph. We learn that years of impact leaves them blind in old age, and swiftly to the end of their lives.
We were back on board for breakfast and an hour and a half later off on our next excursion: snorkeling along a stretch of rocky coastline. Wetsuits on, we jumped in. No penguins swimming, but one resting on the rocks. Lots of colourful fish and a huge yellow starfish (or, more correctly, sea star), twice the size of my hand. And turtles. Initially one or two, and as we approached an area rich in thick seaweed, a host of them. At one point I was watching four, all immediately in front of me with another two behind. So slow and gentle one swam right under me and I had to be careful to stop moving for fear of hitting it with my flippers.
After a delicious lunch of prawn cerviche, we all piled into the ribs for a mangrove tour. Penguins bobbing in and out of the water and of course turtles everywhere, both in the ocean and mangroves A pod of 5 stingrays passed us and just as we stopped the boats, there was a loud splash at the edge of the mangrove. A young sea lion had come to say hello. He spent the next 15 minutes darting to and fro, jumping out of the water and twisting his way under and around the boats, delighting all of us. He followed us as we proceeded into the mangrove - begging us to come and play. So adorable, I almost did!
Yet more turtle spotting and birds and an interesting explanation on how mangrove roots act as desalination devices for the tree, enabling them to expand the swamp area, and we headed back to the Eden. It had been a very full day!
Walter greeted us with lemonade and wonderful deep fried yucca bites as we got underway to our next destination, hoping to spot whales and dolphins along the way. Sadly no luck along the route, and we eventually moored up in a bay between Isabella and Fernandina islands. Finally we had calm water and the boat stopped swaying and rocking as it had been for the past few days. With the added bonus of no overnight navigation, we all looked forwards to a good night's sleep.
Our itinerary on Day 6 was another packed one. 6.15am had us ready to go for a walk on Isabella onto the 'ring of fire'. Walking up to a high point on the volcanic island, past the enormous saltwater Darwin Lagoon, we were surrounded by volcanoes. 5 of them, in every direction. The last eruption here was in 2005 and geologists say another one is due in the next few months. Needless to say, we didn't stay long!
After breakfast we jumped into the ribs for an excursion around the bay. We'd spotted 3 or 4 hammerhead sharks earlier on, their dorsal fins gliding through the surface, but they are very shy, and don't like the ribs' motors, so we couldn't get too close. We did, however, see penguins, blue footed boobies, flightless cormorants, blue crested herons, pelicans, galapagos martins, brown noddys, sea lions and crabs. And a couple of turtles mating in the middle of the bay. (It looked very uncomfortable!)
Back on board we changed into swim gear and wetsuits for the day's snorkel. The weather was more overcast and thankfully, cooler, but this meant that the water wasn't quite as crystal clear. Lots more beautiful fish, immense shoals of tiny minnows and penguins always too far and too fast to catch up to. Even though Franklin had spotted them as we were ready to get in the water, yelling as us to jump in fast, they'd zipped off before any of us were underwater. Again, we saw a good number of turtles (still fascinating to watch) and all of a sudden, a 2 meter shark just below and in front of me. Wowza! Not even acknowledging our presence, it casually swam off. A minute later, either it was back or another white tipped shark glided past. Super exciting - I might have missed the penguins, but sharks are pretty cool too!
Lunch and a short rest and we were off on our last excursion of the day - a dry landing on Fernandina to see a massive iguana colony. Marine iguanas live here in their thousands, swimming through the ocean after feasting on algae, they then crawl onto the rocks alongside and on top of each other. Literally piles of black iguanas, completely motionless except for when they spit saline out of their nostrils, or occasionally go for a walk. I'd put money on Orcs having been modeled on marine iguanas - they are so mean and grumpy looking. Biologists think they may have been around for 26 million years. Or 9 million minimum. And I bet they haven't changed much in that time.
