San Cristobal - Galapagos -16 April 2024
The fuel I had ordered was supposed to be delivered between 7.00am and 8.30 am so I was up early to be prepared. We had breakfast and time slipped by and then the agent told me it would be 10.00am and then 11.30am. It came about 11.45 am in large plastic containers. They had a pipe and a small pump which they connected to a 12-volt battery. It was a primitive way of transferring fuel and I am sure health and safety would have a field day if they saw how we were doing it but at least it meant we had two full tanks. We needed full tanks for our next voyage which is about 3,000 from here to the Marquesas Islands which are part of French Polynesia.
A man is coming to look after the boat when we go on our tourist boat and I showed him round so he knew what to do, as there will be 2 days when we are not on board and Joyce and Charles will be away on their tour. Our boat is called Gran Majestic and these small tourist boats are the best way to go round the islands and have the permission to do this. Mark did not waste time whilst we were waiting and he went through all the provisioning and by 12.15pm once the jobs were done we went ashore. Joyce and Charles had left about 9.00am for their first day of their tour.
Angus, Keith, Mark and I went and had a nice lunch at a fish restaurant on the front on the way to Playa Mann. There were sea lions everywhere and we oblivious to it. They swim round and under the boat regularly and all the time we see fins and shapes in the water. They rest on rocks, steps, benches and pavements and they accept us and we them unless you get too close. They are a little awkward walking and are quite weighty. However, in the water they are so agile doing gymnastics and water aerobatics and always seem to be having so much fun either chasing each other or nibbling each other The other thing you become oblivious to is the noise. There is a lot of honking and baying and sometimes they sound like sheep!.
The Galapagos sea lion is the largest animal in the islands. They rely largely on fish and can be seen anywhere around the islands. They climb on to all the places I mentioned and on to rocks and like sandy beaches. Male or bull sea lions are obviously larger (weighing up to 250kg) have a distinctive bump on the head and have territories which they guard fiercely in especially in the mating season, which is normally June to September, but it can vary between islands. A dominant bull will have a territory of a beach or a bay with a number of cows (female) immature sea lions and pups known as a “harem.” Fights are frequent between rival males and can be quite bloody. The barking of the patrolling male sea lion is an enduring sound in the Galapagos.
Mating normally takes place in the water and gestation is about nine months like humans and pups grow rapidly on their mother’s milk and they start fishing after about five months. They play in the nursery and swim in the shallows and have no fear of humans.
The Galapagos fur seal is not really a seal but a fur sea lion. They are a smaller size and have large prominent eyes and a shorter snout. They fish more in deeper water as they prefer more squid and hunt mainly at night. The mating season is a bit longer and pups are suckled for 2-3 years.
We see both in large numbers here which is great although you have to get used to the smell!!
After lunch Mark and I went to do some shopping and then we met Joyce and Charles who had returned from their tour a little earlier. They had had a great time at the tortoise sanctuary we went yesterday and saw lots of tortoises and they also went up the old volcanic crater although it was a little cloudy. We all returned to Stormbird to shower and put away things.
As it was Angus’s last day – we went out for supper to a restaurant on the south of town which served some good seafood dishes and pizzas. A good time was had by all and Corinne (Mark’s wife) and Ruth (Keith’s wife) fly in.
Opportunity for any Readers/Sailors.
In late May 2024 we shall be in the Marquesas in French Polynesia, and we will then move through to the Tuamotu’s before getting to Tahiti about the end of July 2024. There may be some space on Stormbird during this period should any sailor/reader be interested in joining for this period or part of it in what must be one of the most distant and beautiful places in the world.
In addition, in year two I will be going up the Eastern Australian Coast, Indonesia and probably across the Indian Ocean to Cape Town and I will need some more crew.
If there is any interest do email me at hine.nick9@gmail.com
The blog will continue as we head off to the Galapagos and beyond.
If you have any comments or suggestions about the blog do email me on hine.nick9@gmail.com I can only upload one picture a day and visit our website www.stormbirdgoesglobal.co.uk