However you get to Quito, Ecuador, let's hope it isn't as long and circuitous as my method, i.e. Cork-London-Amsterdam-Bonaire-Guayaquil-Quito. After 2 days in Quito, our group of 15 returned to Quito Airport to complete the final 600 miles to our destination: Baltra, where we embarked on our vessel.
When we boarded our 2 masted, 8 cabin schooner, the 'Cachalote', our guide, Mauricio Garcia, explained to us what we were to expect and what was expected of us - most importantly, never to touch any of the wildlife we were about to view. Our double rooms were tiny, with bunk beds. The toilets had small pipes like Greek ones meaning used toilet paper had to be placed in a basket. Water was desalinated and drinkable; however, it had to be spared so showers meant turning the water off while lathering. We had a 6 man crew to see ensure the voyage went smoothly, which it did.
The food was plentiful and excellent, e.g., fresh fish, chicken, avocado, shrimp, eggplant, Galapagos beef, papaya, white and yellow pineapple, all kinds of wonderful vegetarian concoctions. Holding it down was a problem, however, for some of the passengers.
The passengers were all seasoned travellers, mostly British. Ages ranged from 30's to 70's; the oldest being a 72 year old lady who, like the rest, was fit both mentally and physically. No one on board slowed the group down or misbehaved in any way.
The islands of the Galapagos are amazingly maintained. The laws regarding tourism are strict, e.g., hotels can be rebuilt; however, they must not exceed the original room capacity - only ships may enter harbours if they replace an outgoing vessel of the same passenger capacity - no more than 100,000 visitors may come to these islands per year. This all contributed to the feeling, when we visited each island, that we were pretty much alone in our small party.
Every day involved a visit to new island because the Cachalote sailed during the night. We would go ashore in the morning and afternoon, sometimes on different islands the same day - these walks were not just eye-popping 'look-at-that' excursions; they were extremely informative lectures, as well. Often we snorkeled after each walk, mostly from the dingy. One day, we used kayaks to explore the Mangroves.
My initial reason for visiting the Galapagos was to see the wildlife on land which was more than I ever dreamed
e.g., Sea lions, Fur Seals, Marine and Land Iguanas, Shore Birds, Flightless Cormorants, Stilts, Martins, Flamingoes, Blue and Nasca Boobies, Waved Albatross, Hood Mockingbirds, Finches, Galapagos Hawks, American Oystercatchers, Pelicans, Penguins, and Giant Tortoises. BUT, I discovered most of the wildlife resided beneath the sea, e.g., Sea Turtles, 'White Tipped' Sharks, 'Black Tipped' Sharks, Blenny, 'Loosetooth' and 'Blue-Chin' Parrot Fish, Damsel Fish, King Angel Fish, 'Raccoon' and 'Threadfin' Butterfly Fish, Reef Cornet Fish, Streamer Hog Fish, Rainbow Wrasse, Graybar Grunt, Creole Fish, Hieroglyphic Hawk Fish, Spotted Porcupine Fish, Diamond Head Stingrays, Spotted Eagle Rays, Flag Cabrilla and Golden Stingrays.
It was undoubtably the most wonderful time of my entire life swimming with Penguins, Sea Turtles, and Iguanas (I did not enjoy being close to the 2 most aggressive Sharks in the world, however); and, the Sea Lion has to be my favourite creature of the sea (Raccoons for land). Everyday, I'd be snorkeling and a cheeky Sea Lion would suddenly swoop into view out of nowhere, twisting and turning about me, eyeballing me all the time with those huge, dark, liquid expressive eyes. Then, it would head straight at my mask at great speed and veer upwards just at a millimetre's distance from my face. When they would swim alongside me exposing their underbellies, it took such restraint not to stroke them. Yes, I fell in love with Sea Lions in a big way. As I told our guide, the Galapagos really tugs at my heart strings and will forever.
