San Cristobal to Santa Cruz to Isla Isabella           00.57S; 090 .57W

Santa Cruz Island

After shopping at the wonderful organic vegetable market, we departed San Cristobal on the 24^th February in a flat calm and overcast skies. Our trusty motor chugged away and we picked up some current to assist and made good time. Eight hours later we dropped anchor at the back of the fleet in Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz. We hardly had time to ready the boat when Irene, our agent appeared  with the Port Captain The formalities were simple and three koalas later (the port captain 2 as he had two daughters) they were on their way and we were free to go ashore.

The harbour was crowded with commercial boats and quite a few yachts. It is notoriously swelly and so we put a stern anchor out to keep our bow to the swell. This made living on board very pleasant. We were joined by two other companions from San Cristobal, Carol and Jim on Somerset 33, and Michelle and Vern on Enchantment so as always the social scene was busy!

A  surprise was to meet a friend who was a crew member on a yacht called JAC. Evan is one of our neighbours on Russell Island and he was helping a friend get JAC as far as the Marquesas. How strange to be some 8,000 miles from home and bump into a neighbour!

 We were next approached by a German who was crewing on an Australian yacht moored next to us. He wanted to jump ship as he said all was not well aboard that boat. The paid skipper was an excitable Italian who was said to yell a lot, sailed the board too hard in the conditions, and just wanted to get the yacht to Tahiti and get his money. We said thanks, but no thanks!  The hapless German then tried all the other yachts in the harbour (even turning up in Isla Isabella to ask us again) but at the time of writing he was still hunting for a berth. Stranded in the Galapagos!

 Santa Cruz is very different to San Cristobal. It is the administrative hub of the islands and is very touristy. The main street is undergoing major renovations and the work creates clouds of dust. Provisioning is good though, and there are a number of internet cafes and many “travel agents” selling trips – mostly very expensive. Restaurants are everywhere. There is very little you can reach on foot from the town, but we did find the fish market where the fisherman bring their catch and clean it. The area is guarded by a huge sea lion who chases all intruders away if they look like taking the fish guts thrown on the floor by the fisherman. Mr Sea-Lion does a great job of cleaning up the smelly fish entrails. Other sea lions amuse the crowd “performing” by throwing up bits of old fish in the air and catching it; anything missed is snatched by the numerous waiting pelicans.

       Cleaning the fish with the guardian sea lion

North Seymour Island

We only stayed a week in Santa Cruz, but during this time we took a day trip to North Seymour Island as we had heard that this spot, only accessible on a commercial trip with a National Parks Guide on board, was the best location to observe nesting frigate birds,  blue footed boobies, gulls, and land iguanas.  We had a wonderful day. We watched entranced as female frigate birds soared overhead whilst their prospective mates lay on bushes and scrub beneath them, proudly puffing out their vibrant red chests to try and attract a female. This courting behaviour can last several days and in the searing heat the males vibrate their throats to cool themselves down whilst exhaling and inhaling their pouches. 

     Choose me!

 In other areas of North Seymour Island, just a step away from our path, we saw white frigate bird chicks less than a month old; fluffy and gawky but totally unafraid of humans

Next, we learned about red and blue footed boobies; they engage in prolonged courtship dances before choosing  a mate. It was a bit like soldiers goose-stepping and bowing to each other whilst making seductive noises!

      Blue footed boobies; the mating ritual

Later on that day we snorkelled along a cliff face amongst thousands of fish both large and small; we followed a manta ray as he fed along the shore. After an excellent  lunch we made a final stop, this time to a stunning beach covered in mounds where the turtles had just laid their eggs.

From here we were able to walk to watch a group of flamingos fishing for dinner in a tranquil lagoon.

Turtle beach with flamingo lagoon behind

More snorkelling followed, and Suzie swam through schools of large fish she was able to touch; the lack of fishing in the Galapagos means even underwater creatures are totally unafraid of humans.