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Published: November 22nd 2006
We decided to travel to Galapagos 5 days before the cruise started.
Up early (well 6.30am) on 18th November in time for an 8am flight with AeroGal. Touchdown was at one of two airports on Galapagos, Baltra Island, which is separated by a 100m channel from Santa Cruz Island, the main centre of habitation in Galapagos. A 1.5hr Bus -homemade ferry - Bus combo got us to the sleepy tropical island town of Puerto Ayora. Good to be back in the sun and heat and away from the stress of Quito!
The journey from the North was amazing as it changed dramatically from barren cactus-scape in the rain shadow side one minute to lush green pastures on the windward side. Even saw a giant tortoise being sniffed by a horse in a field on the way.
We quickly found a double for 23USD/night at Espanol hostel thanks to San's pre-research and Richy's bargaining and set about sussing out the small town. The climate here is perfect - not humid but just warm enough with a nice cool breeze blowing. People are friendly.
Day 1: Out of bed at about 7am, we walked the 3km through a cactus
forest to Tortuga bay - a beautiful fine white sandy beach stretching about 1km from end to end. We were soon greeted by several marine iguanas making their daily walk up the beach to their feeding grounds. We spent the next 3 hours making friends with birds, iguanas, pelicans and fish in the surf. They are not wrong when they advise travellers to bring lots and lots of film (if you are not yet in the digital age!).
A substantial part of the afternoon was spent at the fish market watching the fishermen gut their catch and the pelicans, frigates and the odd heron queing up for the spoils. A naughty fur seal even quietly waddled up and made away with a 3 kg fish! Later in the day we landed a days diving at Floreana Island with Galapagos Divers who have a shop right opposite the main square. Divings not cheap here - 130USD each for 2 dives but what to do leh?
Day 2: Up at 6am for a 7am start from the jetty on a clear, calm, sunny day. Blue footed boobies were diving for fish and the seals threaded their way amongst the boats
as we left. There was plenty of room during the 2 hour journey (yawn) across to Floreana as 5 of the divers were being picked up from a cruise boat the other side.
Maybe Richy is getting a bit too long in the tooth for this diving, or have been spoilt over the years with quality asian diving but he was not that impressed and that has left him wondering whether the USD7000+ investment in a cruise was a wise move - you will get to read about whether it is or not later. There were plentiful schools of smaller fish, barracuda, white tip sharks, turtles, marble rays and a few galapagos sharks (grey sharks with a difference) but the overcast day didn't put them in a favourable light. San was impressed with how the fish would just lie around on the rocks and sand like they were sun bathing. Water temperature was an invigorating 23 degrees C, viz about 15 to 20 m. The highlight for Rich was the snorkelling with seals during the surface interval - they swim corkscrews around you while blowing bubbles - great experience. Full of nitrogen we closed in early for some deep
zzzzzzzz's.
The rest of the time, we have been walking around and finally made our way to the
Charles Darwin Centre to watch the feeding of the giant tortoises and the land iguanas that they keep in captivity for breeding and re-population purposes.
Now on the eve before the cruise, we are keen for a bit of luxury aboard Mistral for 10 days. Wish us luck for schooling hammerheads, whale sharks and all that Darwin and Wolf (the best of the islands for diving) have to offer....
PS surprise of surprises, we bumped into one of richy's ex-colleagues, Simon from Shell Oil. Small world....
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Blawan
non-member comment
Great outing Richard & San San
it is such a wonderful place in the world. always wishing both of you the very best in your journey