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After crossing the Equator followed by a bright Pacific sunset, we had another happy dinner followed by our briefing for tomorrow. Our anchor will be lowered during the night at Puerto Egas of Santiago ( James ) Island, a large island on the eastern side of Isabella. This was to be our last full day, typical of our daily routine for the last few days.
It must have been the exposed northern waters of Isabella Island, the ride was quite rough during the early part of the night, though not something that really bothered me too much, after the previous few nights.
When dawn broke, we found ourselves anchored in the calm waters of Puerto Egas, Santiago Island, as promised.
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Unremarkable it may appear, but soon after we landed, there were the sounds of sea lion cubs echoing off the walls of the rocks. There were quite a few mother-and-child sea lions lazing on the beach. Juan pointed out that some of cubs are no more than a month or less old, and they were still suckling the mother.
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As we walked further along...
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and the snorkeling afterwards
Whilst we were waiting for all the snorkelers to return, these frigates ( or boobies ?!) were busy diving into the water for their feeds, it was an amazing sight seeing them hovering around followed by a high speed dive. Their sharp eyes have given them their place on the long chain of Evolution.
By the time we lifted anchor, it was another glorious late afternoon.
It was to be our last night on the boat.
Early next morning, we had a quick cruise around one of the Daphne ( Major ) Islands before breakfast, before we headed back to Baltra Island for the end of our trip on the Encantada.
As if it was a sign of things to come, on landing back onto Baltra Island, we were met with an unfriendly sea lion, not happy to share his bench with anyone.
Most of our team headed for the airport, including Juan, who was to have a holiday back on mainland Ecuador.
3 of us ( Val, Bridget and I ) crossed over from Baltra Island on to Santa Cruz Island on a short water taxi trip. We then shared a taxi to Puerto Ayora, the main town of the Galapagos Islands.
After bidding farewell once again, Val had to take another long boat ride to Puerto Villamil, back on Isabella Island to meet her partner, Fabien, who left the boat after the first night rough seas. I then went looking for a hostel to stay.
The town was deserted, almost nothing was on the street. I thought, perhaps it was Sunday, and indeed it was......then I saw this
as I walked, I saw a number of big TV screens were being moved outdoors....everyone was eagerly waiting for Ecuador's first World Cup game with Switzerland.
I went asking for some tour information, but there was no one there in the shop, despite the counter shows signs of people around....looked like a neutron bomb had hit, evaporated all lives, except the buildings.
Finally, I found a hostel as the hostess was setting the lunch table for the family surrounding a TV. As I settled in, connected myself to the World through WiFi, the first time in 6 days, then came a big roar all around town.......Ecuador scored their first goal, and they were off leading, 1-0.
On my later walk to lunch at the pub, I was basically passing empty shops after empty shops and crowds gathering at corners shops with big TVs, fixing their eye. It was World Cup craze !!
But very unfortunately, for Ecuador, it was 1 - 2 by the time I finished lunch, a subdued atmosphere descended on the town. It would be a brave person claiming to be a Swiss in Puerto Ayora, that afternoon....!!
When dawn broke, we found ourselves anchored in the calm waters of Puerto Egas, Santiago Island, as promised.
Unremarkable it may appear, but soon after we landed, there were the sounds of sea lion cubs echoing off the walls of the rocks. There were quite a few mother-and-child sea lions lazing on the beach. Juan pointed out that some of cubs are no more than a month or less old, and they were still suckling the mother.
As we walked further along...
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| Whose foot print might that be ?? |
And later we went snorkeling around the reefs canyons,
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| Our little Encantada sitting still in Puerto Egas |
We reached Rabida Island in the early afternoon, and landed on the red sand beaches...
and the snorkeling afterwards
Whilst we were waiting for all the snorkelers to return, these frigates ( or boobies ?!) were busy diving into the water for their feeds, it was an amazing sight seeing them hovering around followed by a high speed dive. Their sharp eyes have given them their place on the long chain of Evolution.
By the time we lifted anchor, it was another glorious late afternoon.
It was to be our last night on the boat.
One of the reasons why the Galapagos are so popular, other than its unique ecological system of faunas due to its isolation, it was also the place which sow the seeds for Darwin's Evolution Theory. None demonstrate Darwin's Evolution Theory in a shorter time span, than the Daphne Island Finches, here is an video available on youtube that talks about them.
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| Our final breakfast together, ready to go separate ways for the next adventure..... |
As if it was a sign of things to come, on landing back onto Baltra Island, we were met with an unfriendly sea lion, not happy to share his bench with anyone.
Most of our team headed for the airport, including Juan, who was to have a holiday back on mainland Ecuador.
3 of us ( Val, Bridget and I ) crossed over from Baltra Island on to Santa Cruz Island on a short water taxi trip. We then shared a taxi to Puerto Ayora, the main town of the Galapagos Islands.
After bidding farewell once again, Val had to take another long boat ride to Puerto Villamil, back on Isabella Island to meet her partner, Fabien, who left the boat after the first night rough seas. I then went looking for a hostel to stay.
The town was deserted, almost nothing was on the street. I thought, perhaps it was Sunday, and indeed it was......then I saw this
as I walked, I saw a number of big TV screens were being moved outdoors....everyone was eagerly waiting for Ecuador's first World Cup game with Switzerland.
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| Deserted streets at Puerto Ayora |
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| No one was looking after the shops |
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| No one cared about tourists....football madness was about to descend. |
On my later walk to lunch at the pub, I was basically passing empty shops after empty shops and crowds gathering at corners shops with big TVs, fixing their eye. It was World Cup craze !!
But very unfortunately, for Ecuador, it was 1 - 2 by the time I finished lunch, a subdued atmosphere descended on the town. It would be a brave person claiming to be a Swiss in Puerto Ayora, that afternoon....!!
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