smckay
Active Member
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2010
- Posts
- 637
Day 16 - Friday May 9.
Added the day & date so I can keep up.
Today the music was back but earlier - breakfast was served at 0630 as we were to be on land at 0730 for a walk/hike up the Sierra Negra volcano on Isabella Island.
The bay we are in is quite crowded with boats although most of them appear to be tourist boats, which have a teal-coloured hull with a white top.
Walking off the dock we encountered our first local
View attachment 443050
Then we jumped onto a bus. We were advised to expect this
View attachment 443046
But we ended up with this. Some China-made Toyota Coaster replica with air con and comfy seats.
View attachment 443049
A 45 minute drive out to the base of the volcano saw the weather steadily deteriorate to mist, fog and cloud. When we go to the parking area at the top it was pretty dense and hopes of seeing a fantastic view faded.
Gustavo was his normal enthusiastic self where everything was beautiful, sensational, Oh My God good but he couldn’t gloss this one over.
With some confusion over the height we were at and the altitude we’d climb (Gustavo; we are 9,000 feet and we will climb 1,000 feeet. The People; No way we are 9,000 feet). iPhone compasses and altimeters are checked and confirmed - we are at a piddling 3,000 feet and going up 100 feet). Gustavo later admitted his error.
The walk on the way up was nothing special. We were in rain forest so plenty of vegetation and a bit cold so the expectations of seeing cold blooded lizards are nix. I didn’t take out my camera and barely used my phone camera.
At the top we stopped, looked around and saw.
A total white out. Nothing past a few metres of vegetation. Gustavo was still talking it up but no one was buying it. So, we started the trudge back down to go back home.
View attachment 443048
The Twitchers (bird watchers to the rest of us) were itching to see something other than an LBB (Little Brown Bird) but nothing happened until the very bottom just near the parking lot.
Exhibit 1 is a small red finch, rare to see and a cause of some great excitement. Suddenly the air was alive with the sounds of shutters clicking (and for the rich bast@rds, the silky smooth, electronic noise of a shutter working on their mirrorless camera’s)
The thing was quite placid and didn’t really move even when people got within about 3 meters of him taking pictures. We must have been there about 15 minutes watching him.
View attachment 443047
Then back on the bus. Earlier in Gustavo was quite excited to get said Chinese-made Coaster knock off, as he had expected to get the Endemic Galapagos open bus.
Back to the ship via the dock to watch the beach activity. No ripped bodies or things here, just animals coexisting with the Humans.
View attachment 443036
Lunch today was a treat with Mexican up on the sun deck. Choices of shrimp, chicken and beef dispensed by the crew to avoid the Passengers overtaking their allowed portion, then self serve rice, beans, lettuce, tomatoes, guacamole (good) all enjoyed out in the open air.
View attachment 443037 View attachment 443038 View attachment 443039
One issue I’ve realised on this boat is the cheap cabins do not have opening windows, therefore no fresh air. We were leaving our swim clothes in the bathroom but it is so moist and humid the never dried. Call us dumb but last night we left the bathroom door open and the air conditioner on and it did seem not so stuffy. So lunch outside was great. Until the French couples decided to have an after lunch smoke. Upwind.
Anyone not French then departed stage left rather quickly.
The French are being French: they stick to themselves, they don’t interact with others - mainly as they seem to have very little English - they do things in their own time,such as going upstairs for a smoke between the briefing and dinner, leaving their table a bit confused if they ought to wait for them to return or ignore them and tuck in.
Seems to be the first night waiting thence just tucking and ignoring them.
They also don’t listen to the guide instructions and will walk ahead of him. This afternoon he exacted revenge by waiting at an indiscernible side trail off a main trail whilst they walked ahead to a dead end, returning looking a bit sorry for themselves.
The Germans and us have struck up a friendship over photography, mainly due to the second snorkel trip their action camera on no-brand froze and they missed a lot of nice footage, and asked if I could share. They are in their mid-fities and are both hard into all wildlife but especially birds. They also appreciate my tourist German of Danke, Bitte, Kaput and my personal favourite, Une Weissbier, Bitte.
The afternoon fun is to visit the large tortoise breeding centre on Isabella.
Back to the same dock to find the locals all mingling having a Siesta.
However, the Gods intervened and on boarding the bus we found out the air conditioning was Kaput. So we went from being glad of having this
View attachment 443049
To wishing we were on this
View attachment 443046
China was blamed as the cause of the issue which I thought was harsh as to be fair they probably didn’t expect their Toyota knockoff to be in a salt ridden, goat track environment being rattled to bits. Or rusted.
