Bula from Fiji
Thinking of all our family & friends, so far away but right here in our hearts and thoughts
Wishing you a merry Christmas and a wonderful 2008
Love
Mariska, Rochelle, Ronel and Claude
20 May 2005
We are now anchored at the island of Isabella ,Galapagos. Isabella is the largest island of the archipelago and has one settlement/village with about 2000 people living here, doing mostly fishing or tourism.....or hanging around.
On Monday we went on a very nice excursion. You have to use a local guide for any excursions on the island,so when Joseph approached us with a decent deal, we snapped it up. We met him on the beach at 7.00am (really,Claude did get up!..ok he wasn't all there...!but he tagged along-good sport)and climbed into the back of a Mexican-type truck with high wooden sides and two rows of benches to sit on. We travelled on a dirt road for about an hour and it was amazing how the landscape changed every few miles, from flat volcanic rocks and desert, complete with cactus and shrubs to a higher land with tropical forest. here they have agricultural lands and fields and things seem to grow profusely. we saw lemon trees, passion fruit, vegetable gardens, fields with cows....the landscape changed once more and we found ourselves on a plato near the summit(hahahah so we thought!)shrouded in mist. there we got off the truck..and met our new transport.....6 horses !we were each allocated a horse and off we went. they were good horses....walking very sedately with us..believe it or not, rochelle leading the rest of us along a narrow mountain footpath, up and up and up, through the mist and with tree ferns covering and surrounded us for miles and miles.
coming up over the top of a small hill , we suddenly saw the rim of the crater exposed! this crater is the second largest crater in the world, one in Tanzania being the largest. the trial led us around the crater and we followed the path along the edge of the crater with the land falling away hundreds of feet on either side of the path. we could see right down into the crater which bottom seemed flat and smooth and the lava flow looked like a brown river (obviously now cold)down in the crater. Once reaching the far end of the crater, we climbed off our horses and could not believe our ears...and eyes...when he showed us the foot path that led down the mountain, into the pit of the crater....where we still had to go!
the foot path snaked down the mountainside, through tree ferns and later just lava rock and then up a landslide in the middle of the crater...where smoke was bellowing out with a rumble and a hiss...our destination!now bear in mind that the last eruption was......in 1988...!
Standing over the pit, one foot away from where the steam was coming out.....sorry ,let me backtrack a moment.....i have neglected to tell you that this rise in the middle of the crater that we have just climbed down into, is bright yellow and orange. These are the old Galapagos sulpher "mines". The glare was so bright we could hardly look at it.
So now to put you into the picture, instead of red or black spewing lava oozing out from earth, we had bright yellow and orange sulpher pouring out and forming crystals on the surrounding earth. The heat was quite severe. Worse however, was the smell. Coming out of the earth was pure S02 gas. We covered our noses and i could not stop filming and taking photos.
It was now late in the day and reluctantly we followed our guide back...and now it was UP and UP and UP the mountain.....pheeeew!back to the ..horses(which also did not sound or feel like such a great idea anymore!)
The horses smelled home and this time, there was no docile walking...but cantering and galloping home to the bottom of Galapagos!
ahhhh!all i can say....we have severe aches and pains..the voltaren gel is working overtime on shoulders, necks, backs, bums and legs...we suffer!but regardless of the pain, this trip was one of the highlights!
We also spent a lovely day walking one of the trials on the reefs enclosing the anchorage. The foot path lead us through volcano rocks to a gully where White Tipped Reef sharks were clearly visible in the clear,shallow water. We saw the marine Iguanas, blue legged Boobies,Frigates and sea lions. It was very hot and the sun shining down on the black rocks had us quickly seeking escape in a nice clear pool of water...no sharks visible!
Isabella is a small town with dirt roads and everything closes from 12pm to 2 pm. Then it is time to have lunch, almuerzo and for only $2.50 we had a lovely meal consisting of a soup and a choice of either fish,chicken or beef as the main course.
The anchorage have been very busy,yachts arrive and leave daily and all departing yachties were sent off on the long trip with horns blowing, waving arms, whistles shrieking by those of us still enjoying the island. We have had our fair share of mechanical breakdowns and we tended to those jobs, some days it felt as if we were just not making any progress! But i guess that is part of cruising!
We are now ready to depart the Galapagos islands and our next trip is 3000 miles away to the Marqueses Islands, French Polynesia. Hope you have enjoyed reading about our experiences in the Galapagos.
I also have to mention that we have passed TED, the sailing teddy bear on to the kids on Leprachaun who will take Ted with them on his next passage around the world. To refresh your memory, Ted is a little Pink Teddy bear from the BVI and he has been taken on his long journey around the world, by various kids on sailing vessels. Our girls on Prrrfection, got Ted in Panama and we brought him to Galapagos. Afyter signing his logbook and taking photos, we waved him farewell as he dingied across the anchorage with his new "family". maybe one day the original owner will let us all know how Ted s journey went. and of course i will keep you updated!
regards from Prrr!
1.san cristobal
Galapagos Islands
Well, we are here! Safely anchored in a new place, full of new sights,smells and adventure!
Our landfall to the islands sure was exciting enough! And our trip coming here,initially from Panama but then we had to divert to Ecuador due to mechanical problems,well, i always say it is like child birth...fortunately one forgets the bad very quickly...the bashing; the head winds; the rain;...the endless days making slow,slow progress;getting snagged in the fishing lines off the Ecuadorian coast......did that happen to us?
