The Galapagos Islands

Sea lion pup - Gardner's Bay, Espanola Island

It's difficult to describe the last week here on the Galapagos Islands - action-packed, beautiful and truly, truly unique. Out of all of our experiences in South America, these islands have been the cherry on the cake.

Normally, you're ecstatic when you catch sight of a rare animal, even for a fleeting second. However, within 24 hours of being on the archipelago we had seen a sea turtle swimming passed, tortoises munching on leaves, sea lions wallowing on the beach (so close you could smell their fishy breath!), marine and land iguanas lazying on large volcanic rocks and all manner of colourful tropical fish and exotic birds (including the Blue-Footed Booby - a bird with bright blue feet). In addition, we have seen fountains of water spurting out of the ocean from passing humpback whales on the same day as Galapagos sharks hunting for food while baby sea turtles (less than a day old) paddled furiously behind the boat (only 1 in 10,000 reach maturity). Another day, we had male frigate birds with their puffed-up red necks swooping overhead to impress the ladies and huge albatrosses attempting un-even clifftop landings, their legs dangling stupidly behind them. If Jurassic Park was real, it would be the Galapagos Islands.

Marine iguana taking it easy - Espanola Island

Before the cruise we made our own way to Puerto Ayora on Isla Santa Cruz where we stayed in one of the skankiest hostels yet (completely different to the luxury boat that was to come). By the next morning Gemma and I were on our way out to one of the smaller islands called Santa Fe to do the best couple of dives ever. There were the countless colourful tropical fish, the deep blue water, the sea lions curiously swimming around us - their heads ducking below the water, checking us out and darting nervously around and below us at lightning speed. Then a sea turtle comes completely out of the blue and sails off into the great expanse ahead. Even the musty air in our tanks did nothing to detract from a very special first full day on the islands.

Shark bait!

That afternoon we headed across to Isla San Cristobal by 'water taxi'. In reality the taxi, which conjures up images of a small little barge chugging along slowly, turned out to be a speed boat bumping across the choppy waters at speeds of more than 60 knots over huge waves. It was an exhilarating journey for the first 10 minutes, but exhausting for the full and unimpeded 2 and a half hours. It made even the most seafaring feel sick (apart from Gemma who somehow managed to sleep through most of it!)

Isla San Cristobal was worth it though - really laid back, nice friendly hostel and hundreds of sea lions every where: on the beach, on the jetties and even on the park benches. It was from here that we boarded the Galapagos Odyssey for our 6-day (actually more like 4-full-day) tour around the islands, when the Galapagos experience got even better. I've seen my lifetime supply of iguanas and Blue-Footed Boobies. However, I could happily sit and become an old man watching the sea lions playing.

Here's how the cruise panned out:

Day 1 - Isla San Cristobal

The morning was spent waiting for the boat, boarding the boat and then being bus-ed up to the highlands to see various forms of finches, some grumpy looking giant tortoises chewing on plants and learning a bit about the tortoise breeding programme which has taken years to perfect. It took a while before we saw one (so long in fact that we were convinced that a park ranger would plant a plastic one off in the distance!).

Day 2 - Isla Espanola

This is where it really began. Strange and wonderful wildlife everywhere - marine iguanas lazing on rocks (some with peaceful smiles), lava lizards of all kinds bolting over paths, large red Sally Lightfoot crabs, curious Blue-Footed Boobies and of course the sea lions - young and old, good and bad tempered. Some playful, some asleep and some lunging at the odd tourist who got too close for a photograph. We also saw hoards of resting albatross, mockingbirds and Galapagos doves - all endemic to the island, and like all the other animals totally impervious to the passing tourist. I could almost hear the David Attenborough voiceover as we stood metres away from two Galapagos hawks perched on a tree stump and looking out to sea. Animals eye you with some interest whilst you walk passed goggle-eyed. It's a place that even an avid wildlife-averter would find difficult not to love.

