was a hot afternoon, Isla Isabela, Galapagos. Perfectly cool and clear water of the ocean promised crisp refreshment. Deep soft sand under their feet sank, the first waves of pleasant obmywaly feet ... I went deeper, the water was wonderful. I jumped the first wave, it was getting deeper. In the end, I threw myself into the waves and began to flow. Once the waves against the current time, sometimes under water. A few minutes later I saw her. She was beautiful, floated a few meters from me. Was not large, but it moved quickly and nimbly, I had difficulty in order to catch up. Her colorful outfit stuck by a rippling ocean of showing thousands of shades of purple, yellow and green. Swam for her. Something suddenly hit the big water before me, exactly where she was. Gray-brown shape fell from the sky, splashing in the water and disappeared moment at the surface. After a while, the water emerged pelican, holding it in her mouth. Moments remained on the surface, like ruminants, and then flew. So its not seen. I decided to get out of the water already. Suddenly I felt a twinge in the neck. I hit this place, trying to wash away the mosquito and biting big hand hit a fly fell into the water. The water quickly emerged, and another fish appetite swallowed insects. Here, everybody is part of the food chain. After leaving the water we went to the grilled fish with rice ...
Galapagos Islands belong to the territory of Ecuador. Lie exactly on the equator and the meridian of 90 west. Is far from the coasts of Ecuador, about 960 kilometers. Total area of \u200b\u200border in the archipelago is 7882 km ^ 2, of which largest island - Isabel takes a little over half. 97% of the archipelago includes the National Park. The composition of the archipelago according to different criteria could include more than 100 islands, the rest is rock protruding from the water. 13 of these islands above the surface 10 km ^ 2 Main islands are far apart on several dozens of kilometers, making the total area of \u200b\u200bthe archipelago is ... large, certainly bigger than I expected (sail between the main islands in the middle of the road can see no trace of any page.) The islands are of volcanic origin, several of them are still active volcanoes, the last volcanic activity occurred in 2005, when there was a volcanic eruption of Sierra Negra Isabel. Hot tropical climate, isolation from the continent and from human activities have caused, the island is preserved unique in flora and fauna of Earth. The islands are famous mainly of long-lived turtles giants, whose age is among the oldest individuals are estimated at more than 200 years. For other animal species that occur here in great numbers also include the iguanas, sea lions, pelicans, albatrosses, penguins, blue-footed boobies (do not know how to translate;), many types of lizards, as well as sea: turtles, sharks, hammerheads , dolphins, moraines, przekolorowe variety of fish and many others. What is characteristic of the islands - these animals are not afraid of people. Scientists explain this fact, and have never been killed by man (specifically, it has never, except around the nineteenth century, where he knocked out most of the population, including turtle giants). Therefore, for all the iguanas, pelicans, sea lions, etc. can be taken, do the pictures up close, we could even touch them, if not harsh regulations of the National Park, which talk about it, lest it should approach the animals closer than 2 meters. In order to preserve the unique character of the islands, you can not bring them any organic materials - including particularly for plants or animals - in order to verify this, airports are on baggage. The largest city is the archipelago of Puerto Ayora, lying on the island of Santa Cruz is about 15 thousand. residents.
(more practical information for visiting the Galapagos can be found on the blog of Magda and Przemek: http://careerbreak.wordpress.com/2009/12/06/ekwador-i-galapagos-informacje-praktyczne/ Magda described the everything very professionally, and I do not want to repeat with her. By the way thanks to Magda - very helped us your names! If someone will want to go to the Galapagos to serve any help, contact us at the e-mail. The complete cost of our trip presents at the end of the relationship of the islands, after their synthesis, partial will appear in the course.)
Observations made by Charles Darwin on the Galapagos Islands (and, even more, his observations of pigeons, which is already in August does not speak loudly ;) contributed to the emergence of a revolutionary in those days the book "The Origin of Species", which toppled the then world of science upside down. Darwin spoke in it, among other things that is not so, as in the evolutionary process is experiencing the strongest, or the most intelligent of species, but one who is best suited to change. Today (thanks largely to the wider technology) people are the strongest, by far, are they najinteligentiejsi, but whether they will be in the best position to adapt to change, which lands await the outcome of their core business ...? It turns out. Anyway, let's hope that people will save himself from destruction even though this piece of Earth, what are the Galapagos Islands ... I really would be their loss. This is one of the most beautiful places on Earth.
