5-14
Today Elisha and I were all set and excited for the start of our 6 day Galapagos cruise, but first we had the morning to do something before meeting up with our guide and ship. So we took a taxi up to the highlands of Santa Cruz island near the pueblo of Santa Rosa. Near Santa Rosa is El Chato tortoise reserve, home to wild tortoises. But before we headed out to search for giant tortoises, we visted a laval tunnel. The tunnel was huge! As big (and in the same perfect and smooth shape) as a NYC subway tube! The tunnel was lit up by little strings of light. The tunnel likely went on for miles, but we just walked about 1km (the part that was lit)
After walking through the tunnel, we went in search of the wild giant tortoises. We found several and noticed that they seemed to like to hang out around guava trees. The tortoises are huge. Some of the older ones (120 years old) have shells over three feet long. You can get really close to them bc of course they don't run away, but also they don't mind human presence too much it seems. They have very wise-looking faces, and it is amusing to just watch them eat and go about their business.
Once we arrived back to Puerta Ayora, we met our guide (Juan) and the 10 other backpackers on our boat. The first thing that we all did was to tour the Charles Darwin Research Station where they are breeding and raising all the subspecies of giant tortoises (each turtle group on each island and each isolated volcano are a separate subspecies).
In the evening, we boarded our boat. Our boat was a red sailboat named the Encantada (the enchanted). It was about 80 feet long, and a very beautiful boat. On board we had dinner in the fancy dining boat and met the crew of the boat where we all made a toast with white russians that the bartender had made for us. The hull of the boat had 6 bunked cabins. They were small, but cozy, and even had ensuite bathrooms. That night, we sailed from Santa Cruz Island to Isla Isabella.
5-15
In the morning, we boarded the little dinghy and landed on Isla Tintoreras. On this island, we saw lots of marine iguanas, including a whole bunch of baby marine iguanas. We also saw penguins swimming on the coast as well as lots of sea turtles coming up to breathe. Additionally, on land we saw lots of cute little lava lizards (busing doing their push up moves) and some blue footed boobies. On the island, there was a little lava tube channel where white-tipped reef sharks liked to rest. The channel was about 100 meters long, and we saw about 30 white-tips swimming around and resting in it.
From there we walked to a beautiful beach where we saw baby sea lions jumping and playing. After our hike, we went back to the boat, donned our snorkelling equipment for a morning snorkel. On the snorkel, I saw the biggest stingray that I have ever seen. Curious and playful sea lions joined us on the snorkel. As they were this time and always would be, the sea lions are tons of fun to swim with bc they are so curious and playful and love to swim right up to you and around you and even blow bubbles at you at times.
In the afternoon, we took a boat ride to puerto villamil, the only town on Isabella Island. ALong the way we saw lots of cute little Galapagos Penguins! (the only penguins in the world to live on and even a bit above the equator). On the boat ride over, we also saw lots of diving boobies, some sea turtles, sea lions, and even an eagle ray.
Once on Isabella, we visited a little brackish pond, where we some some pink flamingos. From there, we went to the Isabella tortoise breeding center where we got to see some very cute baby hatchlings. After visiting the center, we hung out at the beach for a while before heading back to the boat.
Today Elisha and I were all set and excited for the start of our 6 day Galapagos cruise, but first we had the morning to do something before meeting up with our guide and ship. So we took a taxi up to the highlands of Santa Cruz island near the pueblo of Santa Rosa. Near Santa Rosa is El Chato tortoise reserve, home to wild tortoises. But before we headed out to search for giant tortoises, we visted a laval tunnel. The tunnel was huge! As big (and in the same perfect and smooth shape) as a NYC subway tube! The tunnel was lit up by little strings of light. The tunnel likely went on for miles, but we just walked about 1km (the part that was lit)
After walking through the tunnel, we went in search of the wild giant tortoises. We found several and noticed that they seemed to like to hang out around guava trees. The tortoises are huge. Some of the older ones (120 years old) have shells over three feet long. You can get really close to them bc of course they don't run away, but also they don't mind human presence too much it seems. They have very wise-looking faces, and it is amusing to just watch them eat and go about their business.
Once we arrived back to Puerta Ayora, we met our guide (Juan) and the 10 other backpackers on our boat. The first thing that we all did was to tour the Charles Darwin Research Station where they are breeding and raising all the subspecies of giant tortoises (each turtle group on each island and each isolated volcano are a separate subspecies).
In the evening, we boarded our boat. Our boat was a red sailboat named the Encantada (the enchanted). It was about 80 feet long, and a very beautiful boat. On board we had dinner in the fancy dining boat and met the crew of the boat where we all made a toast with white russians that the bartender had made for us. The hull of the boat had 6 bunked cabins. They were small, but cozy, and even had ensuite bathrooms. That night, we sailed from Santa Cruz Island to Isla Isabella.
5-15
In the morning, we boarded the little dinghy and landed on Isla Tintoreras. On this island, we saw lots of marine iguanas, including a whole bunch of baby marine iguanas. We also saw penguins swimming on the coast as well as lots of sea turtles coming up to breathe. Additionally, on land we saw lots of cute little lava lizards (busing doing their push up moves) and some blue footed boobies. On the island, there was a little lava tube channel where white-tipped reef sharks liked to rest. The channel was about 100 meters long, and we saw about 30 white-tips swimming around and resting in it.
From there we walked to a beautiful beach where we saw baby sea lions jumping and playing. After our hike, we went back to the boat, donned our snorkelling equipment for a morning snorkel. On the snorkel, I saw the biggest stingray that I have ever seen. Curious and playful sea lions joined us on the snorkel. As they were this time and always would be, the sea lions are tons of fun to swim with bc they are so curious and playful and love to swim right up to you and around you and even blow bubbles at you at times.
In the afternoon, we took a boat ride to puerto villamil, the only town on Isabella Island. ALong the way we saw lots of cute little Galapagos Penguins! (the only penguins in the world to live on and even a bit above the equator). On the boat ride over, we also saw lots of diving boobies, some sea turtles, sea lions, and even an eagle ray.
Once on Isabella, we visited a little brackish pond, where we some some pink flamingos. From there, we went to the Isabella tortoise breeding center where we got to see some very cute baby hatchlings. After visiting the center, we hung out at the beach for a while before heading back to the boat.
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