FW: 00:44.9125S 090:18.454W

Wed 18^th – Sat 21^st March

We had been told that the snorkelling was not particularly good on Seymour Norte but thought we’d give it a go anyway although the arrival of two very large Galapagos sharks (6ft+) under the boat did set us wondering even after reassurances from our National Park guides that they were vegetarian.  The water was less clear than our last outing but there was still plenty to see.  The highlight was the seal swimming up to Mike to play.  Back on the boat we had a delicious lunch of freshly cooked fish, rice and salad while we crossed back to visit a beach on Santa Cruz where we hoped to see flamingos.  No flamingos so we went for a walk and what a walk.  The beach was pure white which was stunning against the black lava rocks.  Before long we came to a line of turtle nests with the turtles tracks side by side down to the sea. 

Again the wildlife was very close.  Pelicans obligingly standing on the rocks against the skyline, a heron standing in the surf,  sea iguanas swimming in to munch the algae, a baby ray swimming close to the waters edge, and the astonishingly colourful Sally Lightfoot crabs scurrying about picking their food off the rocks and fighting.

And after five nights it was time to leave.  We moved into a hotel for the last night because, in order to comply with National Park rules we had to be part of an organised tour in order to leave the Island.  This meant a square bed and a shower we could swing several cats in.  Quite a change from the previous few weeks. Duly cleaned up we met Ria and Duncan for dinner and said our farewells. 

We set off the next morning by bus across the island but then transferred to a boat to get across to the noisy, crowded and ramshackle airport.  We had a tricky moment when the customs officer asked for our transit card – usually given out on arrival, but a couple of clicks on his laptop and he pulled up all the information he needed.  This was astonishing given the very casual, seemingly manual process we had gone through when we checked in to the harbour.  All that paperwork did end up on ‘the system’ after all.

We were sorry to leave but felt that we had made the most of our short stay and seen more than we could have hoped for.  The whole trip has been a real adventure and we feel very lucky to have had the opportunity to sail with Duncan and Ria.

We had a stopover in Quito in a charming, small hotel run by and English lady and her Italian husband.  They had retired a year ago and, after a visit to Ecuador had decided to buy a hotel and move there so very much a new life rather than a quiet one.  We had to get up at 3am so didn’t see any of Quito but we heard more than enough to whet our appetite for a visit another time.

And finally.... on home via Houston.