Beez and Mirador
Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Tue 23 Apr 2013 22:47
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A Visit to Beez Neez and Back to Being
Tourists
Overnight Galapagos Vision motor
sailed to Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz, as soon as we had eaten breakfast Chino gave
us a lift home – just for a couple of hours. Before we left we said our
‘farewells’ to Tony and Max, Eli and Tabeat and also Liliana. (This mornings
activity was to visit the Darwin Research Centre, we didn’t feel the need to go
again). Beez is just to the left of the tallest mast.
All was well and Bear was delighted that the power level had only dropped to
ninety two per cent. The solar panels and wind generator
are doing their jobs, good stuff. The girl has a
new green/brown beard with a certain amount of grass, chore one when we get
back to her.
Just before Chino
was due to pick us up a water taxi passed with Captain Douglas and Busy aboard,
they swung back round and off we went, difficult to leave the girl once more.
Aboard Vision were Bob and Janet from Pennsylvania, our new shipmates. After
lunch the six passengers went ashore and jumped into two taxis with our guide.
Off to the highlands.
We left the road, drove along a private track until we got out at the
craters.
Los
Gemelos, or the Twin Craters, are located opposite each other on both
sides of the road leading from Puerto Ayora to Baltra. The name is only
figurative; not real craters, these formations were created by the collapse of
surface material in underground fissures and chambers. The view was
breathtaking.
We left the
craters and bimbled slowly, keeping our eyes open for
creatures, birds and tortoises. From here we could see the
look out on the top of the hill. Thankfully, Ronaldo told us we were to
be driven up.
A Smooth-billed
Ani looked very handsome.
We saw lots of colour, warblers and mockingbirds and
plenty of butterflies.
We wandered up to a restaurant and
were served lemongrass tea – looking at a tortoise
shell. Outside was of all things a duck
pond.
Complete with ducks and moorhens.
New exotic creatures are now our norm
but it was lovely to watch the ducks for a while.
Back in the cars, en route to the
mirador this chap was across the road. Nice to be up
close and personal until the tiny fire ants made meals of our feet. These nasty
little things wouldn’t let up, their acid bites had us hopping and itching. Back
in the cars.
Not sorry in the intense heat of the
afternoon that we were driving up to the
lookout.
The views were across
very lush valleys.
We watched afternoon rain clouds gather and disappear just as
quickly.
Back toward town we passed a couple of
villages. Back at the quayside we said ‘farewell’ to Ronaldo, he had
finished his ten day stint and was looking forward to his days off. We were
looking forward to our overnight passage to Espanola – YeeHa - we get to
hopefully see Waved Albatross on the morrow......
Waiting for Chino there was time to
pose in a cool way.
Ok just one cute
one.
ALL IN ALL A FUNNY OLD
DAY |