The black lava slabs, rocks and rock pools are home to lots of other creatures too. Thousands of red, blue and yellow crabs; born black, they are perfectly camouflaged until, as they grow to 10-15cm across, they slowly morph into their bright adult colours. We watched them feasting on algae until we were distracted by a huge male sea lion calling from a nearby rock pool. A number of
younger sea lions were resting on the rocks and play-fighting in the pool, ignoring his bark. A little further on, beyond more iguana conventions, a young sea lion was frolicking by the shore. As I approached the water, he shuffled out to meet me, waddling out of the surf, meter by meter, until he was less than a meter away, obviously looking for a playmate. I could literally have reached out and touched him and the temptation was huge, but, besides touch being off limits, sea lion play involves a lot of biting, so I resisted the urge to cuddle and stepped back. Disappointed, he retreated to the water. They are such adorably curious characters.
Moving on, we were immediately confronted with more, slightly older, sea lions, directly in our path and who, rather than move, barked at us to keep our distance, but then as soon as we backed away, came closer to have a look. Nesting iguanas, digging deep holes in the sand in which to lay their eggs, diverted our attention away.
A last find of a moray eel hiding in a rock pool completed our marathon wildlife photo shoot. It was a really astounding display of animals - fascinating to sit and watch them for hours at such close quarters, just doing what they do. You really do feel a bit like David Attenborough here!
Back on the boat we finally got some down-time. We had a long motor, over the equator and back south again, around the top of Isabella island to Santiago and Rabida islands tomorrow. Which will be our last full day on the Eden. I can't believe how quickly 8 days have gone!
Saturday started even earlier than usual. Not because we had a pre-dawn hike - only due to me setting my alarm, but forgetting that my phone hadn't adjusted to Galapagos time, which is an hour ahead of Ecuador mainland. I couldn't sleep anyway as the uncomfortable berth mattress had formed an ever deepening hole into which my bum slotted, to the point now where it caused extreme ache in my back. So when my alarm went off at 5.15am (instead of 6.15am) I was more than ready to get out of bed, and wake Charlotte. Only to find that the boat was very dark and very quiet... something not quite right. Noting the lack of breakfast in the dining room, I realised my mistake. Char went back to bed. I spent an hour stretching...
It wasn't long before breakfast was finished and we jumped onto the ribs heading for shore. The morning nature walk took us to a black lava sand beach and across layers of black lava which has been eroded underneath to form tidal holes or pools within the rock. Fish and sharks swim in and out of the holes, birds resting on the ledges above them and below us, walking on the surface. As we crossed over a particularly impressive lava bridge, we saw a blue heron, shark and of of course more crabs and iguanas. Discarded crab shells/skins led to an interesting biology lesson. Who knew that male crabs have 2 penises! The other excitement of the walk was a Galapagos hawk, sitting in a tree only 15 meters away. It's times like this you wish you had a proper zoom lens...
We had brought all our snorkeling gear to the shore earlier, so donned our wetsuits, fins and walked like ducks into the water (The secret to not falling over your own feet, apparently, is to walk backwards, but either way looks pretty ridiculous.) Tons of beautiful fish, blue seastars and a few sea lions sped by us, including one mother-child with the infant sea lion suckling his mother underwater while swimming. Large schools of big grey fish with bright yellow tails swam below us, occasionally joined by an angel fish or some other confused friend.
All hungry, we devoured lunch back on the boat and with barely half an hour to digest, we were ferried back to another red sand beach for a walk in the heat. On this particular island, lives an adaptation of the prickly pear cactus. Unlike their cousins, they produce 100s of tiny seed pods which are carried to other parts of the island by birds. Those finches in turn have evolved to do their part: cactus finches are one of the Darwin 15 finch species, all evolved from a single species, forming the basis for his theory of evolution.
Our last snorkel was a welcome relief from the heat. Hugging the contours of a rocky cliff face, we immersed ourselves in another excess of fish of all sizes and colours. One shoal of small pinkish ones must have numbered in the tens of thousands. A few more curious sea lions, a ray and a Galapagos shark made for an almost perfect underwater finale. The only thing that could have topped it would have been penguins or an underwater diving boobie. :)
By 3pm we were back on board. Anchor up, we set off on our final navigation, all of us sitting out on deck enjoying the sun sparkling on the ocean and views of passing volcanic islands.
