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Ayama - San Cristobal & arriving at Isla Isabella, Galapagos



Thursday We had to wait for the various officials to come aboard and give us clearance, immigration, checking various food items, rubbish handling system and the waste water tanks. The divers arrived first to check we hadn’t any growth on the hull; then 6 officials arrived by water taxi. They were very pleasant and polite and there were no complications so we were free to go ashore. The water taxi system is great as we can come and go independently rather than planning with one dinghy. There are sea lions everywhere trying to get onto the back of boats or (if they get on one) just sunbathing and relaxing.

The town is quite small and compact so we found the laundry and left all the pile of washing there. It will be bliss to have a clean sheet. Per and I found the local lunchtime cervicheria and ate a huge bowl of ceviche each, delicious. We visited the information centre which is quite informative about the history of the Galapagos Islands but it was just too hot to go for a walk in the national park. So back to the beach where humans and sea lions all swim and sunbathe together and there is a little corner by the rocks which is the sea lion nursery! There are sea lions lolling on park benches, under houses, on the paths, on the steps of the water taxi dock, everywhere! Spectacular red crabs and pre-historic looking iguanas are on the rocks.

After sleeping like logs we had a tour of the island. First, a walk up to see a crater lake. It was cool and refreshing and even tried to rain but we had clear views over the island. The frigate birds use this lake for washing their wings and they were dipping into the water and then taking off with the uplift. Some of the males were exhibiting their red chests. It was good to have a leg stretch round the crater and back to the bus.

There is a breeding programme with tortoises in the Galapagos to try to build up depleting numbers and we visited one. We were met at the entrance by 3 large tortoises slowly chomping their way through some leaves. They are so unique and nothing is done at speed even their eating habits. There are a few watering holes where they all gather. The eggs are hatched in incubators and then the little ones are kept in runs protected from rats and other predators and released into larger pens once they are big enough. It all takes a few years!!

We went to a beach where we could swim and cool off. The finches (so many varieties here) are evolving into picnic scavengers so, as people ate their sandwiches, the finches were flocking. The animals and birds are fearless so it is easy to take photos. One lizard I was filming actually came back to me and posed on the rock.

On the way back to town we stopped at a treehouse hotel. A couple had built it for their children and now they have grown up it is a hotel room. The tree is so huge there is a room with loo, tv, hammock, chairs and tables built in the middle of the roots. I am not sure I would want to sleep up in the treehouse but it had a mezzanine with 2 mattresses on it, a loo and shower and sittingroom. All wonderfully quirky.

Saturday This has to be one of the best days of my life. At 7 am we snorkelled on a beach with a large turtle and some rays. We then went by motorboat to Kickers Rock, a spectacular outcrop in the sea with a gap through it. Just before we all jumped overboard to snorkel we saw 2 huge fin whales and followed them for a short while. Back to the rock and we all went overboard with our snorkels into a crowd of sharks swimming round. There was even a hammerhead. The current then slowly took us through the gap and 5 marbled rays swam beneath us followed by another hammerhead and all the other sharks. It was totally mind-blowing. Per and I then snorkelled along the edge of the rock with so many colourful fish, sponges, turtles and sea lions. Back on the boat we went to the beach and after lunch on the boat, the small fish have also evolved into picnic scavengers and circled the boat hoping for a titbit! After walking on the pristine beaches we were cooling off in the water when 2 young playful sea lions decided to board the boat. One managed it and Anna, who was asleep on the boat, had to wake up and try to chase it off. The whole day was just unbelievably exhilerating.

That evening we visited the Portuguese on Allegro as they have generator problems which Per hoped he could solve. We stayed for supper with them and had a very pleasant evening but then I was a bit concerned that we might be marooned as it was late for the water taxi. We could either swim back to Ayama or sleep on Allegra but fortunately Bonny, the water taxi driver, turned up.

Stefan has found a new occupation: he lies on his back on the saloon floor, one knee up and his head on one side, not blinking. Twice I’ve nearly had a heart attack thinking he had collapsed! He is actually studying the fans they have put in to help cool the fridge and freezer compressors!

Sunday I watched some young sea lions playing in a pool and then socialised ashore whilst Per worked on Allegro and we joined Andy and Emma (Pentagram) and Carole and Barry (Karma Wins) at a local restaurant and had an entertaining evening.

Monday 4 am Per hauled up the anchor only to find a huge rock on it which took some shifting and then we headed off, 80 miles, to Isla Isabella. We had to motorsail as not much wind. There was the occasional sea lion fishing and then just before we arrived at Puerto Villamil we saw a killer whale. Now we are anchored in the bay and the only excitement so far has been a water taxi, with Catherine and Sarah (Afar)on board, drifting towards the rocks with no engine and everybody on the boats watching. They were actually a long way from the rocks so there was no danger. Fortunately another taxi took them in tow. Now another taxi is tied up to Hugur with a non-functioning engine. I’m not sure I want to be coming back to the boat with one late at night!

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