Galapagos – Sailing with Saphir

Galápagos Islands Part 1 San Cristóbal

We arrived early in the morning to San Cristóbal and just before we where going to anchor the sky literally opened up. Luckily I have a really good yellow raincoat to keep me dry. After three tries we are anchored and have put up our presening to keep the rain out from the cockpit. Time for some breakfast and some sleep.

Due to the restrictions we had to stay on the boat until the boat had been cleared in and checked the hull by a diver and inside by 10 different people from different authorities for anything we are not allowed to bring with us from others countries. We was told that our frozen meat was going to be sealed but they didn’t do that although some other boats got their meat sealed Lots of paperwork. The immigration lady had left when they arrived to our boat at 17 so we will do that the next morning . Now we are good to go a shore.

We can’t use our own dinghy due to all the sea lions so we have to rely on taxi boats. There are sea lions all over this city mostly of course on the rocks and beaches but some of them also goes up in to the town. There was also a few lizards in town and we was told that it is their breeding season so they come up and lay there eggs on land.

We went diving around the kicker rock . It was great. We saw lots of hamar sharks, black tip sharks, some turtles, one mantra and lots of other small fishes. Need to get a book to know little more about all these fishes we see.

Every evening there was happy hour at the hotel where the Arc crew was stationed and most of us went there to meet up before dinner. Lots off different restaurants here to choose from so no eating in the boat for us. I am happy since I get a lot of fish to eat. Haven’t been much of that in the boat. No luck in fishing . We take taxi boat in and out and also when we fill up the diesel they come out with it in a boat

The Arc had a half day trip booked for us to see part of the island. We went to a turtle nursery? The land turtles was getting less due to humans. Know the amount is growing again and the inhabitants are involved in keeping the turtles safe.

We also went to a very lovely beach on the other side of the island. There was some sea lions around the rocks sleeping and if we would have stayed until five we might have seen sharks. Lots of salamanders also and this one was not afraid he just looked at me. There was this little creature p

Next stop was a crater filled with water and a fantastic view. It was very high up, many steps and so wort it. Sadly Edgars knee was not good so he missed it.

Walking around in SanCristobal you see a lot off different houses and styles. Some are still under construction and at the same time the finished part is already rented out and opened up businesses in and living in.

The last evening on San Cristóbal Christian on Hoka hey organised a dinner for al of us at The Pier. Almost everyone came so at the end we where around 70 people. We had a great evening with all our friends.

When it rains it rains heavy so it makes sense to have the big drains system in the streets. Can’t have inlay without a sun set or two

Hugs Eva

Galapagos part 2 visiting Isabela

We set sail just before sunset and head towards the largest island in Galapagos although it is only populated in the south East corner . Our instrument is not with us…. No wind, depth or speed again… grrr. Hope we can (Edgar) can figure out the problem soon. It is very nice to know where the wind is coming from ( yes you can see it )and the strength and also when we arrive to an anchor place it is much easier if we know the depth under us and not only rely on what the plotter/map is saying.

It was a calm night sailing or motor sailing is more correct. Not much wind after the first 2 hours so the iron genua had to work. We arrived early morning to Isabela. Lots of Arc boats was already there. After we had anchored we had some breakfast and then both of us needed some sleep. Before exploring the island.

Once again we had to rely on taxi boats since we was not allowed to use our dinghy due to our 2 stroke engine. Here there was less taxiboats and double price (2$/per person) compared to San Cristóbal. Glad we are only two of us and not 7 as on Blue Sunshine. Although they can and are using their dinghy. Luckily for us it would show a bit later in the afternoon.. We went in later in the afternoon to look around and to get something to eat. It is carneval time so it was a big celebration going on on the beach with food tent, loud music, beach volleyball game and lots of people enjoying them self. In the middle of this it started to rain and we tried to find a place to have food. Lots of places was closed and just when we found one place the phone rang. It was Annie on Maroro. Our boat had made a huge turn in the water when the wind blew up and hit the big yellow buoy. When we came back to our boat Clas from BlueSunshine was onboard and keeping her not to hit the buoy again. It was a bit caiotic as it was raining heavily also and some other boats had changed the anchor place since the drifted. We moved us far out to be safe and stayed on the boat rest of the evening and played rumikub.

This is how it looked the day after the rain in town

The next days we explored the island together with Petra, Michel and Fluer from Pippin. We saw some Flamingos, the Turtel Center where they help to bread up the turtles and but them back out to the wild when they are around five years old , we rented bikes and biked to the wall of tears. On the way out there we saw many turtles in the wild and at the wall of tears in the rain we meet a lonely turtle walking along the wall. This wall was built by prisoner during the years between 1945- 1959 for no purpose and the cost many lives.

Not as many seal lions here as in SanCristobal but much more leguans. These are the black leguans. They where everywhere hanging around or swimming .

The last evening on Isabela we had a sundowner together with Petra,Michael, Fleur and Britta,Thomas and Ann(Cepa) at the beach. Our great funny waiter taking photos . To the drinks we was served popcorn and roasted bananas. Very nice.

Hugs Eva

Galapagos Part3 Santa Cruz

Early morning we left Isabela and steered to Santa Cruz. Not much wind (so the iron genua had to work)and a quiet sea and sun fog? dis? We have Pippin behind us and Pec ahead of us whom we passed later. There was some small island north of Isabela and one of them looked like a turtle

Most of the times when you see land after been sailing a day or more it feels like you are not getting closer and that it take so long time to reach the harbour. It felt like that this time as well. Finally we have the anchor in the water and head in to town to meet the other from the fleet.This time our meeting point was a bar/restaurant. Really nice food . Had lunch there few times.

We was warned that it can be rolling a bit so a stern anchor cold be good to have. We didn’t do that since nobody else did. After a few nights we moved the boat and it made a ugh difference. We actually felt almost sea-sick on the boat and it was hard to anything when you was thrown around on the boat. Always needed one hand holding on when you moved on the boat as if we was sailing.. Here is a movie from one of the nights.

Edgars knees was very swollen and heart when he walks so I took a day walking around the area. It was very nice to have land under my feet and not being on this rolling boat. I ended up walking 18 215 steps. Passed some different houses, a dis market where the seals, iguanas and birds was begging for some fish. I saw this lovely arch made of mosaic. I walked in and saw the fantastic wall and the lovely chair. Time to save the broken plates,cup ect to a further project…. Here they also have a a turtle breeding( didn’t visit that one)a Charles Darwin institute, where you can read about his work on the island. I walked down to the beach that we could see from the boat. It was next to the Darwin institute. It was low tide so the lava rock was shown a lot. Had a lovely swim there later with the crew from Solana V.

On our wedding anniversary we went out for dinner only the two of us. They have the same sushi restaurant here as in San Cristóbal that we really liked. Next to the restaurant we had a live music. According to our waiter this was the most famous band on the island. It was very nice to have live music and extra great that they where really good.

We had sundowners every evening together with the rest of the fleet before going out to dinner. They organised one men /ladies evening which was very nice. For the price giving evening I help Sara of Sweden to decorate a jacket that is a honouring prices moving around the fleet. I had a sewing lesson with Alex and Inez and I finished it up with the two Swedish flag in the end

Doing the last shopping at the market, some washing. At the pier we saw lots of white tip and black tip sharks and also very small mantra. Even the sea lions was here but not that many. They did have a bigger pier for all the taxi boats here and they operated more frequently, so it was easy to go back and forward to the boat.