We all thought that the excitement of our final day was over. But no. As we sat chatting, Charlotte suddenly spotted a fin in the distance. And another. I ran to the rail, for a dolphin to breach the water. Then a second one repeated the feat. The crew started shouting and we all ran to the bows, on the lower deck, closest to the waters' surface. There was a huge pod of dolphins to the port side and within seconds we had 5 or 6 - maybe more - racing the Eden at its bows. Leaning over the front of the ship, we could almost touch them as they surfaced, opened their blowholes and leapt into the air, sometimes flipping over, as if to wave at us. It was so obvious they were having fun, switching in and out of the stream and darting in front of the boat. Franklin told us that they only do this when boats are going fast enough - so it's definitely a game for them. At 9 knots, it felt really fast, but our fears that we might run them over were unfounded. We shrieked with joy every time one of them jumped - all of us grinning from ear to ear. What a marvelous finale send-off from our ocean friends!
We finished our trip with a grand feast. How Walter cooked up 12 or 13 dishes in his tiny galley I'll never know. But first a farewell thank-you cocktail with the entire crew. They have all worked tirelessly looking after us and The Eden and always with a smile. (Although we never quite got our heads around how they made the beds each day... a sheet folded around the middle of the bed, leaving arms and legs exposed! It must be a Latin thing... ) They all more than made up for the somewhat tired quirks of The Eden. (Note to self: If I come back to the Galapagos, I'm going full luxury class.) Dinner included prawns, tuna, chicken, steak and all manner of vegetables - topped off with homemade cake!
Sunday morning offered an early hike on Baltra Island, or, as we chose to rename it, Love Island. It seemed the entire non-human population was in mating mode. Blue footed boobies were everywhere, the males doing their elaborate dances in a bid to attract a female. Slowly lifting each of their blue feet, turning in circles, whistling and opening their wings in display. Such show-offs! As the female watched, rather unimpressed it seemed, the blokes would start selecting attractive sticks and twigs - and finally if the lady approved, he would seal the deal by regurgitating a lovely fish for her. But the bottom line is that much depends on the blueness of his feet, so maybe they aren't so different from us after all.
Many of the frigate birds already had young, reaching out of their nests to their parents for food, but some of the males were still in full 'come and get it baby' mode. Inflating a red pouch that runs the length of their neck, they look a little clownish, but maybe lady frigates like a guy with a GSOH. Again, not that different...
Too soon Franklin was calling us back to the ribs. We had to have breakfast and be back on land for 8am to get to the airport. All went to plan and we said our final goodbyes to the crew and Franklin. The Galapagos Islands and inhabitants are as extraordinary as their reputation and definitely one of the 'must-sees' in life. And they are really brought alive by the people who show them to you. They love and respect where they live, and rightly so. I was luck to have such an amazing guide, great crew and a fabulous group of people to share this experience with. It really is extraordinary.
The rest of our day consisted of long airport waits, and getting our feet back on the ground in Guyaquil. Heading straight for the bus terminal, we sorted out our bus to Puerto Lopez for the next day and checked into our well located, but slightly strange hotel. I've never before experienced a receptionist who sits behind a glass screen, like a bank teller. There's a first time for everything..
With one night in Guyaquil, we wandered out along the Malecon, or seafront, for dinner. Lots of people were out - it is Carnival this week - strolling, eating, drinking and spraying each other with foam. A Carnival thing. We eventually ended up in the Old Town, a hilly peninsular with steep cobbled streets, flanked by tiny family-run shops, bars and restaurants. Finally choosing one with a view of the bay, we asked if they had wine. The answer was 'No. Whiskey?' We settled on 2 pina coladas...
We did find another restaurant on the Malacon. Sitting on the roof terrace, with a warm breeze coming off the ocean, cerviche and chilled bottle of white wine - that's more like it!
