Cruising tour of the Galapagos. TONS of photos!

Onboard Anahi

Blog 3.17 Sun

ABOARD "ANAHI" Day 1

After these weeks aboard Quester in the humidity and heat we were looking forward to our 4-night, 5-day cruise aboard our Galapagos tour boat Anahi. The website information looked great and we had read some positive reviews but we we anxious to see for ourselves. A cab whisked us the 20 miles or so through the highlands of Santa Cruz north to the ferry which takes you across a small channel separating SC from Baltra where the airport is. Baltra was a WW2 Army/Navy base built to defend the Canal from the Japanese. There is evidence of many foundations left behind. The Current airport was a madhouse because it is small and there are so many tourists coming and going. But right next door is a new modern and much larger airport that is in the process of being opened.

We met Anahi's (pronounced Anna-Hee') representative in the arrivals area and joined our new friends who are from Belgum, Germany and Russia. We are the only Americans. 15 guests in all boarded a small bus and were taken a mile to the harbor where Anahi awaited. Everyone speaks good english except the Russians who speak a little bit. We boarded the two pangas (dinghies) from Anahi. Each carries eight passengers in comfort. Our luggage was transported separately by the crew.

Once aboard we all gathered in the lounge of the surprisingly spacious main deck and met Roberto, our official Equadorian guide for the trip. He used to teach science in Quito but says he was ready to take a breather from the crazy kids when he was offered a guide position. After months of formal training on the Galapagos he was qualified to become a professional guide. Every visitor to the Galapagos National Park who wishes to visit the remote areas needs to do so with a licensed guide. He speaks excellent English and has a great sense of humor and an impressive knowledge about the geology, flora and fauna of these islands.

Our names were called as we were assigned and escorted to our cabins.
Jan and I were the last assigned and we were delighted to find ourselves in one of the two king bedded suites on the second level above the bridge with big windows to starboard and forward. And WONDERFUL, QUIET AIR CONDITIONING!!!! Which actually felt too cold to us so we turned the temperature up to 25c or about 74 degrees. The dry air feels wonderful and it is a luxury to not feel sticky!

Anahi left immediately for a 30 minute trip across protected waters to the north shore of Santa Cruz where we put on our swim suits and went ashore with fins and goggles for a short walk to a lagoon behind the beach dunes where we saw seven rare pink flamingos. We had to be careful to walk near the water so we wouldn't disturb the hundreds of crater-type nests of the giant tortoises who are actively coming ashore at this time of year to lay their eggs on the dunes. After our walk we snorkeled off the beautiful beach around some rocks and saw many colorful fish and baby black-tipped reef sharks. Jan even swam with a giant turtle! BOB (back on boat) we gathered around the 2nd level bar and had a formal welcome from the captain and surprisingly large crew and toasted with a coconut drink to a safe voyage. This was followed by a lovely dinner (which someone else prepared and cleaned up!!) and the AC of our cabin. We were in bed by 8:30 and the boat left around midnight for our next stop Isla Genovesa.

ANAHI Day 2

After the boat headed north toward our next destination, Genovese, we had a wonderful sleep in the calm conditions west of Baltra. But an hour and a half later we were out on the open sea and the boat started rocking and rolling in the swells. The doors and drawers in our cabin started banging and it took several trips around to get clothes or towels wedged appropriately to stop the noise. After an hour of rock and roll, it became just roll and we were able to sleep until the boat anchored in the Darwin Bay crater at six am.

After a delicious breakfast we panga'd ashore and Roberto walked around on the strictly controlled path where we were able to get up very close to herons, boobies, gulls, frigates, Sally LIghtfoot crabs, sea lions and land and sea iguanas. Really breathtaking to see the wide variety of wildlife and learn first-hand just how tame it is. The animals just have no fear of humans.

We took a short swim to cool off before BOB and lunch. Jan and I took a kayak tour of the east side of the crater, hugging the sheer cliffs and watching the wildlife from our little boat. Then we panga'd to a drop-off ledge on the SE shore where a narrow, steep staircase took us up through the cliff to the level plateau which was formed a million years ago by an uplift in the earth's crust. The whole group walked the 6' wide, carefully delineated trails for about three miles in the middle of thousands of sea birds nesting, loving or taking care of their babies. We also saw many iguanas and a rare Galapagos owl.

Fairly soon after we retired from a wonderful dinner the boat left the crater and Genovesa and headed toward the eastern shore of Santa Cruz.

ANAHI Day 3

I have been following our ship's path on iNavx GPS chart navigation on my iPhone, to which I downloaded all the islands of our trip prior to leaving home. As we left Genovesa I could see that we would be at our next destination by about 2:30am and that the capitan was on course. Comforting to know that we would have four quiet hours of sleep after the engines stopped. But we also got some sleep underway as the rolling was not too bad.

