Day 5 - Fernandina & Isabela Island

Day 5 (Wednesday) took us to Fernandina, the youngest and most westerly of the Galapagos Islands. The ground here is black and rippled. One could be forgiven for thinking that the island was formed last week, as opposed to 300,000 years ago. It is one of the most pristine areas of the islands, i.e. few if any introduced species. Animals like goats, pigs & donkeys have been a real problem on some of the other islands. There have been major efforts to remove these animals and to allow the endemic species to regain their foothold on the land.

On Fernandina we saw huge numbers of marine iguanas. Now, these guys are pretty ugly (Claire doesn´t agree), so it was funny to hear people say how cute the baby marine iguanas were. And they were. Poking their heads up from between the rocks. I guess babies are always cute regardless of how ugly their parents might be.....and no, I don´t have any examples in mind. We were also able to get very close to flightless cormorants & their chicks. Some people claimed to see a whale out in the bay. We didn´t see it but we took some video footage of where they were pointing & will tell you for sure in 15 months!!

The colossal shield of the Fernandina volcano reaches 1494 m and is still very active. The part of the island that we were allowed to explore, Punta Espinoza, is the only area open to visitors.

That afternoon we left Fernandina and took a short hop to the nose of the sea horse (Isabela is shaped like a sea horse) to a place called Punta Vicente Roca. Here we did some snorkeling and kayaking. They were both excellent but the snorkeling stole the show. At one stage, in one field of view, I, Dave, saw a huge turtle with 2 penguins on the waters surface above him and then a sea lion darted between all of them!! What a picture that would have made. Mental note to self - next time bring a waterproof camera. Again, the sea lions were so friendly. They would come so close that you could chase them around in circles. What a buzz.

That evening we crossed the equator for the 3rd time. As the other 2 occasions were at more unsociable hours the crew decided to make a big deal of this crossing. The running gag was "come up to the bridge and feel the bump as we cross the equator"...boom, boom. We all got a certificate, signed by the captain stating that we had crossed the equator aboard The Eclipse. Nice touch.

Dave basques on the lava rock

Pelican in flight

Day 4 - Isabela Island (Tagus Cove & Elizabeth Bay)

We had a long navigation in order to take us from Rabida Island to Tagus Cove on the western shore of Isabela Island, the largest in the archipelago. Around 10pm we crossed the equator. Peter had a GPS unit so I got him to take a picture of me when it showed all zero´s, which I might add, is not easy to do on a fast moving ship. Most of the standard cruises that one can book to the Galapagos don´t get to come over this far west, so again, there is a real feeling that you are privileged to come to this remote land.

We had an early start. At 6am we boarded the panga, or at least those who could drag themselves out of bed did. We landed on Tagus Cove and walked up to where we had a stunning view of Darwin Lake. The man himself, Charles Darwin, was here, on this very spot, at this very time of year, about 172 years previous. I don´t want to say that we felt honoured again....but we did. From here we headed on up the trail to a lookout point where we had excellent views over Isabela island. Tagus Cove was historically used as an anchoring place for pirates, buccaneers, and whalers. Some of the aforementioned obviously had spare time on their hands. They carved their names, with the date, into the rocks. Some dated back as far as 1830. The more recent graffiti artists simply used paint.

In the afternoon, following a short navigation south, we anchored at Elizabeth Bay. Here we took a long panga ride into the many channels. At the gateway to the first channel we saw some penguins frolicking on the rocks & taking turns to hop clumsily into the water. There was also a majestic looking sea lion perched in isolation on a larger rock. Click, click, click. Inside the narrow channels, that were encroached upon by large mangrove trees, we saw our greatest concentration of turtles to date. They were everywhere. As we sat on the side of the panga, foot dangling in the water, there was a real danger that "this little piggy would be eaten by a sea turtle".

Yes, Penguins on the Equator!!!















Sea Lion

Dave & Claire on an afternoon panga ride in the mangroves at Elizabeth Bay

Day 3 - Santa Cruz & Rabida Island

Having seen, and photographed, thousands of marine iguanas today was to be our day, hopefully, to view the more colourful land iguanas. As soon as we set foot on the rocks the wildlife was everywhere. First were the flamingos and very quickly afterwards we spotted our first land iguana...right beside the path. This is lucky as you are not allowed to stray off the path even if you see what would make a killer picture. We got some stunning shots.

Following some coastline kayaking we were back on board for a short navigation to Rabida Island. The first striking characteristic was the red beach. The second feature was the number of languishing sea lions strewn along its entire length. Claire had given out to me for touching the sea turtle, well, we had no sooner landed on Rabida when a sea lion made his way up to me and nudged me on the knee.....and she gave out to me for that too!!