After an early flight and great inefficiencies in Quito airport (getting our Galapagos permits) we
Franklin wasted no time in giving us our tour and safety briefing and the boat got underway while Walter, our chef, served up a delicious lunch. Within an hour or so we moored up for our first island walk. The boat's tender took us to the shore - which was littered with sea lions! Not minding us at all, Franklin had to shoo them off the concrete jetty. Literally dozens of them: males, females and loads of cubs. Huge red and bright blue crabs scuttled across the rocks as Franklin ushered us forwards.
Back on board we changed into our swimsuits for a snorkel along the rocky shoreline. Within seconds we were all absorbed by the colourful fish of all shape and sizes darting in and out of the rocks. Sea lions gliding past us gracefully, twisting and turning like underwater ballerinas. And then a huge turtle! Nibbling at the algae as it gently moved through the water. My reverie was broken by something on my leg. Panicked that I was about to be eaten, I turned around to come face to face with a young sea lion, his huge eyes looking directly at me. He'd been swimming around me and it was his whiskers I'd felt on my skin. He swam off, leaving me laughing into my snorkel. More fish, sea lions, turtles and rays and we clambered back on board. What an amazing first day! I had not imagined we would get THIS close to the animals. It is really special that we can, and that the relationship humans have with them is such that they are not fearful of us. |
| The Eden |
The second day kicked off with an early walk on another island, looking for an elusive double endemic land iguana. (Double endemic means they only exist on a single Galapagos island) Not so elusive, as it turns out. We saw 1...2...3... it must have been 20 by the time we'd finished the walk. Resting, walking, munching on cactus leaves - we got the full show. They seem to attach themselves to a prickly pear cactus tree, soaking up the sun at the base while waiting for a flower or leaf to fall. Franklin also showed us a 'sacred tree' or palo santo - which produces quinine - an antidote to malaria before the disease became resistant. Back on the beach, we watched more sea lions sunbathing or playing in the shallows. Babies suckling on their mothers, with one little one all alone; mothers can leave them for 1 or 2 days while they go feeding in the ocean. I hope she came back for him!
We were scheduled to go snorkeling in the bay there, but collectively decided not to, on the information that there had been 2 shark-tourist incidents in this bay the past week, so 'made do' with a swim by the boat, watching a fish feeding frenzy and enjoying them coming up to nibble our toes and fingers.
The afternoon took us on another walk, up close and personal with land and marine iguanas, beautiful nocturnal seagulls nesting on their eggs while their mate warded off iguanas, tiny newly hatched Darwin finches screaming from their nest when daddy came back with food, and lovely Galapagos mocking birds. Walking along the cliffs, past the prickly pear cactus regrowth programme, hundreds of birds nesting and flying around the cliffs.Back on board and we were joined by frigate birds, hitching a ride on the boat with us. And suddenly - DOLPHINS - swimming alongside and up at the bows. Streaming through the water, jumping up for show as they sped along with the boat until they got either bored or exhausted and swam off. What a treat!
We moored up on Santa Cruz island, had dinner and, just before going to bed, were joined by a sea lion who hopped onto our swimming platform for a sleepover. Bliss.
Our following day was Giant Tortoise Day. Puerta Ayora, on Santa Cruz, is quite a busy town and a short walk to the Charles Darwin Research Centre which pilots many rehabilitation projects in the Galapagos, including the cactus regrowth and giant tortoise programme. Populations of all the different giant tortoise species have been decimated since the Galapagos were 'discovered' and breeding programmes are now successfully releasing young tortoises back into the wild when they reach 7-10 years old. Giant tortoises live 120-150 years, and some species, such as that of Lonesome George, who died in 2012, are already extinct. But the efforts being taken to save them are working and populations of these amazing prehistoric creatures are increasing.
Charlotte and I stopped for a coffee and WiFi before lunch on board. Walter produces the tastiest meals - 4 or 5 dishes with loads of fresh fish and vegetables. All very healthy and I'm definitely making up for the past couple of weeks of not eating!
