Wreck bay.
We all piled into the dinghies after breakfast and headed for a dry landing. We had a good look round the Interpretation Centre, which was full of really interesting information. There was the obligatory large section about the flora and fauna. Here's a great diagram showing the evolutionary differences that Darwin noticed in the islands finches (specifically their beaks) due to their differing diets.
There was also information about the socio-economic situation, and a great display about local human history. Here we learnt that though orginally settled in 1880, it was only when a sugar factory was established in 1891 by a Manuel J Cobos that a significent number of people arrived on San Cristobal. He manned his workforce with jailed Ecuadorian mainlanders and apparently ruled with an iron fist at his factory known as El Progresso where torture was commonplace. He built a small railway and minted his own money, but after 25 years was eventually killed by his workers. That'll teach him.
After this we were allowed to follow the trail that left from directly outside the centre up Frigatebird Hill on our own (meaning there was little habitat to de damaged, but it was still a lovely stroll). The start of the trail was over these huge volcanic boulders.
Clairy spotted this conche chell up the hill. I personally reckon someone put it there after feeling guilty about moving it.
There was a steep flight of wooden steps to the lookout on top of the hill.
Great views.
For some reason these heights didn't scare Clairy at all.
There were Sealions and Pelicans frollicking in the beautifully clear water below.
Here's Lynn chatting to some Sealions.
There was a mahoosive statue of Darwin made of fiberglass half way round the trail (as Clairy pointed out it would have been a bit of a mish to get a bronze one out there). It looks like he may have dropped his bottle.
The beach we walked along on the final part of the trail.
After this we walked back into town and had an hour or so to kill before we got picked up and taken back to the boat. There were some really nice wooden houses.
It had a very different feel to Santa Cruz. Much quieter and less touristy. This building below was a shop that we had seen in a picture in the Interpretation Centre looking almost identical in the 1930's.
Clairy snapped this pic of a sign in the town displaying all the major islands.
Whilst on the trail earlier we had chatted to our new friends from Israel Uri and Einat about what they were doing after the cruise had finished. They had planned to spend a few more days in the Galapagos and visit some areas that we were not currently going to see. This sounded like a fab idea, but our flights were currently booked to return to Quito the morning the cruise finished. After learning there was a TAME airlines office in the town we hurried over (with no passports or ID, it being a last minute decision). We weren't very hopeful, and upon arrival we were greated by a queue of 6 people. Amazingly though, the girl was super efficient, and dealt with all the people in about 5 minutes, then agreed to change our flights at no extra cost! We were amazed, so much easier than it would ever have been back Britain, and we got a water taxi back in time for lunch. Ideal!
After lunch the Captain tootled us round to the small rocky outcrop known as Isla Lobos right next to San Cristobal. We headed round the side to the open ocean in the dinghies. From being very calm it suddenly was hugely rough, and just as he tolds us to hop in to the water an enormous wave came along and nearly tipped us all out. We swiftly headed a little way back toward the calmer waters and jumped in.
There were large shoals of these fish. We think they are silver snappers. When they turn and the light catches them they flash a bright white colour.
Soon enough we saw a marine turtle in the distance. He didn't hang arounds though and was gone before I could get a vid.
We had been warned (somewhat belatedly I thought) that playing with the sealions can result in them biting you, and some colonies are a bit more aggressive than others. This included the one we were currently in. I think what really scared everyone was when Lobo informed us that a bite could rip a mans calf clean off...nice.
This resulted in most of the group snorkelling extremely close together in a comedy manner with limbs firmly tucked in. I figured you would have to be provoking them a bit, or near a large grumpy male to get bitten, so still took some footage of these lovely creatures.
'Play with me please! I'll try not to bite...honest!'
'Look how graceful I am!'
Gurt chunky fishes.
I love swimming down as far as I can and looking up. Kirsty reckoned I was probably a pearl diver in a previous life. This is a pic of one such occasion.
A couple of pics of the most crazy looking sand dollar. It was about a foot across.
Lots of the fish had some kind of luminescent markings that glowed beautifully in the sunlight.
'I'm very handsome'
A marble ray. I was really pleased with how clear this shot came out. I was trying to perfect my technique of swimming slowly over the creatures to get a better piccy whilst trying not to do a Steve Irwin.
As we worked our way down the islands shoreline, we came across another turtle. A green turtle I think. This one was super-chilled, moving really slowly and was not fazed at all by us all following and taking pictures. What a beautiful beast.
He was being pestered by the excitable sealions a bit.
I kept up with him for some distance and was really pleased with the video footage.
Gnarly shell.
Eleanore getting in on the action.
Here's a great vid of a sealion and the turtle. Such a luscious experience. Try to ignore the annoying kiwi who barges into the turtle vid and unfortunately doesn't get bitten by a sealion. When I popped my head up after filming the turtle I was right next to the boat, and apologised for nearly getting in the way of his propellor. Oops.
Another conche shell lying on the seabed surrounded by brightly colored urchins and seaweed.
The huge sea urchins were present in vast numbers.
One of my favourite fish the beautiful parrotfish trying unsuccesfully to hide in a shoal of yellow tails.
After snorkelling we had the usual 30 seconds to prepare to head ashore for our walk on Isla Lobos. It was a boiling day and we were thankful for the light breeze coming off the sea.
Some chinesy lanterny things.
There was a large amount of vegetation on this small island.
Beautiful clouds and other tiny islands in the distance.
As we reached the side of the island facing the open ocean, occasionally large waves would crash in on the lava boulder beach.
But the sealions didn't seem to mind at all, crashed out on the sharp rocks as they were.
There were some big marine iguanas hiding in the undergrowth.
As well as a large colony of sealions sheltering in the shade from the strong sun, there was a cacophony of coughing and sneezing coming from under every bush. Lobo informed us that they have trouble digesting all the fish scales, bones and crab shells they eat, so often cough up big skanky balls.
This one was totally asleep though and presenting a nice tidy aspect with its feet. Clairy snapped this pic to show the strange rubbery skin, and tiny claws for itching with.
There was also a large colony of frigatebirds on the island. I spent ages trying to get one flying in close up, but this was as good as I could manage.
Here is two blue-footed boobies in mid-dive. Another one that took ages to get. Fortunately they kept flying up and diving in a similar location so I could have a few goes.
Rounded bubbly boulders.
Here is a father blue-footed boobie with its 4-5 month old chick.
Lobo calling the boat to come and pick us up on his radio, as lobo looks on (lobo is spanish for seal/sealion).
And finally a little white butterfly sitting on the bush just before we headed back to the boat.
Another totally fab day of walks and snorkelling!
1 comment:
what a fantastic time you had.glad you kept out of cheddar cave clair! wij is very brave and such a good swimmer.so cruising is just your style but not with wrinklies.xxxjp
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