As we looked visit Galapagos? Travelling to South America we were not sure if we manage to come here. Besides, this is a one of the most beautiful places on Earth, it is unfortunately, also one of the most expensive places! Finally, to come here made us a meeting with Magda and Przemek, even in El Calafate in Argentina. They were previously on the islands, they managed to visit the them in as far as cost and highly recommended it to us, for which I am personally grateful to them. We decided to do a combined trip - part visit the islands on your own, and visit the part taken out during the trip - organized the trip. We decided to follow this path for several reasons: 1 Travelling yacht sail at night, visiting for the day - you can see more, especially with yachts VISITED the island to which you otherwise difficult to get (at least some of them are organized 1-day, very expensive trips from Puerto Ayora). 2. On the yacht is guide, who handed us a great deal of knowledge about the islands and their inhabitants. 3. The boat can be in many places to enjoy their snorkeling (swim with mask, tube, fins) - the most interesting places and safely. 4. On the yacht will be more people, and sometimes we have enough own company;) 5 We do not swimmin this boat;) 6 On the yacht is simply fun (and it seemed to me before it started to swing on the waves;). On the negative side, and it is thick, you must include the price of this trip, but more on that later. Cruise boat can be purchased in several ways - from the most convenient and most expensive, the less comfortable but cheaper uncertain: first travel office in Poland, but unfortunately such a solution for the Polish trip, with flights, only on the Galapagos, for two weeks cost more than PLN 20,000, so the purchase of such trips is a complete nonsense. Secondly - you can book a trip yourself by telephone or by using the internet - there are dozens of travel agents who sell these trips. Comfortable and az-so-much as not to overpay. Thirdly - you can buy a cruise being in Quito or Guayaquil, there's plenty of travel agencies that offer tours last minute, with airline tickets to the island did not have stocks, rather the problem, no need to book in advance (off season). Fourth, and the cheapest - you can fly to the Galapagos in the dark, to go to Puerto Ayora and the trip there to buy one of the local travel agency. We so we did. Although we planned to purchase already in Quito, unfortunately at the time of taking away the money ATM sold out the last of the upatrzonym our yacht. So we flew to the islands in the dark, assuming that at most they pozwiedzamy those that will succeed. As for cruises, which is being organized are mainly 5 and 8-day cruises. Although you can buy also part of the voyage (which is harder) and do 3 or 4 days. On the island swims 97 boats - from 8-person to several dozen. I recommend this for up to 16 people, it's still quite a large group, and each group of stragglers being taken in August by where you lose valuable time. Yachts, occurring in 3 classes, which of course greatly affects the price - the cheapest Economic, more expensive Turista (also called mid-class), the most expensive 1st class (or luxury). Each of the 97 yachts is closely aligned with the cooperation of the National Park tour schedule. The captain of the boat itself can not change, it is arranged so that in a given place and time was not too many boats, which is to minimize the negative impact of tourism on the environment. Heard from our guide, the National Park from 2011 and plans to change the length of time on flights from 5 to 8 days at 8 and 15 days, which is arguing that, in some places will be thanks to this less-visited, but rather it comes to bigger money resulting from longer cruises ...
