31st October - Galápagos Day 2

We sailed through the night and were now anchored off the west coast of Santa Cruz in a port called Puerto Agas. I slept really well (better than Quito). We are due to have breakfast at 7 every day. Got up early and left the snoring Krys to it. Had a brief chat in Spanish with the crew who were watching the news on TV. Walked around the boat a few times, considered doing some sit-ups but that is as far as I got. Had 2 cups of coffee. 6.50 - no sign of anyone. Ah. The Galápagos are 1 hour behind Quito. It is 5.50. Went back to bed.

Breakfast was great - fruit, ham, cheese, eggs, toast, sweet French toast, tea, coffee and juice. Seems a few of the oldies had complained to the chef about the omissions from last night.

Our first visit of the day was to Dragon's Hill. We had a dry landing (where you step off the front the dinghy onto a jetty or a flat rock) and wandered up the trail. The good thing about the trails is that they are not fabricated, there are no walkways or steps. Our first scheduled stop was to see a solitary flamingo in a lagoon searching for shrimp. It was such a peaceful setting. It is apparent my camera is inferior compared with the rest of the groups. Kennet had a digital SLR with a lens so long when he went to maximum zoom I thought he was going to knock the flamingo over! We also saw yellow land iguanas and about 5 species of bird (including oyster catchers, frigates, finches, boobies).

Lunch was as impressive as breakfast - all fresh salads, veg and bacallao (cod). I sat on a sun lounger as the boat set sail for Isla Santiago (St James island). I contemplated work in 2008. For a minute! Too much going on outside the boat. A frigate had landed on the dinghy and was the source of many photos and much amusement. Also I saw a huge ray jump out of the water like a large pair of Y-fronts but sadly I didn't get it on film.

Our second visit of the day was a wet landing (where you jump off the back of the dinghy into knee high water about 15 ft short of the sand). One girl fell in and drenched everything including her camera. She was very cross and miserable after the event. She wasn't much different dry either. Eliot made a point of going over to her and saying in some smarmy voice "I have it all on video if you want to see it". We walked on a sea trail for an hour and saw - marine iguanas lapping up the sun to raise their body temperature and spitting salt out of their noses. More birds tonnes (literally) of sea-lions and a single fur seal. The make-up of Santiago is much like the other islands and made of volcanic ash and rock. This coast line is black ash and very porous so there are a lot of blow holes and underground caves.

Got back to the beach for some snorkel action. They had hired wet-suits for us in Puerto Ayora and the boat had a supply of snorkels, flippers and masks. The water was absolutely brass monkeys and pretty murky. There is no way you could have gone in without neoprene protection. (still chuckling at pregnant Dan in Wales). I saw the least - just a few yellow and silver fish and lots of sea weed. As a group we collectively saw a ray and a sea turtle as well. Eliot and wife didn't go in. He was nursing a painful mouth and complaining about tooth-ache, ironic as he gives us all ball-ache. We got back aboard and were greeted with hot chocolate and cheese and ham toasties. Life at sea is great.

Had a few beers before dinner and after a meal of lasagne and salad I fell asleep in the lounge listening to stories of how IT has changed over the years. Woke up and retired to the cabin, the water is a bit more choppy tonight.