LAS PLASAS We awoke at 6:30 with Anahi anchored between the two small Islas Plaza on the east coast of Santa Cruz. Our morning activity was a fascinating walk around the southern island which has many large land iguanas which seem quite friendly with the little lizards around them. There is a very tall cactus tree which grows here and can get as old as 60 years. Its trunk has many downward facing thorns when it is young to ward off predators but it looses those as it gets older and needs the iguanas to climb up to eat the fruit and carry the seeds away for regeneration. The island also is home to the usual compliment of red and blue footed boobies, sea lions, frigate birds, gulls, mocking birds, etc. It really is remarkable how abundant and varied the wildlife is on these islands!

SANTE FE The boat left the Plaza islands at 10 and we were at a small cove on the northeast shore of Santa Fe by noon after a rocky rolly passage. We had passed by the south side of Sante Fe on Quester's move from San Cristobol to Sante Cruz. After lunch we snorkeled around this little bay with sea lions frolicking around us and we saw an amazing array of tropical fish small to large in size. Also there was a sting ray and a large tortoise. It was great to be in the warm water of the bay, but the water got much cooler as we swam past a place where the surf was breaking into the bay. This time of year, the wet season, the Galapagos are under the influence of the warm currents coming from Panama and the water is about 80 degrees. During the dry season, April - December, the Humbold current dominates with cold water coming up from Chile averaging around 67 degrees. We prefer the warm water!

Following a quick shower we headed ashore to two beaches COVERED with sea lions. They seem to come ashore to sleep on the sand, but there is so much movement and sound I don't think any of them sleep!! They're always squirming around, rolling over, playing pressy-bod with other sea lions. Some moms are nursing their babies. Some babies are frolicking together. They take no notice of our presence. Some pretend to sleep but with all the commotion I don't think any sleep happens! On this walk we also saw more of the enormous 3' land iguanas and the cactus tree which grows to 20' . One thing we appreciate about our guide is his knowledge of the flora and fauna of each island, how they differ and most importantly, why. He was a biology teacher at the University in Ecuador, and we are blessed to be recipients of his knowledge. He also has a great sense of humor, so that's fun as well.

ANAHI Day 4

PUNTA PITT Overnight we traveled seven hours to the eastern edge of San Cristobol to a shallow harbor at Punta Pitt. This stop was more to see the spectacular geology and landscape than for animal and plant life. At 3.3 million years old Cristobol is one of the oldest islands in the chain. This giant volcano had been weathered over the years to form jagged slopes with a dry river bed which formed a great trail up which we climbed about 300' to a spectacular overlook. We could see east and southeast over the Pacific (which has always been very calm during our stay here) and also down to the cove where Anahi was anchored. Spectacular! And amazing to see how much erosion has taken place over the years. We had a lively beach landing in the pangas with a few waves breaking over the bow. But after a short swim we didn't mind getting wet, and we returned to the boat for a 10:30am departure.

KICKER ROCKS (Roca Peatadora) By noon we were approaching a striking rock formation on the northwest shore of San Cristobol as we had lunch. We slowly circled the rocks and saw the large vertical split rising about 250' between the rocks, and also a smaller one. After grabbing our wetsuits (the Humbolt current prevails here) and snorkeling gear we jumped off the panga on the windward side of the big cut and drifted through it with the current, seeing many medium size Galapagos sharks, sea turtles, rays and lots of tropical fish. Fabulous experience. Anahi departed as we were climbing back aboard and headed to...

LOS LOBOS is a small island just west of our destination for the day, Bahia Baquerizo Morena, where we had anchored Quester for three nights several weeks ago. Ashore on Los Lobos we were treated to blue footed boobies and land iguanas close up along with the usual sea lions, sally lightfoot crabs and many other bird species. In the water Roberto spotted a slim snake about 18" long which he said he had only seen once before in his 18 or so years of guiding. He was very excited and nervous because the snake is so poisonous that you will die within three minutes if bitten. We stayed in the panga but got good pics.

ANAHI Day 5

BACK TO SANTA CRUZ After a final night aboard Anahi in our king sized air-conditioned suite Jan and I packed up our bags, tipped and thanked Roberto and the crew and headed for the 7:30am Fast Ferry back to Santa Cruz. We arrived here at 9:10 and had time to face time with Andy and Megan and spouses and grandsons, get caught up on e-mail, check the meager weather (wind) forecast, grab some lunch at the Oyster HQ hotel Solymar, and now we will send this last blog post and pics to Andy before boarding Quester and heading for the Marquesas, 3,090 miles to our WSW as the crow flies. But with no wind along the Intertropical Convergence Zone (Doldrums) we will have to head SSW for about 600 miles to get to around 8 degree south latitude before feeling the steady trade winds from S. America.

We treasure your comments, prayers and good wishes, and look forward to checking in around April 9 - 13 from Nuku Hiva, Marquesas, French Polynesia. We can't believe we're actually here and ready to sail this long-anticipated passage.