Graptolite - Arrived Galapagos

00:53.76S 089:36..82W Puerto Baqerizo Moreno, Isla San Cristobal

Grapto arrived at 06:22 local time with just a tiny bit of diesel left in the tank. Over 870 sea miles were logged which was several hundred miles more than expected due to the adverse El Nino disturbed current against us.

On the approach, about five miles out, we got our first smell of land in five days. It was mostly vegetation with perhaps also a hint of tortoise poo.

The sun came up as we neared the finish line and there was a really good pink sunrise on display. Four or five boats, like us all waiting for daylight, arrived at the same time. Some sealions came to say hello as we anchored in the bay.

Charles Darwin has long been something of a hero of mine. Not particularly for coming up with the concept of natural selection, which is all a bit obvious at this remove, but for his personal struggle to challenge some deeply entrenched ideas about Life, the Universe and Everything and get away with it. Here we are in a place that provided some of his evidence and as such it is of big historical importance even if many of the animals here a
bit ugly.

M