Again I went with the theme ... and so our visit to the Galapagos! Flew in the dark. August peculiar flies airlines Aerolineas Galapagos (Aerogal), which painted the aircraft in May the great red iguana. Latnisko on the island of Baltra, which lies next to central and main islands of Santa Cruz. It was warmer than I expected, I thought the ocean in the same time cool down the island, there are, unfortunately, the heat was incredible, but the equator. And we came here during the spring solstice (21 March in the south of the equator the sun is really at its zenith!). The majority of tourists arriving (at least 4 aircraft per day) is seen even at the airport by the guides and support for boats, there are many cards with the names, or names of boats. A lot of people buys a boat and is received and left for the airport directly to the operation of the boat, the handle. Let me add here, with about 40% of backpackers are Ecuadorians, 35% of Americans (Aerogal year to Miami and New York, maybe you can find cheaper calls), and only the remaining 25% to other nations. Already at the station, figured out how to not go on any boat, a few individuals have attempted to sell us space on the boats, but unfortunately were not good deals. From the airport, boarded the free bus that whisks passengers towards the island of Santa Cruz. You have to watch out, because the coaches eat in two places - either in the direction of Santa Cruz, or at a port in which all boats are moored. The route leads among volcanic stones, do not see any animals there is some bushes and cacti, nothing interesting. Generally, most of the islands, so it just looks like - people are very hostile conditions, there can be no agriculture, almost everywhere are volcanic rocks. After leaving the bus arrives after 10 minutes in August to the brink of Baltry, you need to change to the ferry (0.8 USD) on the other side of the channel to Santa Cruz, 10 minutes. There you can take bus (1.8 USD) or taxi ($ 15) and going in August next 45 minutes to Puerto Ayora. We went by bus. We arrived around 13.20 hours. Very nice harbor town! Surprised us, purity of water in the port of pelicans, sea lions, top notch! What will be next! We are looking for the cruise. We go to the first travel agency, we ask for 5-day cruises. Show us the offer too expensive, too luxurious or too long trips or those who want to visit the island, very little choice, lack of economic deals. But there is one founded on the border of our budget, unfortunately, starts in 2 days, 4 days later, swimming, and then we will be even two days on the islands, so the whole residence will be logistically difficult - the beginning and end of a trip to Santa Cruz, and the time before the cruise and the little boat (after a half day), so we may not be able swim to other islands! Turns out, however, that in 20 minutes on the ferry departs Isabel ($ 30 one way). We are 10 minutes to buy a trip and the next 10 minutes to get to the port and the ferry - this way we will visit an additional island! Quick decision - take this cruise (4 days, 3 nights, the island of Santa Cruz, North Beach, Santa Fe, South Plaza, Espanola, Floreana (so all we wanted and even a little), class yacht Turista, 640 USD per person ... .) Then we at the port! I. .. the way it turned out that the Galapagos Islands are in a different time zone than Ecuador, and we still have an hour to departure ferry! Well, we have time for breakfast. Obzarlismy August spaghetti bolognese ($ 7, other meals over $ 10), which is an hour later it turned out a very large tactical error ...
Isla Isabela Puerto Villamil, a major (total only) town of Isabel has about 3000 inhabitants, lies in a straight line about 80 miles from Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island. The town is fairly extensive, instead of asphalt on the streets piaseczek white lies, which is very pleasant in manner and can be bare foot nice and pleasant walk from the beach to the hotel. We were there off season, so the town was empty. Almost nobody on the beach, cafes and restaurants. Excellent!
Isla Isabela is one of two easily accessible (no trip) Galapagos Islands, the other is San Cristobal. From Puerto Ayora Puerto Villamil swims to the "ferry" (called ferry), on the second island, too. Prom is a big word, even very big. We took the large boat, the 12 people. On the back of two engines after 185KM. A total of 370 horsepower for tiny A boat on the great ocean waves ... (A swim in the lake Titicaca, rustic vessels after they took 80 people and had only two engines over 48 hp) By the way the person who called the Pacific ocean (Pacific) committed an error duuuzy! It is the largest object (?) On the ground and so inappropriately chosen name! Leaves a port, everything is OK, cool, a lot of emotion, we're going to watch pets for Isabel. After a few minutes since we left port, the captain pressed the pedal to the metal (actually This translated wajche in gore), blown away in my chair. Oh! Quite unexpected emotions, but cool! Unfortunately ... After 5 minutes, ceased to be fun, as we started to jump on the 2-meter waves, and boat creaked mercilessly, predicting the approaching end of his life. Just sit in the place was quite a physical effort, so cast, shook and the waves struck. We ran alongside other similar boat - when it jumped in the waves a few meters literally fly through the air ... I did a quick overview - only once in my life, the moments of a ship at sea swimmin! I had then to 10 years ... Do not count the ferry to Sweden here, because there is a hotel and not at all bylu shook, nor count video frame rides on the banana coast. I mean the real swimming sea, not to mention the ocean! Well - it turned out that the wolf is a marine but I'm not ... After 2 hours, the nightmare we landed on the spot, barely got off the boat, a good half an hour I tried to catch its balance, it is lying, it would sit on the bench ... przyportowej Imagine my mine, like two days later we were getting to "ferry" re, who had two engines of 300 hp! :) Luckily That trip went well. Somehow I did not know in advance of need (the whole time) to look at the horizon and is an excellent help, Aviomarin too. ;)
accosted us in the port przesympatyczny Julio and invited to his small hotel aptly named Sula-Sula (the name for one of the local birds.) Hotel a bit out of the way town 7 minutes to the center, rooms clean, everything new, $ 25 for double room in high season $ 40, Julio is superfajny man, I highly recommend. On site you can buy 7-hour trip on horseback ($ 45) or hiking ($ 35) Sierra Negra volcano, or 2-hour trip BOAT (20 USD) for the coastal forest with penguins Skalka Tintoreras (both tours recommended.) After logging in to the hotel was already almost the 17th, an hour to do apparently turned dark, so I quickly went to the beach, the surrounding rocks and the center (later that evening, created the first entry in the Galapagos on this blog). On the beach was a very cool observation tower - from there you can see it was very beautiful beaches, part of the port town and the sunset (even though that day is not uswiadczylismy west, clouds). At the tower were black rock, on which wylegiwaly August first encountered by us iguanas. They had exactly the color scale, so it was hard to walk that way, really easy to step on either, probably for both parties would be unpleasant. Closer to the sea on the rocks walked backwards crab. Flew over the heads of pelicans and other birds. We're on the Galapagos Islands began in August digipacks!
