Southern Isabela Island
Early after breakfast, the morning saw the Sierra Negra Volcano hikers off to the dock, water bottles and sandwiches ready, walking shoes on. The sun shone, so it was hot, the trail long, but the view spectacular. For the first time to our knowledge, a Sierra Negra giant tortoise was seen during this hike! Stephanie spotted it in the brush to one side of the path…wow!
Meanwhile down on the coast, the rest of us boarded our vehicles and headed out over the sandy roads to the Galápagos National Park Tortoise Rearing Centre, just outside of town. Big ones, small ones, lively ones walking through the sprinkler, to a copulating pair – we saw them all. A stroll under mesquite and poison apple trees onto lava and boardwalk led to the famous white beach of Villamil town, which led to swimming, either before or after a beer in a café and shopping at OMAI, the fisherman’s wives cooperative started through a small grant fund initiated by Lindblad seven ago.
The town of Villamil slows the pace of life for all who enter. The sandy roads silence the sounds of the few vehicles and cool the mind of hurry and stress. Afternoon Zodiac rides ended back in town where, by now, the local kids (off on summer holidays here), had taken over the main dock and any tender that approached in order to leap with abandon as high as possible into the air…and fall splashily into the warm surf in the cooling light.
We had special guests on board this evening, “Friends of the Tortoises.” Under age 12, members focus on the conservation of Galápagos species, and the leaders were with us this evening to explain: Jaime, Natalie and Diego. We all learned what can be done with gumption, energy and passion.
Early after breakfast, the morning saw the Sierra Negra Volcano hikers off to the dock, water bottles and sandwiches ready, walking shoes on. The sun shone, so it was hot, the trail long, but the view spectacular. For the first time to our knowledge, a Sierra Negra giant tortoise was seen during this hike! Stephanie spotted it in the brush to one side of the path…wow!
Meanwhile down on the coast, the rest of us boarded our vehicles and headed out over the sandy roads to the Galápagos National Park Tortoise Rearing Centre, just outside of town. Big ones, small ones, lively ones walking through the sprinkler, to a copulating pair – we saw them all. A stroll under mesquite and poison apple trees onto lava and boardwalk led to the famous white beach of Villamil town, which led to swimming, either before or after a beer in a café and shopping at OMAI, the fisherman’s wives cooperative started through a small grant fund initiated by Lindblad seven ago.
The town of Villamil slows the pace of life for all who enter. The sandy roads silence the sounds of the few vehicles and cool the mind of hurry and stress. Afternoon Zodiac rides ended back in town where, by now, the local kids (off on summer holidays here), had taken over the main dock and any tender that approached in order to leap with abandon as high as possible into the air…and fall splashily into the warm surf in the cooling light.
We had special guests on board this evening, “Friends of the Tortoises.” Under age 12, members focus on the conservation of Galápagos species, and the leaders were with us this evening to explain: Jaime, Natalie and Diego. We all learned what can be done with gumption, energy and passion.
