 |
|
        |
|
The Galapagos Islands 2
It's time to board the boat. We get into the dinghy and are taken out to the Aida Maria. It wasn't our first choice, but then we booked at the last minute, so what can we expect. On arriving onboard however we are more than impressed. It is a beautiful boat, modern and clean, the cabins have 2 beds, one above the other. Not much room to move around, but then I didn't come here to sit in my cabin the whole time. The main deck has a few tables and chairs, a small bar - excellent - and the galley or kitchen area. There is a rear, covered deck, which gives access to the dinghy and to the water. Upstairs is another covered deck; this also gives access to the front of the boat, an open area with a bench seat and enough room to lie on the deck sunbathing. Inside are varnished wood panels and good windows to watch the islands go by. There are 16 of us on the trip, a full house! We have 2 Aussies, 2 Kiwis, 3 Swiss, 2 Israelis, an American, Chinese, 2 Norwegians and 3 English. A good mix. We get chatting quickly and it's clear from the start that we will get along. The boat gets underway, we are told all the rules and regulations and then we get to know each other until dinner is served. The food arrives and this was something I was not expecting, it is absolutely delicious, to make this in such a small place for so many people. I am seriously impressed.
The boat sails through the night, the gentle rocking and hum of the motor is not stopping me sleeping, especially with my cold, and I wake up in the morning feeling a fair bit better and ready to start exploring. We sailed north and have arrived at our first island on the trip, Plazas. After breakfast we take the launch out in two groups to the island. Jumping from the boat onto the concrete jetty shouldn't be too difficult, well, if it were not for the scores of sea lions that have decided that they were there first and are therefore not going to move! We gain a little room and spend the next ten minutes trying to side step, and in some cases step right over the resting sea lions Occasionally one will rear its head and bark at us, showing it's sharp yellow teeth and telling us that although we are tolerated, we are not really welcome. We get to safety inshore from the seals and start our walk around the island. It is very different from what I expected. As normal, I hadn't read a lot before I came, and to be honest didn't know what to expect. Even so, whatever I had expected wasn't anything like this! There are no trees at all; it looks quite barren, small thorn bushes, course dry grasses and lots of prickly pear cactus, oval green pads bunching out from thick stumpy stems. Its fruit like a swollen green egg with a yellow flower sprouting from the top. It's a favourite food of the Land Iguana, which also inhabits this island. Walking on into the island we come across one such Land Iguana. It's not small, maybe just under a metre. They can grow bigger, and have been recorded to weigh up to 7kgs. I'm sorry, but it is an ugly creature! Its yellow brown wrinkled skin gives it the look of a very old jaundiced man. Its wide mouth splits its head almost in two and its legs are gangly and when it walks look uncontrollable. It moves slowly onto a rock and sits there. George the guide sits down next to it. It doesn't move more than to give him a cursory glance and then its back to soaking up the warmth from the rock and the sun. We sit and watch it for a while, it moves off and finds a nice juicy prickly pear, which it then eats right in front of us. I've heard they taste nice, but it doesn't look willing to share so I leave it be!