Daybreak yesterday was in beautiful pinks and blues and as it got lighter and lighter we saw the islands ! We were about 30 miles off, perfect timing and i was glad that we decided to motor during the night in order not to loose ground during the night, we have had only light winds the last few days and did not want to approach the islands or anchorage during the night. Dolphins joined us,frolicking in the swells off our bows....always such a pleasure seeing them.
In anticipation we started to order the boat, packed everything away and lunch time, as we reached the shallower water, the rod went off...with a loud ziiiing!! Whatever took line, took it with such a force that by the time Claude grapped the rod, we only had a few meters left on the rod! I maneuvered the boat and started to motor back while Claude and Mariska hung on to the rod with all their strength! We did not want to loose the rod or the line or our new purple Repalla!
At the end of the line was a Manta rey. Huge, with a wingspan of about 3 meters and heavy! We think the Manta floated just under the surface of the water and it got hooked on the Repalla as we sailed past. This was going to take hours! and it did. We reeled in, it took off, we lost all the line again, we reeled in,lost it...at last we had the Manta close to the boat and then started to worry about how to get the Repalla loose. The rey was way too big to even try and get it onto the boat and although tired, it was still alive. And then nature took it course. The line touched the stanchion and with a loud crack the line snapped and off the rey went..into the deep water. We lost the Repalla off course, but at least not the rod and line!and the rey did not die.
The approach to the anchorage at San Cristobal was easy. Huge swells and breakers had us gawking and Claude was in his element when he saw beautiful lefts! El Canon is a famous surf spot and we have seen photos of the break when the swells are running and it is awesome.
As soon as we had anchored, the local yellow water taxis started to approach and "inform" us. One had diesel and water to offer, the other a guided tour to the volcanoes, the other does laundry...on and on and on, them being very friendly and very entrepreneurial!
And then we saw them! Sea lions.
They were everywhere and on everything! Lying on dinghys, sprawled on the back steps of boats.....i guess you know what's coming?
We decided there and then, not to lower our cute little dinghy in the water...one of those fat sea lions will just squash our little dinghy, and we could use the water taxis to get to the shore in the morning.
I hung towels over the stanchions and lifelines at the back steps in case a sea lion should decide to "board" us...i thought that would be a deterrent.
And we tied Amigo in the cockpit, we were looking forward to a looong, restful sleep and with him running forward and back across the deck, his nails making scraping noises, that would not be possible.
I woke up this morning, it was still dark, with the sound of grunts and groans around the boat. I got up and saw Amigo staring absolutely stupefied at the back of the boat....and there they were! Two sea lions on our back steps, staring friendly and inquisitive at our hairy pooch, blinking their black eyes, twitching their noses....Mitzi,our cat was perched on the surf boards,her back round,ears flat, staring back at them....and so was i. Ok, not on the surf boards, the staring part i mean! I was at a loss of what to do. Scared, absolutely amazed,astounded...all of those and I could not believe it! I grabbed the video camera, i thought i just have to shoot it,capture the moment to believe it! A sea lion looked at me, very "friendly", i hope.....and proceeded to come up! First the one fin, then smoothly the big shiny glossy body...i grabbed the broom, not really wanting to appear unfriendly but definately not wanting a sea lion traipsing all over our boat! I guess it was stale mate. He stared at me, sniffed at the broom. He was not retreating, but at least not moving forward. Amigo stood frozen( he could not even bark) and the cat was in a not better condition! It was hilarious.
I went down and woke the girls and just told them to come and see! Rochelle stood and stared, still sleeping...until the brain told the eyes what she was seeing. Her eyes widened, there was a visible start through her body...and i just had to suppress the nervous, histerical laughter that was threatening!
The sea lion's appetite broke the spell, he slid off into the water, i guess to catch his breakfast....but only to be back a few minutes later!
Amigo has been sitting at the top of the back step like Noah's wife, for the last hour. Frozen,not moving...staring at the back steps, waiting for them to come onboard..which they do all the time! Me? Well, i am at least not staring at the back step all the time, i am staring at the computer screen,typing this letter, but (just so you don't think i am a woozie!)keeping an ever watchful eye on the back steps. I do not know how we will be able to leave the boat...we might come back and find a whole big colony all over Prrr!
They are cute with their whiskers and big eyes and little ears...well, the smallish ones that we have seen on our back steps. The biiiiigggg ones....well, i just don't know if we will find them very cute and adorable on our boat... i think the friendly relationship will turn very quickly hostile!
And Claude is still in dreamland amongst all this excitement!
Lots to see and to do still, we have to clear in and see if they have internet here. We can go to one of the volcanoes. The volcanoes are relatively active on these islands, the last eruption was recorded in 1988! Lots of beaches where we will see marine iguanas and turtles and off course Claude wants to surf! There is snorkeling to do,lots of fish around here. We could go to la Loberia, the sea lion colony( if we want to see even more sea lions)
There is the old village, el Progreso ,where the Norwegians used to live when they tried to start the fishing and canning industry.
So, let the day begin...and we will update you later!
The girls and I are in Golfito, Costa Rica. We came here to get an exit stamp in our passports, will be heading back to the Perlas Archipelago, Panama soon.
Ronel & the girls. 
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