The sea lions were the friendliest of all the creatures we encountered over our week. They are so playful and inquisitive. They seemed as interested to see us as we were to see them. We walked to one of the islands highest points where we had stunning 360 degree views. There was a Galapagos hawk sitting on a low branch of a tree. Everyone approached to within about 10 feet to take a photo. It soon became clear that he didn´t mind in the least and people were able to walk right up to him and take a close-up snap.

The behaviour of the motley crew of animals on the Galapagos goes against everything you have experienced elsewhere.

Land Iguana

Sea Lion takes a nap on the Red Sandy Beach













More Sea Lions....













Flowering Cacti plant on Rabida Island













Flamingos













Up close & personal!

Galapagos Hawk

Day 2 - Bartolome Island (Pinnacle Rock)

All the islands are so different. Bartolome had lush green mangrove forest and barren volcanic wastelands. It was like walking on the leftover coals of a fire. The ground crunched underfoot. We climbed the 350 or so steps to a lookout point that offered one of the most spectacular views of the archipelago. The distinctive Pinnacle Rock on one side, the rustic remains of volcanic craters on the other.


Pinnacle Rock on the right hand side of photo.

It was windy at the top of the hill, hence the scarf tied round the hat fashion!

Day 2 - Santiago Island (Puerto Egas)

Following several hours navigation the previous evening, on Sunday morning we looked out through the portholes in our bedroom to see Puerto Egas on the western shore of Santiago Island (also called San Salvador & also called James Island - most islands here have more than one name)!

We took a walk along the shoreline with Bitini (the lead naturalist) and came across scores of marine iguanas, sea lions & sally lightfoot crabs. None of these animals seemed to care that we were getting up close and personal with our cameras. They have no fear of humans, things are different on Galapagos. With the isolation comes change & on these islands - both the isolation & adaptations have been extreme & therefore quite noticeable - this is what caught Darwin´s eye! One truly fascinating aspect is the isolation from predators including man himself. As a result the animals have not adapted to flee or shy away when approached - result for us!

Next we came across a sea lion cub that had obviously only been born in the previous few hours. The mother and her cub were clearly going through a bonding process. It was incredible to be right there to witness it. What a privilege. But the action didn´t stop there. A little further along there was an inlet where one could look down on the crystal clear waters. There, minding his own business, was a large sea turtle. This is what the Galapagos is all about.

Before heading back to the ship we had an opportunity to go snorkeling off the beach. 10 minutes later we found ourselves nose to nose with another large turtle, only this time all three of us were in the water. He came right up to me (Dave) & it became clear that I would have to be the one to get out of his way. I couldn´t resist touching his shell as he went past. What an experience. There were octopus and countless fish to be seen also, but the turtle stole the show.
Back on board for lunch while the ship navigated to the other side of Santiago to an Island called Bartolome.

Sea lion takes 50 winks.



















It´s a hard life!















How cute am I?

Baby Sea Lion











You you looking at me?

“Christmas” marine iguanas are identified with traces of red and green colorings!











Yellow Warbler














Sally Lightfoot Crab














2 unidentified species!

Day 1 - Santa Cruz (Las Bachas Beach)

Following our orientation and safety induction onboard the ship we departed on our first excursion to Las Bachas beach on Santa Cruz island. It was a wet landing, i.e. you were going to have to put your feet in the water. Upon setting foot on the beautiful sandy beach we were greeted by flocks of Blue Footed Boobies. There were also countless Sally Lightfoot Crabs scurrying amongst the rocks. "Quick, turn around, there´s a flamingo flying overhead".

Needless to say the camera was clicking like this was going to be our only opportunity to spot wildlife in the Galapagos. Thank God for digital!! There was a nightly session to decide how many pictures of the same crab, iguana or bird we actually needed. It was a great first landing and the sunset on the way back to The Eclipse was the icing on the cake.

It´s tough at the top!

Sea Lion "welcoming comittee" on the pier at Baltra Island











Sally Lighfoot Crabs














Look at the pretty blue feet...

Blue Footed Boobie













Do you wanna see an iguana?

Marine Iguana














Some Galapagos Archipelago facts:

Location: 960km of the coast of Ecuador
No of Islands: 13 large & over 40 small islands, islets & rocks clustered around the equator
Largest Island: Isabela
Discovered: Accidentally in 1535 by the Bishop of Panama
1st Documented Settler: Patrick Watkins, yes you´ve guessed it - Irish of course! Typical eh?

Patrick Watkins was a reluctant settler really. He had an argument with the captain on board his ship & was subsequently marooned on Floreana in 1807. Apparently he was a heavy drinker. Shock, horror. He spent 2 years there, growing vegetables and selling them to visiting whaling ships before stealing a boat and sailing to the mainland taking some of the sailors with him, however he arrived at the Ecuadorian coast "alone".