The afternoon took us to see the wild giant tortoises inland, some way up the volcano. These tortoises go to the highlands to feed and build up energy reserves before walking all the way back to the shore to lay their eggs, and then trundling back up to the top again. Each cycle takes a year, but then they aren't the speediest of creatures. We saw many - munching through the grass and wallowing in self-made mud holes. Enormous, you want to give them a stroke, but obviously that's not an option and they disappear inside their shells if you step a little too close.After dinner on board, we all headed back onto land for a walk around town and a cocktail. Passing the night food market with loads of fresh fish on offer we wished we hadn't already eaten, but the mojitos were a good substitute.
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| Isabella island |
If day 3 was about tortoises, day 4 was something of a re-run. Not entirely, but all that was on the programme was another tortoise breeding centre. We had motored overnight to Isabella Island - one of the largest - and moored up at Puerto Villamil. A much smaller town, with less going on, Franklin wanted to take us snorkeling to a tidal lagoon. However, on landing at the dock, the island official was very clear that only locals, not tour boats, could go to the lagoon. So instead, the ever-resourceful Franklin guided us to a nature reserve where we spotted masses of land and marine iguanas, witnessed a couple of fights (between iguanas - it's mating season remember!), startling red and blue crabs and a beautiful array of coral pink flamingos and black necked stilted birds. The flamingos' pink hue comes from the crustaceans in the water, which only flamingos are able to break down, separating the elements which then turns their beaks, legs and feathers pink. Exquisitely graceful, they mostly stand on one leg, heads tucked behind under a wing, with their long necks in a lovely S-shape, sleeping.In the afternoon we headed to another giant tortoise breeding centre. These were the flat shelled species, 18 of which were rescued when one of the volcanoes on Isabella erupted in 1997. They were the only ones that survived and the centre was able to hatch 200 more in the following 2 years from that small group. Once they reach sexual maturity at 25 or 30 they will be released back into their natural habitat, hopefully saving the species.
We had an hour or so on the beach, taking a dip in the ocean and taking advantage of an extra shot of WiFi. In the evening Franklin briefed us on the next day's activities - a 6am start! And we'll be under motor all night, which isn't great as it's very noisy and makes sleeping difficult. Jean offered me some melatonin and I'll try some different ear plugs; so far my nights have been very broken...
We set off at 8pm on our long journey. Franklin had warned us it would be rough for the first 4 hours, but it was closer to trying to sleep on a rollercoaster than a berth! Back, forwards, side to side - we were rolling all over the place. I decided to imagine I was in a swing and enjoy the ride, which I think worked! I definitely got some sleep although it was bliss when the motor finally went off in the early hours of the morning.
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| Dawn |
It rarely rains on this side of the island, so unlike the other side of the volcano, there are only small pockets of vegetation and the odd cactus growing. But in one murky pond, we found flamingos, pelicans and many other birds and ducks. Life on the otherwise barren lava landscape.
We were back on board for breakfast and an hour and a half later off on our next excursion: snorkeling along a stretch of rocky coastline. Wetsuits on, we jumped in. No penguins swimming, but one resting on the rocks. Lots of colourful fish and a huge yellow starfish (or, more correctly, sea star), twice the size of my hand. And turtles. Initially one or two, and as we approached an area rich in thick seaweed, a host of them. At one point I was watching four, all immediately in front of me with another two behind. So slow and gentle one swam right under me and I had to be careful to stop moving for fear of hitting it with my flippers.
After a delicious lunch of prawn cerviche, we all piled into the ribs for a mangrove tour. Penguins bobbing in and out of the water and of course turtles everywhere, both in the ocean and mangroves A pod of 5 stingrays passed us and just as we stopped the boats, there was a loud splash at the edge of the mangrove. A young sea lion had come to say hello. He spent the next 15 minutes darting to and fro, jumping out of the water and twisting his way under and around the boats, delighting all of us. He followed us as we proceeded into the mangrove - begging us to come and play. So adorable, I almost did!Yet more turtle spotting and birds and an interesting explanation on how mangrove roots act as desalination devices for the tree, enabling them to expand the swamp area, and we headed back to the Eden. It had been a very full day!
