Galapagos Islands

April 20th 2007

Arriving in the Galapagos was very exciting. We were a bit worried sailing up the coast due to thick fog and it was difficult to see a way through all the breaking waves to the anchorage in Academy Bay. Luckily friends called us on the radio to direct us in and it all become clear. We dropped our anchor in between the huge research vessels and tour boats and finally we were able to get some rest. The swell was still pretty big in the bay which meant we had to put out a stern anchor to hold ourselves straight so we didn’t roll quite so much. We couldn’t wait to get ashore and start the check in process so we called up the water taxi to come and pick us up, at 50 cents a ride it was easier than using the dinghy. As we rode in we spotted all the huge seals lounging on the back of old fishing boats as they sunned themselves without a care in the world.

As soon as were dropped off in town we went straight to the port captain’s office (after a quick celebratory drink in a local bar of course!) to sort out our check in. We have no idea exactly how the fees for this were figured out as they seemed to be different for every boat. We got the feeling that if they liked the look of you it was cheaper and if not it cost more! Galapagos is owned by Ecuador and it is still run with the South American mentality that they can pretty much do what they like, and they can! As a yacht we are extremely limited to where we can go without paying a small fortune for a cruising permit and taking on a park ranger/pilot. We were restricted to this anchorage and possibly one on the island of Isabella if we smiled sweetly enough!

However, we were here and happy to take what we could get as we could always take private trips and hike wherever we liked. The town at San Cristobel is the largest tourist spot in the islands and the home to the Charles Darwin Research Center. The town is full of gift shops and restaurants with meals ranging from $2.50 to $50 and all great food. There’s a fish market on the waterfront where we watched the seals and pelicans fight over leftovers as the huge frigate birds fly over head waiting for the opportune moment to dive in. The people are extremely friendly and carry on their lives as usual and don’t seem to be affected by all the tourists. On the weekends the locals hold a large fruit and vegetable market where we could restock our fresh produce and sit and eat a breakfast of roast pork and boiled hominy.
Jimmy’s mum, Pat, flew in for a three week visit so we made sure we kept busy doing all the fun touristy things. The research center is just outside town and free to look around. This is where George, the oldest living Galapagos tortoise, is kept and you can get up close and personal to many of the different species of really huge tortoises and Iguanas. We took a day trip in a 4x4 truck to see the tortoises in the wild and visit the volcanic Lava tunnels and craters. It was great to get out and see some of the landscape inshore and a completely different view from what we get on the boat.

From Academy Bay it was a 30 minute walk to a long white sandy beach great for surfing and setting up our volley ball set. It was also home to the giant swimming Iguanas that would lie on the sand and rocks and sunbathe all day long, not the most attractive of creatures with their black scaly skin but fasinating to watch as they jump into the sea and go for a swim!

After the second week on San Cristobel we were given permission to move over to the island of Isabella, just a day sail away which also allowed us to take Pat for a sail. Isabella is a very dry and baron island but we were happy to get there as it's the home of Penguins who swim around the boat and of which none of us had seen in the wild before. We got together with a group of cruisers and arranged a day trip with the yacht club owner in his speed boat to visit the lava archways along the coast and get a closer look at the local wildlife. We were really lucky as we were able to see the famous Blue Footed Boobies doing their mating dance and a close up look at the penguins sunning themselves on the rocks.

On the way back we stopped at 'Seal Rock', a giant out crop which struck out of the water half a mile off land and has become home to a huge group of Seals. We stopped the boat and those that were brave enough, the guys, jumped in to the freezing cold water to snorkel with the thousands of fish which attract the seals so far out. Back in the anchorage we were blessed with daily visits from penguins and seals and if you were quick enough you could jump in and join them as they swam around the boat.



It wasn’t long before Pat had to fly home and leave us to prepare the boat for the 3,000 mile passage to the Marquesas. We were really sad to be leaving these islands but our time from now on would be limited so that we could reach Australia before the Cyclone season begins in November. If we had the time again we probably would have taken a three or four day tour with an organized company to the northern Galapagos Islands. Some friends that did the trip raved about it as they were able to see so much more wildlife and diverse landscape. It was also possible to go diving with the Hammer Head sharks here but with the water temperature being so cold we completely chickened out!!