Our trip from mainland Ecuador to the Galapagos islands was beset by little wind, and we had to motor for 2½ days of the 5 that we were at sea to cover the 600 miles to these remote, amazing islands. Yachts are generally not encouraged to stay and are usually only granted permission to stay 10 days or so on one island only. Having hired an agent through whom we arranged a cruising permit we enjoy more freedom and have visited the three main islands. San Cristobal, our first island, had a beautiful calm anchorage with hundreds of sea-lions swimming around, and lounging around on the decks of the local fishing boats. On this island we took a tour to see some of the famous Galapagos tortoises in a nature reserve and some marine iguanas on a local beach. We also took a boat trip to the west side of the island where, whilst diving and snorkelling we swam with sharks and rays, and later swam with a huge turtle and a very playful and inquisitive group of sea-lions who would swim right up to you, blow a jet of bubbles and race off!
Date(s): April and May 2007. Album by Gerard Coulson. Photos by Gerard Coulson. 1 - 95 of 95 Total. 21420 Visits.
1 Uncomfortably diagnosing a failing water pump on the engine
2 Overlooking San Cristobal Anchorage in the Galapagos
3 Blackberry Picking!
4 Galapagos 1 04
5 Our first Galapagos tortoise
6 Galapagos 1 06
7 They are not small!
8 Cooling off
9 Galapagos 1 09
10 The kids in our 'taxi'
11 On the side of an old volcano
12 Frigate birds take a dip and clean their wings
13 Galapagos 1 13
14 Beccy
15 Galapagos 1 15
16 Dad with kids
17 On tour!
18 These chaps have stopped their lorry to pick oranges!
19 A lava lizard
20 Marine Iguanas
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24 Galapagos 1 24
25 Sealions swimming alongside Clarabella
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27 On Playo Mann beach with the sealions
28 Playing on some of the islands WWII defences
29 Galapagos 1 29
30 With Charles Darwin!
31 Galapagos 1 31
32 The entrance to San Cristobal
33 The anchorage
34 Male Frigate birds in mating plumage
35 Galapagos 1 35
36 We go to Leon Dormido for a day of snorkelling and diving
37 Galapagos 1 37
38 Galapagos 1 38
39 Leon Dormido
40 We dive in this gap with sharks, rays and turtles
41 Galapagos 1 41
42 Getting ready
43 One giant leap...
44 All OK
45 I don't want to wear this!
46 Happier now!
47 Galapagos 1 47
48 Frigate bird in flight
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54 This sealion was taunting the birds with the fish in his mouth
55 M on the dinghy dock
56 The kids looking at the locals
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58 Youngsters all round
59 We have a visitor
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62 She's quite relaxed!
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64 Galapagos 1 65
65 Beccy looks on
66 Playo Mann
67 The town of San Cristobal
68 Looking astern to Myrdinn
69 En route to Santa Cruz the mist comes down
70 This chap is a wild tortoise
71 Totally unconcerned by the boys
72 Galapagos 1 73
73 Galapagos 1 74
74 He makes short work of a Guava fruit
75 Darwin Finch
76 Biggy!
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79 This big old chap is over 120 years old
80 Into the lava tunnels
81 and coming out again!
82 Galapagos 1 83
83 Relief all round!
84 A Scalcia tree, found only in the Galapagos
85 A colourful cricket
86 A marine iguana swims across the anchorage on Santa Cruz