View attachment 443034
The backstory to this centre is to ensure longevity of the animals as they are quite vulnerable in the early years. Multiple predators will and can kill the chicks from rats, birds, dogs, and cattle. So far this centre has bred a few thousand babies but the Genetic diversity could be questioned as only 3 breeding adult pairs are pumping the kids out.
There are also 3 types of shell seen; a flat one stalled a saddle back, and jumped one called a dome and one a result of cross breeding called and Inter which had a flat domed shell. Think of a mountain flattened out by a volcano and you get the idea.
This visit was interesting for the purpose, but seeing tortoises copped up in concrete walls was a bit naff after seeing them clogging up the walking trails.
View attachment 443040
The return trip back to the bus was a walk through the bush to appreciate the natural wonders. The only wonders I had on my mind was how to cool the place down. From being cool and misty up top to be hot, humid and sunny was not pleasant and the prospect of a swim in the ocean was quite appealing.
Not a lot of animals spotted on the trek except for some birds.
Emerging from the walking track we had to traverse a bit of main road to reach the ocean. The safety committee’s in Australia would absolutely crack it if they knew we were on the road, sometimes 2 abreast (French) without flouro and nothing to save us.
View attachment 443035
But survive we did and got to the beach which was quite a sight.
A few scenic shots and we ambled our way towards the populated part, passing the only 5 star joint on this island.
View attachment 443044 View attachment 443043
We all gravitated to the Beach Sunset bar, which happened to have this cute critter asleep under a table.
View attachment 443045
He left and we settled in and then went and cruised the waves. The water was cool to start but I soon got used to the temp. The beach was shallow for some distance, probably waist height as an average and then dropped off.
Cooled off, we sat back and enjoyed 2 for $10USD coughtails (margarita for her, mojito for him) and chilled until 1845 when we hopped the bus and Zodiac back to our boat.
View attachment 443042 View attachment 443041 View attachment 443033
Dinner for me was small, some fried rice, a piece of ham cooked in a sauce with pineapple, warmed asparagus, baby beans and the salads.
Bed beckoned as tomorrow we have a new situation for us; snorkelling at 6am.
The bathrooms are supplied with L’Occitaine products and they seem to be the real thing as they have a nice perfume and clean well.
The shower has a centre rain shower head, which is unobtrusive until you turn the water on, with cold water coming out first. You figure out how I know this.
Added the day & date so I can keep up.
Today the music was back but earlier - breakfast was served at 0630 as we were to be on land at 0730 for a walk/hike up the Sierra Negra volcano on Isabella Island.
The bay we are in is quite crowded with boats although most of them appear to be tourist boats, which have a teal-coloured hull with a white top.
Walking off the dock we encountered our first local
View attachment 443050
Then we jumped onto a bus. We were advised to expect this
View attachment 443046
But we ended up with this. Some China-made Toyota Coaster replica with air con and comfy seats.
View attachment 443049
A 45 minute drive out to the base of the volcano saw the weather steadily deteriorate to mist, fog and cloud. When we go to the parking area at the top it was pretty dense and hopes of seeing a fantastic view faded.
Gustavo was his normal enthusiastic self where everything was beautiful, sensational, Oh My God good but he couldn’t gloss this one over.
With some confusion over the height we were at and the altitude we’d climb (Gustavo; we are 9,000 feet and we will climb 1,000 feeet. The People; No way we are 9,000 feet). iPhone compasses and altimeters are checked and confirmed - we are at a piddling 3,000 feet and going up 100 feet). Gustavo later admitted his error.
The walk on the way up was nothing special. We were in rain forest so plenty of vegetation and a bit cold so the expectations of seeing cold blooded lizards are nix. I didn’t take out my camera and barely used my phone camera.
At the top we stopped, looked around and saw.
A total white out. Nothing past a few metres of vegetation. Gustavo was still talking it up but no one was buying it. So, we started the trudge back down to go back home.
View attachment 443048
The Twitchers (bird watchers to the rest of us) were itching to see something other than an LBB (Little Brown Bird) but nothing happened until the very bottom just near the parking lot.
Exhibit 1 is a small red finch, rare to see and a cause of some great excitement. Suddenly the air was alive with the sounds of shutters clicking (and for the rich bast@rds, the silky smooth, electronic noise of a shutter working on their mirrorless camera’s)
The thing was quite placid and didn’t really move even when people got within about 3 meters of him taking pictures. We must have been there about 15 minutes watching him.
View attachment 443047
Then back on the bus. Earlier in Gustavo was quite excited to get said Chinese-made Coaster knock off, as he had expected to get the Endemic Galapagos open bus.