Gemma and Blue-Footed Booby eyeing each other with interest

The island is the southern-most of the archipelago and we had got there via a bumpy night crossing which had me stumbling around like a drunk trying to located the loose bottles that were rolling around the floor of the cabin.

By afternoon, it was snorkelling at Gardner's Bay and sightings of white-tip sharks below that got my mother out of the water and into the zodiac within seconds. Later we were picking our paths carefully through the hundreds of snoozing, yawning, coughing and spluttering sea lions on the beach.

Day 3 - Isla Floreana

Another bumpy night crossing and another morning waking up to a beautiful sight - the Devil's Crown - an extinct volcano with a crater submerged under the water. The currents were strong so we were told that it was likely that we would see sharks - and we did - two sets of three (and my mother stayed in the water the whole time). In both cases they were white-tip sharks sleeping under rocks 15 metres down.

White-tip sharks off Devil's Crown - Floreana Island

A little later I spotted a sea turtle on the sea floor who then started swimming. We must have watched for a good forty-five minutes. So graceful.

Murtle the turtle

It was then on to Punta Cormorant, a 'green beach' which contains little green gems stones in the sand. Behind it there's a little inland salt-water lake with a few pink flamingos standing and sleeping on one leg in the middle. Strangely, the place also houses a 'post office' (an old wooden barrel to post your postcards in the hope that someone will pick one up and deliver it when they get home). We'll be delivering one to a couple that live in Tunbridge Wells.

By evening there was a BBQ set-up on the back of the boat attracting swarms of flying fish, tiny one-day old sea turtles (who rapidly depleted in number as the night progressed) and sea lions darting back and forth. There was a unanimous cheer when one of them grabbed and ate a sea snake before descending back into the depths.

Day 4 - Santa Fe

We had visited here before when we went diving. I didn't think it could get much better the first time, but it did. Not only did we see a couple of huge land iguanas (which resemble prehistoric dinosaurs and are a good metre or so long) but also swam with sea lions, and lots of them.

There was a playful bunch of youngsters and their mums swimming around us, under us and straight at us almost like a game of chicken. The snorkel was rounded off with a couple of Golden Rays gracefully moving above the sand. In some areas there were so many fish below us it was like a brilliant multicoloured carpet which you could reach out and catch in your hand.

Islas Plazas

Lunchtime was on the move to one of the Isla Plazas. It's a fairly barren landscape of volcanic rock and cacti. But it's also full of roaming land iguanas. It's strange because at a first glance there's nothing there, but fairly quickly you can see the ground moving and four or five of them materialise metres from you.

There was also a majestic male sea lion showing off on a rock and plenty of frigate birds overhead as well as dramatic volcanic cliffs to keep us happy.

In the evening as we sailed to North Seymour island we saw humpback whales, blowing water and coming up briefly for air. Following dinner it was then Galapagos sharks circling ominously around the back of the ship looking for sea lions / humans to feed on. Johnny, the assistant chef, thought it would be a good idea to flap his arm in the water to attract them. A maimed crew member would not have been funny.

Day 5 - North Seymour Island

We got the zodiac across to this island as the sun rose with thousands of birds overhead. The island was full of them and it was mating time. Male boobies were waddling about whistling at the females, whilst male frigate birds were puffing up their red party balloon necks to attract a mate. It was only the pelicans that were interested in getting food.

It was already feeling like the cruise was coming to an end. There was a re-fuelling stop and a couple of snorkels in the afternoon rounded off with smuggled wine in the jacuzzi whilst watching the sunset.

Day 6 - Baltra

The final day...or half day was a slight anticlimax. A zodiac around North Seymour for 20 minutes and a sighting or two of a furred sea lion (a little different to the other ones we had seen), then back on board the boat and off again at Baltra airport before heading back to Puerto Ayora and relaxing, catching up on the blog and sleep.

The Galapagos Islands were special. Would love to come back again some day. But will they still be the same?

Jamie, our guide (centre in the green shirt) and the rest of the group aboard the Odyssey