Galapagos Islands here we come...

Galapagos Islands, 29 September - 5 October 2007

The following morning our adventure started in earnest. On Saturday 29th Sep, we made our way to the airport with Peter and Carol and caught the 9.30am flight from Quito to Baltra Island (touching down for 30mins in Guayaquil). On arrival we were greeted by our naturalist guides. A quick 5 minute bus journey and we were at the dock where we piled into dingy´s (or panga´s as they are more frequently called), 12 people at a time, to be ferried out to our ship... The Eclipse.

Whilst on the dock we got our first taste of Galapagos's "wildlife". There were sea lions hogging all the benches. They seemed to delight in spreading themselves along the full length. There were blue-footed boobies and pelicans diving for fish, and there was the occasional marine iguana warming himself on the rocks.
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On arrival aboard the luxury cruise ship, "Eclipse", we were greeted by staff members who formed a guard of honour. The captain (Manolo) shook everyone´s hand and seemed genuinely happy to welcome us aboard. Impressed with what we had seen so far it was time to do some reconnaissance of this fine ship, which coincidentally, had spent the last 6 weeks in dry dock getting a full service/sprucing up.

The Eclipse is a 210ft expedition vessel that accommodates 48 passengers in staterooms, all with sea views. Fully air conditioned, the cabins are provided with fresh towels daily and complimentary bathrobes. (Picture of our room left).


There is a well equipped lounge for relaxation & for the nightly (powerpoint presentation) briefings on the days discoveries & the following days activities. In addition to the elegant indoor dining room, there is an al fresco dining area located on the weather deck around the jacuzzi. There is also a well stocked library for quite study and reading.

One of the most popular areas on board is the observation/sundeck, ideal for star gazing, searching for whales, or simply relaxing in the comfortable sun loungers. The ship has an indoor bar, outdoor bar and a boutique for purchase of souvenirs. And yes, most of that info was taken directly from their brochure!!!!

The ship was amazing. The only way I could describe the luxury on board is to say we travelled on a floating 5 star hotel.

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Breakfast was served at 7am & all meals were of a buffet style. Waiters would supply you with fresh juices, teas & coffees. We disembarked at 8am & were generally back on board for 11am when hot snacks were served in the al fresco dining area.

Lunch was at 12.30pm & was generally eaten outside by the jacuzzi. There was always a choice of soup & then we would help ourselves to the buffet & the waiter would escort you back to your table with your dinner plate. Afterwards there was always an excellent choice of desserts. Afternoon excursions started at 2.00/2.30pm and we would be back on board between 4.30pm and 6pm when more hot snacks would be served......

They would sometimes show movies between 5 and 6 pm in the main lounge. Over the course of a few days we watched the BBC´s latest documentary on the Galapagos Islands. The evening briefing was always at 7pm & the four, level 3, naturalist guides took it in turns to deliver this.

Dinner was at 7.30pm in the main dining room. Again the foods prepared were incredible and the dessert table got 2 visits on more than one occasion......

Each evening when we returned to our bedroom there would be a new towel sculpture waiting for us. We had turtles, octopus, and other Galapagos creatures. It was always funny to hear people enter their rooms as there would, invariably, be a gasp of surprise and delight. Another bonus was that the towel sculpture was decorated, quite frequently, with small chocolates.

The other guests on board were considerably older than us, the majority of them retired Americans. Everyone was exceptionally nice & friendly, we enjoyed the company of some entertaining couples. Those we dined with most frequently included: Graham & Margaret (from outside Dorchester in England), Peter & Karen (from California), Espie, Trent, Harriet & Ben and por supuesto Carol & Peter!

All in all a great ship with a great crew & a really nice bunch of guests. We had all the ingredients we needed for a great week in the Galapagos!!!!!




Claire "cut a rug" on the dance floor to the sounds of Guantanamera!

















Claire is un poco cansado, it´s a tough life!



















The GPS confirms that we passed the Equator!
























Some of our "towel friends" ....

Quito, Ecuador´s Capital City

Quito, Ecuador, 26 - 28 September 2007

In Quito we checked in Hotel Quito Antiguo in the new town. We grabbed some food in The Magic Bean & quickly went about bagging ourselves a last minute trip to The Galapagos Islands. The first place we checked had no availability until the 9th of October so we thought "Great, we´re going to be stuck waiting in Quito for weeks!" As soon as we walked through the door of the 2nd place (Safari Tours) who did we meet but Peter & Carol. I decided to leave the 3 of them there and see what "Happy Gringo" around the corner had to offer (a recommendation from my old SCUBA buddy Olly).

