24th September - Galapagos - Floreana Island

Friday 24^th September

So exciting waking up to the view of the next island (Floreana). Breakfast was a full-on feast of fresh fruit juice, fruit, scrambled eggs, set the tone for three full meals a day that wasn’t really balanced by all the walking and swimming later! Wonderful crew of 8 who all swapped between sailoring and waitering, even the Capitan, who at one moment would be navigating the ship in his white uniform, and the next would be ready in his wetsuit for the next snorkelling outing. The boat, built in 1895, was all polished wood, just how I had hoped it would be. We were constantly accompanied by Pelicans and huge Frigate (both ‘Magnificent’ and grey) birds, and at night would be visited by friendly sea lions playing alongside, and giant turtles lazily coming up for air and swimming alongside. Our fellow passengers were French, Belgium, German and American, which didn’t help my attempts at Spanish – I still haven’t much beyond ordering food and drink, and greetings. The Belgiques are travelling for a year, with their young family (4 up to ten, including twins of 8 or 9 years). The youngest, Martin, is a little fireball of energy and noise, but totally gorgeous and entertaining. Terrifying too, absolutely no sense of fear and would jump and climb on anything, including the side of the ship, edges of craters, etc. We snorkelled from the beach, around the rocks. I quickly got cold and had to come out, but even so, was swimming with turtles, sea lions, baby sharks, shoals of silvery fish and countless bright yellow and blue fish. Wonderful. Back on board for a huge and delicious lunch, and taken out by ‘Panga’ (inflatable boat) to the Devil’s crown, an outcrop of rocks divided in two. Wore a wetsuit this time, and was guided by the patient Capitan. I find it quite scary when the water is rough, and worry about leaking mask, water in the breathing tube, jelly fish (there are none here), sharks (too small to bite us. So much abundance in incredibly clear water, I have not seen anything since diving in the Great Barrier Reef. Back on board, hot shower and out for a ‘wet landing’ on a white sandy beach.

Walked up to the famous postbox where pirates used to leave letters in the hope they were picked up by a sailor who was sailing to the address on the letter. We went through the postcards left there, picking out some locally addressed ones which we will deliver on our return, and optimistically left some of our own for the next travellers. Then on to a lava tunnel. The guide had suggested we bring torches, but it quickly became obvious these were absolutely essential. We climbed down precarious ladders and over rocks down a steep slope, and walked for half a kilometre underground in pitch black. I was grateful for my tiny torch… Towards the end we started to wade in water that eventually became thigh-high, climbed through an arch left by a rockfall, and then simply turned back. Quite awe-inspiring – the tunnels were as big as a vaulted church, and there was just enough risk and fear to make the whole thing really exciting. Gratefully back in the sunlight, we walked back to beach to be taken by Panga back to the Angelique for dinner and a beer before collapsing into bed at 8pm (!) and sleeping a good 9 hours. Wonderful.

As for Patrick? Far from being the land-lubber he professed to be, Patrick seems to be hopping in and out of Panga’s like an old hand, and enjoying the seaborne experience as much as me, which is brilliant. He does not swim (or float, actually…), but seems happy enough to sit and read and relax while I’m battling with the waves. I think we are both also enjoying the company on the boat – I don’t suppose we would ever seek out any of the fellow passengers, but in the main they are interesting, intelligent and curious, and we have had some good conversations and laughter.