GALAPAGOS San Cristobal 053.7S 089.36W
Chantelle
Fri 29 Feb 2008 17:24
|
Hello All
Arrived safely in Galapagos 29.02 at 9.30am. Out of
a five day passage from Ecuador we sailed for the first 20 hours and then
resorted to the "old lump". That's pretty much how it remained for the duration.
We had one hours respite from engine every day. The current was against us all
the way by as much as 3 knots with not much more wind. Fortunately we had enough
fuel on board and have made it in time to do tour to Kicker Rock tomorrow. We
will stay here until Sunday and then move onto Puerto Ayora for a week. The
weather here is HUMID but apparantely OK to jump in water where we're anchored -
definately the place to be. We are currently waiting for "official clearance"
and then plan to go ashore by taxi and experience our first landfall on
Galapagos.
Lynn and Kim had a great time slumming it in Panama
and Ecuador. We crossed the equator but 20,000 feet up, so the plug hole
experiment did just that went down the plug hole.
As well as promenading on the Malecon (sea front)
we also made a trip to a Hacienda in the Central Highlands outside of Quito.
John also came with us. We went from sea level to 3,600 metres and boy did we
feel it. However we had a fantastic time. It was so nice to be in a cooler
climate despite the thin air. Having vowed never to zip line again Kim somehow
found her self hanging over a canopy yet again, zooming along. The
"arrivals" weren't any better involving emergency brakes and crash
landings. Hey hoy - never again! Lynn had some spectacular landings as well - at
one point we thought she was on her way back to Panama! John of course glided in
with suitable aplomb and poise!
Having suffered the indignities of airial
acrobatics we then went on to try our hand at horse riding "hacienda style",
complete with chaps, ponchos and bandanas and a surpisingly comfortable saddle.
Lynn being vertically challenged provided some very humerous antics trying to
mount her steed! Unfortunately (or fortunately according to her) we didn't have
a camera but can report that a bench was required and various orientations on
horse were tried. Eventually in the saddle, both Lynn and horse were facing
forward!
Following day we ventured into Cotopaxi National Park, in a jeep with a
guide. Cotopaxi in Quiterian translates as "neck of moon". The volcano
Cotopaxi is the second highest in Ecuador but due to low cloud cover you can
rarely see the top. She did reveal herself early one morning though and looked
magical, snow capped and cone shaped. We managed to cross the snow line and
found ourselves at 4.500 metres. The peak is at over 5,000 metres, we managed
another 5 metres and was beaten by the altitude. Later that day we flew back to
Guiyaquil and found ourselves back as Sea Level again with all the mossies,
flies and humidity. Lovely! The marina at Puerto Lucia proved to be "unsuitable"
and some boats suffered damage, but fortunately not us. Main problem was swell
and lack of suitable cleating points for springs. Many of the boats including us
ended up with a cats cradle of mooring lines, lying in wait to trip you up as
they rose to waist height on the pontoons. Sometimes it was a case of
limboing underneath. Anyway thankfully we are now situated in a much nicer
place.
We now have a new crew member to report, His name is David and he joined us
out in Ecuador. Jens and Johanna have now moved onto another boat within the
fleet. Lynn will be flying home from Galapagos, unless of course her passport
should go missing!!!
Hope you're all well and enjoying some "cool weather" (never thought an
English winter would be attractive).
Take care all and any news will be gratefully received.
Best wishes.
John, Kim, Lynn and David.
PS
Photos to follow but for now here's some none nautical ones. Note the
"wilderness mobile phone".
|
