Throughout South America when visiting the toilet facilities it is the practice to put your waste paper in a bin at the side and not down the toilet. This practice also continues on board your boat and we've all gotten used to the procedure, even Geoff.
Heading to our final destination that of Santa Cruz Island I decided to take a shower. Our cabin was not that big as you can see and our en suite facilities even smaller. The sea was slightly rough but I thought nothing of it. Geoff was asleep so in I went and pulled the shower curtain across and got soaped up. Next minute the boat lurched violently, a freak wave sent me sideways with such force I put my hand out to steady myself but managed only a handful of shower curtain which I proceeded to take with me on my new trip. Now flying horizontal, naked, wet through, shower curtain in tow I flew between the wall and the sink and the wall and the toilet and proceeded to head butt the opposite wall. Totally stunned and jammed against the toilet I thought I'd done myself serious harm. Eyes still shut I heard Geoff's dulset tones " you alright pal?" Infact I thought he'd brought the smelling salts to bring me round until I realised I'd knocked the lid off the toilet waste which was directly under my nose, what a blooming stink. It certainly brought me round quick. Once Geoff realised I was none the worse for wear it all became very amusing.
Moving on, Santa Cruz is the archipelagos centre and main tourist hub and is a conical island which supports all of the Galapagos's vegetation zones. It's proximity to the airport makes it the most heavily populated island in the Galapagos, and the location of the Charles Darwin Research Station, our next visit before flying back to the mainland. It's an amazing science and conservation facility and we visit the giant tortoise pens, all divided up into age groups. After four to six years they are deemed to be of an uneatable size and repatriated to their various islands. The boardwalks take you through the pens of the giant tortoises which are incredible. The most famous resident, Lonesome George, last surviving member of the Pinta island subspecies sadly died 24th June 2012 aged 79 yrs. We have an interesting tour around this centre and then sadly catch a taxi to the ferry port to take us over to Isla Baltra, the dream is over all too soon, but what an amazing experience. If you have any interest whatsoever in wildlife, bird life or sea life this is the ultimate destination to fulfil your dreams, totally incredible and how I've enjoyed it. Put together by Odyssey Overland who used Happy Gringo as their tour operator I can honestly say it was brilliant. It was value for money for a great boat and crew, superb food and a guide who was knowledgeable and pitched the information just right. Until the next time.......
Adios mes amigos
Tony x
1. Me in my tight quarters
2. Marine iguana
3. Sally Lighfoots, seeing us off at the final docking
4. Map of the Galapagos
5. Signage
6-12. Huge tortoise, some two foot in length.
13. Concho making an appearance.
14. Lonesome George RIP
15. Aerogal, flight back to the mainland, I liked the tail fin details.
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