The crossing begins

We are now 16 hours into our trip and are very happy to still have a good wind. The first two days out of Galapagos is normally a motor to the wind further south. We have been doing about 6,8 knots helped by a 1 knot current. The sea is a little bumpy as we are working our way south to stay in the wind. We will change course to a more Westerly course in about 12 hours time, if the wind holds.

Everyone is fine on board and we are settling into the sailing routine again. We had a colourful sunset, but no green flash. 

Current position is 1deg 34,57'S and 92deg 16,74'W COG 245deg

Que de superlatifs pour cette ile

Notre sejour aux Galapagos touche a sa fin. Nous pensons reprendre la mer demain pour les Marquises (si la houle se calme un peu). Nous avons encore eu une journee magnifique hier. Nous sommes retournes tres tot a Las Tintoreras pour reprendre quelques photos avec la lumiere du soleil levant. Des centaines d’iguanes etaient la pour nous souhaiter une bonne journee. Les otaries se reveillaient et les oiseaux faisaient leur toilette. L’apres midi sous un chaud soleil, nous avons emprunte l’unique route d’Isabela pour decouvrir le “mur des larmes” (enorme mur, au milieu de nul part, construit en 1946 par des prisonniers Equatoriens), se plonger dans une vue panoramique a couper le souffle, explorer un tunnel de lave et profiter d’une plage sauvage ou les iguanas font la course vers la mer et ou les enfants depensent leur energie joyeusement.

Aujourd’hui, nous devrions degourdir nos jambers avec une nouvelle petite ballade, s’ebrouer dans les bonnes vagues et commencer  a preparer le bateau pour nos trois semaines de traversee vers la Polynesie.

Is this paradise?

Some news again after few full days in Isabela, the last islands we can visit in the Galapagos.

We are in Puerto Villamil since Saturday (0deg 57.94S – 90deg 57.81W). This arrival was not the easiest as the anchoring bay is surrounded by sharp reef and bounded by volcanic islets, sailing and fishing boats. Having left late from Santa Cruz we had to navigate in the night with the spot light but we managed to find a spot to drop the anchor.

On Sunday, we had an Easter egg hunt on the beach which other kids boats. Happy and smiley Clea, Victor and Felix found lots of them, with more or less sand, more or less melted, but still with a delicious taste. Chocolate stays a very special treat here.

Monday was a relax day, enjoying the clear blue water, swimming with penguins and sea lions. We walked in Las Tintoreas. This is a typical volcanic landscape where lots of black rocks with amazing shapes and nearly no vegetation make you feel you are on another planet. The marine iguanas can hide very well in the environment but we found lots of them, sun tanning or swimming. Felix became friend with a baby seal which came to sniff him really close.

Tuesday was a really special day as we went on a panga ride. The pangas are the local, thin and long boats. We went to Los Tuneles, another unbelievable volcanic landscape but half immerged by the sea. Imagine black twisted lava rocks, sticking out the turquoise sea, with more iguanas and endemic birds like pelicans or the famous blue footed boobies. We elected these blue footed boobies our favorite bird: they are SOOOO beautiful with their thin and dark beak, gracious face and flashy ice-blue feet. We also went for a snorkel in this incredible landscape and saw some hammer head sharks, white tipped reef sharks, sea horses, octopus and a huge old turtle. We ended up the day playing with some of our toys: went for a kayak discovery, the boys sailed Miaou (our sailing dinghy since Greg finished the rigging in Panama). Is this Paradise? It looks like!

Greg went diving this morning. He would have came back disappointed if he hasn’t seen a huge Manta Ray (4m wide) at the end of the dive. We still would like to discover more or this extraordinary and magnificent island. So our next few days should be busy.

More iguanas and beautiful landscapes

We went back to the Charles Darwin Foundation (CDF) to say Hi again to the giant tortoises, especialy Lonesome George, who is looking desperatly for a mate (otherwise it is the exctinction of this species). We saw the land iguanas which are as great as the marine iguanas.

Emmanuelle did a jellyfish presentation in front of some of her peers at the CDF, which was a good experience (after all these year out of practice).

Today, we left early (7:30am) to try to escape the hot sun as we had a longish walk to do. We went to discover the magnificent beach of Bahia Tortuga. The marine iguanas were crossing the beach to go for a swim, the oister catchers were racing behind them. We also saw some turtle nests, and had a swim in the lagoon behind the beach.

Still amazing views of wild life and landscapes. We are enjoying our stay in the Galapagos. We should move to our last island tomorow, Isabela (where Internet will be more difficult to find as it is mor eremote).

More photos posted in the Gallery

Santa Cruz et ses tortues

Nous avons change d’ile hier. Apres une nouvelle journee sans vent, nous sommes arrives a Santa Crux, notre 2eme ile des Galapagos. Le mouillage est plein de bateaux en tout genre. La baie etant tres exposee, la houle rentre et les bateaux roulent.

Nous avons marche sous un chaud soleil jusqu’a la « Chales Darwin Foundation » ce matin pour y decouvrir leur programme de sauvegarde des tortues de terre geantes. Premier contact aussi pris avec la Fondation, ou je fais une presentation sur les meduses demain matin.

Santa Cruz est bien plus touristique, il y a de tres nombreux magasins de souvenirs,  quelques boutiques tres chiques (dont une boutique d’art magnifique aux prix exhorbitants) et l’atmosphere est plus tournee vers les affaires.

Greg est a toujours a terre, a la recherche d’un nouveau dentiste. Une grosse rage de dent l’empeche depuis 2 jours de manger de ce cote. Mieux vaut maintenant que lors de notre grande traversee a venir.