Walter greeted us with lemonade and wonderful deep fried yucca bites as we got underway to our next destination, hoping to spot whales and dolphins along the way. Sadly no luck along the route, and we eventually moored up in a bay between Isabella and Fernandina islands. Finally we had calm water and the boat stopped swaying and rocking as it had been for the past few days. With the added bonus of no overnight navigation, we all looked forwards to a good night's sleep.
After breakfast we jumped into the ribs for an excursion around the bay. We'd spotted 3 or 4 hammerhead sharks earlier on, their dorsal fins gliding through the surface, but they are very shy, and don't like the ribs' motors, so we couldn't get too close. We did, however, see penguins, blue footed boobies, flightless cormorants, blue crested herons, pelicans, galapagos martins, brown noddys, sea lions and crabs. And a couple of turtles mating in the middle of the bay. (It looked very uncomfortable!)
Back on board we changed into swim gear and wetsuits for the day's snorkel. The weather was more overcast and thankfully, cooler, but this meant that the water wasn't quite as crystal clear. Lots more beautiful fish, immense shoals of tiny minnows and penguins always too far and too fast to catch up to. Even though Franklin had spotted them as we were ready to get in the water, yelling as us to jump in fast, they'd zipped off before any of us were underwater. Again, we saw a good number of turtles (still fascinating to watch) and all of a sudden, a 2 meter shark just below and in front of me. Wowza! Not even acknowledging our presence, it casually swam off. A minute later, either it was back or another white tipped shark glided past. Super exciting - I might have missed the penguins, but sharks are pretty cool too!
Lunch and a short rest and we were off on our last excursion of the day - a dry landing on Fernandina to see a massive iguana colony. Marine iguanas live here in their thousands, swimming through the ocean after feasting on algae, they then crawl onto the rocks alongside and on top of each other. Literally piles of black iguanas, completely motionless except for when they spit saline out of their nostrils, or occasionally go for a walk. I'd put money on Orcs having been modeled on marine iguanas - they are so mean and grumpy looking. Biologists think they may have been around for 26 million years. Or 9 million minimum. And I bet they haven't changed much in that time.The black lava slabs, rocks and rock pools are home to lots of other creatures too. Thousands of red, blue and yellow crabs; born black, they are perfectly camouflaged until, as they grow to 10-15cm across, they slowly morph into their bright adult colours. We watched them feasting on algae until we were distracted by a huge male sea lion calling from a nearby rock pool. A number of
Moving on, we were immediately confronted with more, slightly older, sea lions, directly in our path and who, rather than move, barked at us to keep our distance, but then as soon as we backed away, came closer to have a look. Nesting iguanas, digging deep holes in the sand in which to lay their eggs, diverted our attention away.
A last find of a moray eel hiding in a rock pool completed our marathon wildlife photo shoot. It was a really astounding display of animals - fascinating to sit and watch them for hours at such close quarters, just doing what they do. You really do feel a bit like David Attenborough here!Back on the boat we finally got some down-time. We had a long motor, over the equator and back south again, around the top of Isabella island to Santiago and Rabida islands tomorrow. Which will be our last full day on the Eden. I can't believe how quickly 8 days have gone!
Saturday started even earlier than usual. Not because we had a pre-dawn hike - only due to me setting my alarm, but forgetting that my phone hadn't adjusted to Galapagos time, which is an hour ahead of Ecuador mainland. I couldn't sleep anyway as the uncomfortable berth mattress had formed an ever deepening hole into which my bum slotted, to the point now where it caused extreme ache in my back. So when my alarm went off at 5.15am (instead of 6.15am) I was more than ready to get out of bed, and wake Charlotte. Only to find that the boat was very dark and very quiet... something not quite right. Noting the lack of breakfast in the dining room, I realised my mistake. Char went back to bed. I spent an hour stretching...