Next stop Santa Fe, a beautiful bay across which we take the launch for a wet landing. Shoes off, over the side we go! More Land Iguanas, Lava Lizards and prickly pears later it is time for a snorkel. I get on my gear and, head down, I'm off, immersed in the beauty of that completely different world under the ocean. I see lots of small, beautiful fish, pufferfish, grunts, damselfish and a few sea lions playing in the distance. I'm lost in this world and someone has to tap me on the shoulder half an hour later to say that time is up. Back on the boat. It's been a good day. We relax, chatting about the islands with George, finding out new and interesting information about this remarkable, far-flung place. We wake up early for breakfast and Rob hands me a card. Today is my birthday! A young 34 (or so I keep telling myself!) It doesn't feel like I've just entered my mid thirties, I feel no different than on any other birthday, except this time I am in a place that will never be beaten. Its beauty, its serenity, just the fact that it is here and that it is teaming with life against all the odds. I am truly lucky to be here, especially on my birthday! We do some snorkelling in the morning, the current is quite strong so only a few of us go out, gauged by George's watchful eye from yesterdays excursion. We swim towards the edge of a sunken crater, it's about 5 or 6 metre deep but clear enough to see to the bottom. Before I have really got started I see something move to my right and below. It's a shark! Happy birthday! It's a small white tip, about one and a half metres long, I duck dive down and watch it swim off into the deeper water. So graceful so effortless. We see another shark further on and then we swim across into the sunken crater, sections of its surrounding cone sticking high up from the water in jagged peaks. There are plenty of other fish here too, angelfish, trumpet fish, parrotfish, a stonefish so well camouflaged that it is almost impossible to see. So far I'm having a good day. On Santiago Island we see a Blue Footed Boobie, harbouring a newly hatched chick within just a few centimetres of the path and us. They look at us, the chick crawling underneath its mother for protection from these strange creatures watching it. If we get too close, a quick, shrill squawk from Mum is all we need to give it its space. Its chick, according to George was probably born early today, it looks so fragile and weak, huddled between the bright, light blue feet of its mother. I wish it a happy birthday and move along. We see colonies of these strange birds, from newly hatched to those just losing their fluffy coating, awaiting the feathers that will allow them to soar and dive into the sea from great heights. They have forward facing eyes, making them look kind of daft. This daft look however gives them stereoscopic vision so that once underwater they can follow their prey. We watch the action happen, soaring so high above the waves, all of a sudden the wings fold in and it plummets like a rocket, hitting the water but hardly making a ripple, bobbing up several seconds later with its lunch firmly in its beak.
Later in the day, back on the boat I take the opportunity to go snorkelling once more. I swim past all the pufferfish waiting patiently for any scraps from the boat to a submerged rocky area about 250metres away. I start to look around when all of a sudden I am scared out of my wits, something big and brown has just swam up to me like a torpedo and is now stopped centimetres from my face blowing bubbles at me! I blink a couple of times seeing the big brown shiny eyes looking directly at me, almost pleading with me. I realise that it is a female sea lion! She has come to play! Yeh thanks, but maybe ask beforehand next time! I laugh into my snorkel as she blows a big mass of bubbles at me and then backflips elegantly away. She comes back for a second look, and I swim to the side of her turning as I go. She takes this as a signal to play and we swim round each other, imitating each other, swimming down, swimming up, rolling over in the water, backflipping. It's like a ballet in zero gravity! She has another idea for a game! She swims to the bottom, about 8metres or more down and lies there, waiting. I take a deep breath, 8metres is a long way down, but I kick down hard and get to the bottom. It's about my limit and I turn to rise, as I do so she follows me up, head to head, matching my speed. I blow bubbles to clear my snorkel before hitting the surface. She does the same. We hit the surface together and she swims round me a couple of times while I get my breath back. Then she's gone! I look around and down, on the bottom again! We repeat this exercise many times, but at last I'm getting worn out, I can't play this one. She realises I am not making it down quite as far each time. A baby sealion comes to join in the fun too. It's amazing, they must have seen me from their colony on the coast about half a kilometre away, and just fancied a bit of fun! Where else on this earth can you interact with a wild animal like this! It is not my doing; these sea lions came to play with me and are obviously having a damn good time too. It is beyond belief; it is something that will make me smile for the rest of my life. We swim around together for about an hour, but by then I'm pretty tired and need to head back towards the boat. The female follows me all the way and even when I get out she hangs around the boat for a while. I talk excitedly about what I have just experienced, unable to stop grinning. There is still more to this incredible day! Later as dinner is being prepared, I am once again back in my favourite position, face down in the water, mask and fins on. A number of pelicans have appeared and are waiting for snippets of meat from the cook, I swim slowly up to them and am within touching distance. The cook sees me through the window, smiles at me and then launches a trail of meat fat right at my head! The pelicans go wild, pecking for the food. I'm just in their way as beaks and wings snap and flap all around me. The day is finished perfectly. The cook has made a cake, decorated in icing with Galapagos animals, a rendition of 'Happy birthday to you' begins and a toast is made. After that it is rum & cokes on the back deck, a beautiful warm night, the stars so bright and reflecting in the calm, dark ocean. We talk about the great day we have all had and the most perfect birthday that I would ever have been able to imagine.
©Ian Picken 2004
|
|||||||||||||||
|
Proud Supporters of:
Site Designed and Developed by Beewebbed.com |
Photos and travellogue also featured on www.mywoollyhat.com |
