Galapagos

I know that I had promised to write my blog updates offline each day while sailing around the Galapagos but I confess that I didn't get that far. While Simon typed feverishly and edited his photos below deck early each evening, I spent my time on deck taking in the last of the daylight. Mostly, I was chatting to our fellow sailors but on one or two occasions I was concentrating hard on the horizon! So...I'll have to summarise the experience which will not be easy as it was truly out of this world. We knew that this part of our trip was going to be special but I don't think that either of us was really prepared for the magnificence of each island and its unusual inhabitants.

We arrived at the airport on Baltra on New Years Day, a little unsure of what awaited us. We were met by our wonderful and exceptionally knowledgeable guide, Camilo, at the airport and were swiftly transferred along with the eleven other guests to our home on the water, The Beagle. A welcome cocktail greeted us on board which we drank while the crew attended to our luggage. I'm not sure how dangerous it is to have such a luxurious portion of the trip so early on. I guess I'll have some adjusting to do now as I get reacquainted with the budget hostel lifestyle! The yacht was beautiful. There was plenty of room on deck to sit and read or lie in the sun and we ate all of our meals around a large dining table at the rear of the boat. We were fed like kings by our on board chef, Miguel (who is a published author and has a very interesting story to tell about being lost at sea, presumed dead, for 77 days!) and our every need was attended to by the professional and friendly crew and El Capitano. Our fellow passengers were a diverse mix hailing from England, Scotland, Switzerland and USA and at 13, far from unlucky, we were the perfect number. As we passed or anchored close to larger motor cruisers we appreciated the tranquility of the small group and the fact that we were all able to fit into one Zodiac dingy for trips to and from the land. No queuing for us! We were in cabin two which was small but perfectly formed. It came complete with an upper and lower bunk, under-bed storage, air conditioning and a full en-suite with hot shower...providing you got below deck and into it before the majority of the other guests! Every two days our towels were renewed and laid out in like fancy linen origami on our beds. My personal favourite was the 'swan' shaped towel, I was informed that this always happens on cruises and that you can even purchase 'how to' books so that you can pursue towel origami at home!!!

So...to the 'Islands of Fire' themselves. There was no gradual introduction to their awe inspiring beauty. We were dropped off at our first island, North Seymour, just an hour or two after boarding the boat and it was magical. I took over 250 photos within about 2 hours and was overwhelmed to be wandering amongst the infamous inhabitants of these mystical islands. In that first visit we witnessed an abundance of Blue Footed Boobies, Sea Lions, Frigate Birds, Pelicans, Iguanas, Gulls, Cacti, Lizards and more. The documentaries make the Galapagos out to be diverse, dramatic, volcanic, wondrous and abundantly populated (in the natural sense) islands where you can walk amongst animals and plants who are uninhibited and undisturbed by your presence. They are right. In fact the most difficult thing to get to grips with is to remember to keep looking at the path in front of you to ensure that you do not step on the tail of a resting iguana or disturb a nesting Boobie. The weird and wonderful (and at times prehistoric looking) animals are literally strewn across paths and the birds fill the sky and trees with their dancing and shrill calls to attract mates. It is quite literally beyond comprehension.

Our eight days on board The Beagle were spent navigating from one island to another to observe the diverse qualities of each. We were also lucky enough to snorkel on most days and the underwater world didn't fail to disappoint either. We swam with playful sea lions, elegant sting ray, sea turtles, rainbow coloured fish and the slightly intimidating White Tipped Reef Shark. Having never snorkelled before I feel priveledged to have had my first experience in such a magical location.

On one day we visited the most populated island of Santa Cruz where the Darwin Centre is housed. It was here that we were introduced to one of the Galapagos' most famous residents...Lonesome George the giant land tortoise. We met him along with his friends at a breeding centre and then in the wild further into the island. These bizarre creatures were utterly fascinating and although fairly sedentary most of the time, displayed quite aggressive personalities when food was around, fighting each other for the last green leaf or the best patch of grass.

I could go on and on forever about how wonderful this part of the trip has been. I will leave out the occasional sea sickness and the lack of sleep caused by night navigation as it pales into insignificance when I think about how much I learned and what a magical experience I have had. Don't forget to check out the photo gallery on my website under the South America heading.

If you ever get the chance to go to the Galapagos, jump at it.

S