All hungry, we devoured lunch back on the boat and with barely half an hour to digest, we were ferried back to another red sand beach for a walk in the heat. On this particular island, lives an adaptation of the prickly pear cactus. Unlike their cousins, they produce 100s of tiny seed pods which are carried to other parts of the island by birds. Those finches in turn have evolved to do their part: cactus finches are one of the Darwin 15 finch species, all evolved from a single species, forming the basis for his theory of evolution.
Our last snorkel was a welcome relief from the heat. Hugging the contours of a rocky cliff face, we immersed ourselves in another excess of fish of all sizes and colours. One shoal of small pinkish ones must have numbered in the tens of thousands. A few more curious sea lions, a ray and a Galapagos shark made for an almost perfect underwater finale. The only thing that could have topped it would have been penguins or an underwater diving boobie. :)
By 3pm we were back on board. Anchor up, we set off on our final navigation, all of us sitting out on deck enjoying the sun sparkling on the ocean and views of passing volcanic islands.
We all thought that the excitement of our final day was over. But no. As we sat chatting, Charlotte suddenly spotted a fin in the distance. And another. I ran to the rail, for a dolphin to breach the water. Then a second one repeated the feat. The crew started shouting and we all ran to the bows, on the lower deck, closest to the waters' surface. There was a huge pod of dolphins to the port side and within seconds we had 5 or 6 - maybe more - racing the Eden at its bows. Leaning over the front of the ship, we could almost touch them as they surfaced, opened their blowholes and leapt into the air, sometimes flipping over, as if to wave at us. It was so obvious they were having fun, switching in and out of the stream and darting in front of the boat. Franklin told us that they only do this when boats are going fast enough - so it's definitely a game for them. At 9 knots, it felt really fast, but our fears that we might run them over were unfounded. We shrieked with joy every time one of them jumped - all of us grinning from ear to ear. What a marvelous finale send-off from our ocean friends!
We finished our trip with a grand feast. How Walter cooked up 12 or 13 dishes in his tiny galley I'll never know. But first a farewell thank-you cocktail with the entire crew. They have all worked tirelessly looking after us and The Eden and always with a smile. (Although we never quite got our heads around how they made the beds each day... a sheet folded around the middle of the bed, leaving arms and legs exposed! It must be a Latin thing... ) They all more than made up for the somewhat tired quirks of The Eden. (Note to self: If I come back to the Galapagos, I'm going full luxury class.) Dinner included prawns, tuna, chicken, steak and all manner of vegetables - topped off with homemade cake!
Too soon Franklin was calling us back to the ribs. We had to have breakfast and be back on land for 8am to get to the airport. All went to plan and we said our final goodbyes to the crew and Franklin. The Galapagos Islands and inhabitants are as extraordinary as their reputation and definitely one of the 'must-sees' in life. And they are really brought alive by the people who show them to you. They love and respect where they live, and rightly so. I was luck to have such an amazing guide, great crew and a fabulous group of people to share this experience with. It really is extraordinary.The rest of our day consisted of long airport waits, and getting our feet back on the ground in Guyaquil. Heading straight for the bus terminal, we sorted out our bus to Puerto Lopez for the next day and checked into our well located, but slightly strange hotel. I've never before experienced a receptionist who sits behind a glass screen, like a bank teller. There's a first time for everything..
With one night in Guyaquil, we wandered out along the Malecon, or seafront, for dinner. Lots of people were out - it is Carnival this week - strolling, eating, drinking and spraying each other with foam. A Carnival thing. We eventually ended up in the Old Town, a hilly peninsular with steep cobbled streets, flanked by tiny family-run shops, bars and restaurants. Finally choosing one with a view of the bay, we asked if they had wine. The answer was 'No. Whiskey?' We settled on 2 pina coladas...
We did find another restaurant on the Malacon. Sitting on the roof terrace, with a warm breeze coming off the ocean, cerviche and chilled bottle of white wine - that's more like it!
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