Tika’s bows cut through inky, glassy water and a smokey convergence between sea and sky. We were motoring on a windless day between San Cristobel and Santa Cruz, a large, dormant volcano that is the most populated island of the archipelago.
Although the Galapagos Islands are a cruise ship and package-tourist hub, Santa Cruz has more of a hip, backpacker-ish buzz compared to the other island outposts. We found cafes, surf shops and even a few cool, gleaming boutiques in between the copious, tacky tee-shirt and souvenir stalls. A community skate park and play area overlooking the central dock buzzed with local families hanging out in the cool evenings bathed in the glow of stunning, tropical, sunsets.
A main street flanked by restaurants and rickety food shacks with bbq’s out front is transformed in the evenings to a lively street food market. Travellers and locals pile together onto long tables and order cheap drinks, $5 tacos and freshly caught sea food. The boat-kids run amok in the adjacent street playing tag in bare feet.
Tortuga (turtle) Beach was a decent walk from town along a paved path lined with cacti and trees encased with rust-red bark and patterns of deep, black grooves . The beach itself had good surf so we hired boards with a couple of other kid-boat families and had a day playing at wave riding…
Russ, who was trying to get two-up (himself and Jaiya) on a malibu, dislocated his shoulder and I had to to put it back in for him on the beach. He used to put it out all the time so, luckily, I knew exactly what to do but it has been 15 years since his reconstruction and 8 years since his last dislocation so I am a little out of practice! Russ has resolved to revisit his shoulder support/strengthening exercises on the boat…
The marine iguanas are ever present and ever staring- they are so ugly and quirky that they are gorgeous! (if you know what I mean..)
Another island, another tortoise adaptation. Unlike San Cristobel, the local, larger tortoises have domed shells and shorter legs and necks that suit the lush, plant life of Santa Cruz. We encountered them free-roaming amongst shady trees in the inland humid highlands.
Above right; Los Gremelos; two massive sink holes formed by the collapse of a magma chamber were a marvel. The largest of the two was 2300ft deep and 1300ft wide!
Dank, hallowed lava tubes that snaked for many miles underground were also interesting and fun to explore. We could almost smell the hot, liquid rock that once had gushed, flowed and hardened to form this empty network of cavernous channels.
We hired bikes and toured inland for a day. After breathing in the 360 degree vista from the highest point on the island we relished the best part; a rip-roaring ride down through rugged, volcanic terrain and back to the charming, port town of Puerto Ayora at sea level. Kai and I left Russ with Jaiya and tore off down hill daring each other not to brake as the landscape flew passed and the buzz and adrenaline kicked in. What a rush.
Next post: Jaiya’s research paper on Galapagos sea lions.
Looks so stunning… can’t believe you had to put Russells shoulder back in!! Must be a bit more stable now?!