YACHT DAPHNE
– FIVE DAY CRUISE IN THE GALAPAGOS
Tuesday Night: Jeremy’s 60th Party
It was Jeremy’s 60th birthday party the
night before we were due to go on our cruise. The theme for the night was
to for everybody to become one of the members of his harem. This
involved the women on the rally dressing as tarts and the blokes dressing as
women. Everybody played along and we set off for the street restaurant in
all manner of costumes. Jeremy had caught wind of this only a couple of
hours before and turned up as a Sheik. We all had a great
time which the photo’s will verify. See if you can spot me and
John!!!!!
Jeremy was suitably impressed, revelling in the
attentiveness of his harem, and conducting the evening like a combined embodiment
of Yasser Arafat and Tommy Cooper and also being a considerate soul organised an
evening of entertainment to include some erotic, sorry I meant exotic, dancing
which quickly became a highlight as drag troupe were invited to get involved (least
Pete and I thought so).....Some party!!!!
The conductor at work!!
Day 1 Wednesday: - Bachas/
Baltra Island
We were picked up by bus from our local port and dropped off Baltra Island
where we met the good ship Daphne and were shown to our cabins. They can
only accommodate sixteen passengers on board and we were lucky enough to get a
nice cabin with bunk beds and a panoramic view but unfortunately we had the
main air-conditioning compressor right above our cabin which wasn’t very
quite.. After welcome cocktails we were introduced to the crew, all eight
of them one being our guide for the trip.
The guides name was Carlos or
Charlie and he was really knowledgeable about the wildlife of the Galapagos and
spoke very good English.
We then headed for the
deserted, picturesque beach Las Bachas at the northern shore of Santa Cruz we
went for a swim in the crystal-clear water. Afterwards we visited the bay
Caleta Tortuga Negra which was close by. At the bay we saw a huge flock of Blue
Footed Boobies diving in after shoals of fish.
For all of us, I think, the
boat, accommodation, attentiveness of the crew, cleanliness and quality and
quantity of the food was a pleasant revelation: particularly when viewed in the
context of the last minute doubts surrounding its departure. Straight away the
first venue set a standard and level of excitement that was maintained
throughout, with many sightings that were outside of normal level of
expectations, the Blue footed Boobies in such numbers being just one of them.
We also saw Marine Iguana and
the nesting sites for marine turtles of which we found some babies waiting to
run the gauntlet of the Frigate birds.
Massed ranks of Blue Footed
Boobies
Blue Footed Boobies diving for
dinner. We then went for a snorkel and managed to see Eagle Rays,
Turtles, Puffer Fish and a large shoal of Surgeon fish.
After this we headed back to the
boat for a relax and a superb evening meal. Unfortunately I was going down
with the same stomach bug that John had a couple of weeks before.
Day 2 Thursday:
Plazas South - Santa Fe
Located on the east of Santa Cruz, the main characteristics on this small
island South Plaza are the Opuntia cacti and the carpets of red sesuvium, a
succulent plant that turns green in the rainy season. The cactus is the main
food of land iguanas, which are usually found resting at the cactus shade.
The island contains one of the largest sea lion colonies,
swallow-tailed gulls and red-billed tropicbirds nesting, and boobies roosting
on the south cliff of the island.
Santa Fe has one of the most beautiful coves in the archipelago. A turquoise
lagoon with two small white sand beaches are protected by a peninsular where
sea lions rest. A trail runs alongside the coast and then crosses through an
Opuntia Forest. These prickly pear cacti are the largest ones in Galapagos.
We went snorkelling in this beautiful bay and saw lots Turtles,
Golden Rays, Eagle Rays Sea Lions and the biggest shoal of fish I have ever
seen.
The Santa Fe species of land iguanas are larger and of a
paler yellow than on the other islands.
Day 3 Friday: Española Island-Punta Suarez-Gardner Bay
One of the oldest islands, Española is
small and flat with no visible volcanic crater or vent. Punta Suarez is one of
the most outstanding wildlife areas of the archipelago, with a long list of
species found along its cliffs and sand or pebble beaches. In addition to five
species of nesting seabirds there are the curious and bold Española Island
mockingbirds, Galapagos doves and Galapagos hawks. Several types of reptiles,
including the brilliantly coloured marine iguana and the oversized lava lizard,
are unique to this island. We managed to see the Mockingbirds and the Galapagos
Hawk.
We arrived on the beach to find a large colony of Sea
Lions.
When heavy swells are running, Punta Suarez is also the
site of a spectacular blowhole, with thundering spray shooting 30 yards into
the air. A colony of Nascar Boobies were nesting there.
Gardner Bay is on the eastern shore and has a magnificent beach. This beach is
frequented by a transient colony of sea lions, and is a major nesting site for
marine turtles. Around the small islets nearby, we went snorkelling and found
lots of fish, turtles, and sharks.
Day 4 Saturday: Floreana - Pto. Cormorant / Devil's crown
/ Post Office Bay
Floreana Island is perceived as one of the most exotic Islands of the
archipelago. At Punta Cormorant we landed on a green olivine sand beach. We
then followed a 100 m long path which lead to a lagoon with flamingoes,
white-checked pintail ducks and other shorebirds.
We also saw the elusive Galapagos Penguin again.
The trail goes on to a white beach made of grinned coral,
it looks like flour. This is the green sea turtle's nesting place.
North of Punta Cormorant and eroded volcano, Devil's
Crown, is a snorkel's delight. We saw lots of White Tipped sharks there and one
Galapagos Shark.
To the west, Post Office Bay keeps the legendary post barrel
that whalers used to send their mail. We posted our cards and letters
there. Hopefully you will receive them one day.
Day 5 Sunday: Santa Cruz – Highlands and return to
Puerto Ayora
The last day took a ride by bus to the
highlands of Santa Cruz Island. We saw how the vegetation changed as we went
higher. We visited an area where we saw the Giant Galapagos Tortoises,
which are dome–shaped tortoises unique to the island.
Then we went to see a lava tunnel (an amazing natural
formation and the product of the various eruptions on the island)
