Galapagos Islands

Well the Galapagos Islands were a lot of fun. We have seen giant
turtles, swum with seals, seen boobies and marine iguanas, climbed
volcanoes and crossed the equator several times.


Monday

Took a 727, that some other airline had pensioned off, to the Galapagos airport on Baltra Is. Every bag was manually unloaded and sorted while we stood in a tin hut - was charming but not terribly efficient. The our spanish speaking barman found us, found a bus, and finally found the boat. Well actually a rubber ducky to the boat. Lovely catamaran. The old boat sunk last October at 1am in the morning with a cruise on board when the captain found some rocks, and everybody jumped nearly naked straight from bed into the sea, including the deaf passenger who thought she was being kidnapped by the cabin crew trying to wake her.


Anyway, their loss was our gain. 3 levels. Sundeck on top. Lounge, dining and 8 double cabins on the mid deck, and kitchen and crews quarters on the bottom deck. 7 crew and 1 guide for 16 passengers - made the tipping fun.Saw lots of giant turtles swimming, red crabs on the rocks, marine iguanas sunning themselves, and all weren't the slightest bit fussed we were there. Along the beach to a lagoon with 3 pink flamingos, and it was only afternoon tea on the first day.That night we sailed to our next island, and about 1am motored over the remains of the poor Spondylis.

Tuesday

Right up the NE of the archipeligo at Genovesa Is. Did a walk around the caldera cliffs, and saw lots of sea lions, boobies, more marine iguanas, and the only species of day owls in the world. Back to the beach for a snorkel, and played with a family of young sea lions who came up the beach trying to raid my day pack. Eventually the bull got sick of it, and sent us on our way.


Wednesday

Sailed at night again, back across the equator to Sullivan Bay on Santiago Island which is the most recent of the lava flows - some 120 years ago. Seems the English whalers beat a hasty retreat when the sea water got too hot andf their boat started to leak. We walked on the lava flows before breakfast which was really interesting. After breakfast we went to Bartolome Is where we climbed 365 steps to the top of the hill to look out over the archipelago - rather stunning. Cruised around the rocks looking at the penguin colony, and the penguins cooling themselves. More snorkeling on the beach with the penguins and sea lions, and lots of fish that I never tried to identify.In the afternoon the boat took us to the biggest town in the islands for
New Years Eve, and after tea we joined the locals - probably everybody on the entire island actually - for New Years Party and fireworks. Right on midnight they all burn effigies of politicians and businessmen (and probably the odd mother in law) that they don't like.

Having New Years Eve in the capital out on the street.



Internet cafe is closing for New Year so I'll post more later.