Ecuador and over to the Galapagos Islands

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pretty lively











A 3 hour flight from Quito and I reached Baltra Island airport on the Galapagos Islands and for the next 4 days was based on the Amigo, a tourist class cruiser which I shared with 12 other tourists. Given I was the 13th I was fortunate in having a cabin ( with bathroom) to myself so was able to retreat there when sharing a boat with a total of 18 (including crew) others became too much on a small boat.
The food was of a high standard and included most of my favourite foods, and the company at meals and other times was very entertaining. I met a Danish couple, Claus and Mette, and Wojcheck and Elizabeth from Poland, all of whom were very welcoming given they had already been on the boat for 4 days. The remaining tourists from Holland were in a group of 8 and apart from the odd occasion stayed together as a quiet and closed group. The last night of the cruise the intrepid 5 went into Puerto Ayora by dingy and sampled the delights of tequila and pina colada etc and used the water taxi to return to the Amigo, much later.

The days were spent either hiking and seeing the flora and fauna unique to the Galapagos, as well as climbing or walking on volcanic soil or lava deposits, in amazing formations. When not hiking we were able to go snorkelling in the bays on the islands we visited in the 4 days. The 3 or 4 currents that meet around these islands bring with them many fish seen at the Great Barrier Reef, Australia and from elsewhere. Some of the islands with mangrove forests on the shoreline are where green turtles are to be seen in large numbers, in fact their mating grounds areas also shared with white tipped reef sharks. Other fish seen when snorkelling include: damsel fish, stingrays, sargeant fish, parrot fish, lizard fish, king angel fish, sunset wrasse, and the dramatic Pacific Burr fish (also known as the puffer fish) and many more. Sea lions would often join us, swimming alongside when we were snorkelling, they are the most amazing creatures when in the water. Other animals seen from the dighy were the smallest penguins in the world, though their name escapes me.

Claus and I made a habit of diving off the boat and swimming before breakfast, a highly ennervating way of starting each day!

Dealing with the typical South American scrum at the airport when flying back to Quito was part of the experience though I was sad to leave this very special place.

Photo 1. The first sunset viewed from the boat.

Photo 2 (and 3!). A land iguana on Santa Cruz island. All animals here have no fear of humans so it is possible to get quite close, though we were continually warned not to touch any animals.

Photo 4. The Amigo viewed from Bartolame Island.

Photo 5. A pelican on the laval rocky outcrop.

Photo 6. The mangrove forest and a view of a green turtles´ back.

Photo 7. The pinnacle (the classic landmark of the Galapagos) and bay viewed from the summit of an extinct volcano on Bartolame Island.

Photo 8. The phototake on the summit.

Photo 9. The lava rocky beaches, great for snorkelling !

Photo 10. Red `Sally´crabs, seen on all the islands shores.

Photo 11. The formations of laval deposits on the younger islands (a joyful moment!).

Photo 12. The captain of the Amigo, a great bloke!

Photo 13. A frigate bird following the boat, an especially noticeable presence when the chef was preparing a meal. Sadly I did not see any albatrosses, though the others had in their first 4 days.

Photo 14. A sandy and laval shoreline, where marine iguana´s could often be seen particularly in the rockpools.

Photo 15. This type of ´tree cacti´was the main plant on this part of Santa Cruz where we waw many iguana´s, both of the land and marine variety.

Photo 16. A marine iguana, seen near to the shoreline.

Photo 17. A giant turtle, probably 150 years old or more.

Mainly seen inland again on Santa Cruz as they prefer fresh water.

Photo 18. A pelican waiting for food from the boat´s kitchen, there would orten be 6 or so pelicans, usually in the water, and the same number of frigate birds, as well as a collection of sergeant major fish under the boat!

Photo 20. Our final night on the town.