Back to the ship via the dock to watch the beach activity. No ripped bodies or things here, just animals coexisting with the Humans.
View attachment 443036
Lunch today was a treat with Mexican up on the sun deck. Choices of shrimp, chicken and beef dispensed by the crew to avoid the Passengers overtaking their allowed portion, then self serve rice, beans, lettuce, tomatoes, guacamole (good) all enjoyed out in the open air.
View attachment 443037 View attachment 443038 View attachment 443039
One issue I’ve realised on this boat is the cheap cabins do not have opening windows, therefore no fresh air. We were leaving our swim clothes in the bathroom but it is so moist and humid the never dried. Call us dumb but last night we left the bathroom door open and the air conditioner on and it did seem not so stuffy. So lunch outside was great. Until the French couples decided to have an after lunch smoke. Upwind.
Anyone not French then departed stage left rather quickly.
The French are being French: they stick to themselves, they don’t interact with others - mainly as they seem to have very little English - they do things in their own time,such as going upstairs for a smoke between the briefing and dinner, leaving their table a bit confused if they ought to wait for them to return or ignore them and tuck in.
Seems to be the first night waiting thence just tucking and ignoring them.
They also don’t listen to the guide instructions and will walk ahead of him. This afternoon he exacted revenge by waiting at an indiscernible side trail off a main trail whilst they walked ahead to a dead end, returning looking a bit sorry for themselves.
The Germans and us have struck up a friendship over photography, mainly due to the second snorkel trip their action camera on no-brand froze and they missed a lot of nice footage, and asked if I could share. They are in their mid-fities and are both hard into all wildlife but especially birds. They also appreciate my tourist German of Danke, Bitte, Kaput and my personal favourite, Une Weissbier, Bitte.
The afternoon fun is to visit the large tortoise breeding centre on Isabella.
Back to the same dock to find the locals all mingling having a Siesta.
However, the Gods intervened and on boarding the bus we found out the air conditioning was Kaput. So we went from being glad of having this
View attachment 443049
To wishing we were on this
View attachment 443046
China was blamed as the cause of the issue which I thought was harsh as to be fair they probably didn’t expect their Toyota knockoff to be in a salt ridden, goat track environment being rattled to bits. Or rusted.
View attachment 443034
The backstory to this centre is to ensure longevity of the animals as they are quite vulnerable in the early years. Multiple predators will and can kill the chicks from rats, birds, dogs, and cattle. So far this centre has bred a few thousand babies but the Genetic diversity could be questioned as only 3 breeding adult pairs are pumping the kids out.
There are also 3 types of shell seen; a flat one stalled a saddle back, and jumped one called a dome and one a result of cross breeding called and Inter which had a flat domed shell. Think of a mountain flattened out by a volcano and you get the idea.
This visit was interesting for the purpose, but seeing tortoises copped up in concrete walls was a bit naff after seeing them clogging up the walking trails.
View attachment 443040
The return trip back to the bus was a walk through the bush to appreciate the natural wonders. The only wonders I had on my mind was how to cool the place down. From being cool and misty up top to be hot, humid and sunny was not pleasant and the prospect of a swim in the ocean was quite appealing.
Not a lot of animals spotted on the trek except for some birds.
Emerging from the walking track we had to traverse a bit of main road to reach the ocean. The safety committee’s in Australia would absolutely crack it if they knew we were on the road, sometimes 2 abreast (French) without flouro and nothing to save us.
View attachment 443035
But survive we did and got to the beach which was quite a sight.
A few scenic shots and we ambled our way towards the populated part, passing the only 5 star joint on this island.
View attachment 443044 View attachment 443043
We all gravitated to the Beach Sunset bar, which happened to have this cute critter asleep under a table.
View attachment 443045
He left and we settled in and then went and cruised the waves. The water was cool to start but I soon got used to the temp. The beach was shallow for some distance, probably waist height as an average and then dropped off.
Cooled off, we sat back and enjoyed 2 for $10USD coughtails (margarita for her, mojito for him) and chilled until 1845 when we hopped the bus and Zodiac back to our boat.
View attachment 443042 View attachment 443041 View attachment 443033
Dinner for me was small, some fried rice, a piece of ham cooked in a sauce with pineapple, warmed asparagus, baby beans and the salads.
Bed beckoned as tomorrow we have a new situation for us; snorkelling at 6am.
The bathrooms are supplied with L’Occitaine products and they seem to be the real thing as they have a nice perfume and clean well.
The shower has a centre rain shower head, which is unobtrusive until you turn the water on, with cold water coming out first. You figure out how I know this.