We all reconvened to discuss the available options but, truth be told, the 2 ladies had already made up their minds... they opted for the Eclipse, a luxury class cruiser www.eclipse.com.ec

The Tour Operator wouldn´t accept Visa because there was no time to ensure the funds would clear - we had to pay with cold hard cash. We had to come up with the full price within 24 hours. Fortunately there is a bank that allows cash advances up tp $10,000 on visa cards without charging commission. However, the bank gave us all the money in tens & twenties so we ended up carrying huge wads of cash back to the travel agent!! We leave tomorrow (Saturday 29th Sep) on what promises to be an outstanding 8 day trip, with an excellent itinerary, on a stunning boat.

With regards to Quito we really haven´t done any sightseeing yet. We have remained in the new town readying ourselves for our trip. We even bought some new clothes & Claire treated herself to the works (waxing, haircut, manicure, pedicure & a massage)!

We went into Quito Old Town that Friday afternoon. We enjoyed walking through the many streets and plaza´s whilst viewing the myriad of churches & colonial buildings. We had noticed on our flight tickets that Claire´s passport number was incorrect. Completely incorrect!! So, we left the Old Town in order to get back to the tour operators office and get it sorted out. Claire had no intention of being left behind on this once in a lifetime trip!!

The Market Town....Otavalo

Otavalo, Ecuador, 23 - 25 September 2007

The border crossing from Colombia was smooth & quick and before we knew it we were on another bus bound for Otavalo - 3 hours down the road. Whilst on this trip the bus was stopped by police wishing to check some bags. Claire's rucksack was removed and completely emptied as part of their check. Boy were we glad we had decided not to take that kilo of cocaine back in Colombia!!

We finally arrived at our accommodation, La Luna, almost 14 hours after leaving Popayan. We were tired and hungry....and there was no one answering the bell. We were 4km outside of town in almost complete darkness wondering what to do. Inside the large gates to La Luna was a dog the size of a small horse, I kid you not. So Claire decided that I should go in and scope out the scene!! Fortunately the dog, Milky, was extremely tame and placid and I found someone to welcome us in and treat our ailments (hunger & fatigue). La Luna is a beautiful hostel with large open fires in the bedrooms as well as the common areas. Bliss. We slept like royalty.

We had expected to meet a Canadian biker couple, Peter & Carol, but it seemed like we were the only lodgers. We had met them in Popayan and they were, supposedly, heading in this direction also. The next day, feeling like a million dollars, Claire & I took in a long walk that offered fabulous views over Otavalo & its surrounding volcanoes and lakes. We walked on what is believed to be an old Inca road, passed through tomato orchards (if the term orchard can be applied to tomatoes) and even came across a deserted bull ring. Whilst enjoying a late lunch back at La Luna Peter & Carol walked through the door. They had been refused entry to Ecuador the previous day. Apparently the custom official wanted a bribe.

Otalvalo is renowned as the site of one of South Americas most important markets. It dates back to pre-Inca times, when jungle products were brought up from the Eastern lowlands and traded for highland goods. The market is on every day but is particularly big on Saturdays. Peter, Carol, Claire and myself decided to walk down to town and see if we could pick up a bargain. En-route we decided to take a detour to Taxopamba waterfall. Again, we had a great day and thoroughly enjoyed the company of our biker buddies. Peter & Carol, 5 years ago, had taken their bike right around the world. This time these 2 Canadians headed south out of Canada with the intention of riding all the way to Ushuaia at the southern tip of Argentina....and then ride all the way up again!

The market in Otavalo was the usual fare - beads, jumpers, hammocks, ornaments, etc. We bought nuttin´. As was our custom we headed back to La Luna, got the log fire going, ordered up a few beers and watched a DVD. We even brought blankets in from the bedroom for extra comfort. We had the whole place to ourselves.

After 3 days of luxury in La Luna we bade goodbye to Peter & Carol, even though they were heading to Quito also, and hopped on a bus to the nations Capital. I´m not sure when we´ll have a beautiful open fire in our bedroom again ;-(

Carol, Peter, Claire & Dave

Ipiales & the Gothic Church

Popayan to Ipiales, Colombia, 23 September 2007

We finally left Popayan on Sunday (23rd) catching the 6am bus to Ipiales, the border town between Colombia and Ecuador. Ipiales, like most border towns, is a bit of a dump but others had told us that if we had the time we should visit the Santuario De Las Lajas 7km outside of town. Since we still had a few Colombian pesos to burn, before crossing the border, we decided to go see what all the fuss was about.

The Santuario is a neo-Gothic church built between 1926 and 1944 on a bridge spanning a spectacular river gorge. It is a beautiful piece of architecture and has been the site of numerous miracles. We walked in and around the church and its nearby waterfall for about 15 mins but, alas, it was then time to get back in the taxi and head for the Ecuadorian border.