first exit to the beach, was getting dark, as shown in the pictures.
taplal Little boy in the mud ...
... and iguanas sitting on the rocks ...
... and grimly looked.
Surfers swim slowly finishing the day ...
... and as soon as the sun went down, it has replaced the moon, but who did not give this evening is too much light ...
... so children played in an artificial green light in the park ...
... a pan fried corn on the grill ...
... colorful cafes were empty ...
... someone rode a bicycle ...
... and the dog drank water from puddles.
Later, though still fairly early, we went to sleep.
Isla Isabela - a trip to Sierra Negra volcano
Volcano Sierra Negra is about 1200 meters altitude. This is one of the higher mountains of the archipelago. The crater is nearly a perfect circle with a diameter of 10 kilometers, which puts him in second place in the world in this category. The volcano was last active in 2005, when it has occurred in the crater of liquid lava. Dynamic then there was an eruption.
Isabeli We had the only one all day, the next day at 6 am we had the return ferry to Puerto Ayora, whence we had to go back to the airport to catch our boat ... That day we decided to go on a trip to Sierra Negra. Riding a trip planned to do, but Julio us very discouraged me - the last day it rained, the trail was very muddy, very slippery for the horses. So we chose a hiking trip. The island is large, so the volcano (actually until the 800 meters altitude), a car pulls up, then 8 km on foot, the same route the next 8 km back. On the trip to Sierra Negra is also visited Volcan Chico - or 12 volcanos "parasites" lying on the slopes of the main volcano. This part of the trip turned out to be even more interesting than the main volcano. On the volcano animals are rare (there is only little birds and lizards). Initially, the route ran a 400 meters to the top, actually it was mud, very deep mud, often brodzilismy it to the ankles, and in places was and deeper. Fortunately, Julio told us to rent boots ($ 2) in one of the tourist agencies, which turned out to be beneficial for our boots. On the trip we went with Julie as a guide, was with us too przesympatyczna okoloszescdziesiecioletnia British, who travels a yacht on the ocean and two asympatyczne older German woman.
color bird encounters on the road.
At the summit crater of Sierra Negra, unfortunately in my case, tours of the volcanoes are always associated with clouds ... But trust me on word that the crater was great!
The Galapagos are also some spiders ...
... and colorful caterpillars.
After several hours of climbing and walking the banks of the crater, we went down a few hundred meters of the north-western edge. Definitely opinion changed terrain on the mountainside overhanging several small volcanic cones, and the whole area around it was green instead of black lava. Solidified lava in the majority of the structure of pumice stone, larger rocks takes many odd shapes, very sharp, it's better for them not sit down and do not resist. Here and there were growing cacti.
In these areas the two species live animals - lava lava lizard and snake, whom we met.
Only here came the sun. Yellow color scale, is sulfur.
places in the ground several meters holes appeared in August - chimneys, from which you can escape steam and hot air.
Seeing climates volcanic Delphine summarized Julio'wi contents Lord of the Rings, because the local land book reminded Mordor and Gore Holocaust. The volcano Delphine and Julio played the last scene the book, luckily no one lost a finger and no one fell down ... ;)
coming out of the crater pair entails, thanks to moisture inside the chimney occurs only in the green surroundings.
lava cooling down takes different forms - such as a hummingbird (?).
at a greater distance from the volcanoes, cacti grow here and there.
came back to Puerto Villamil about 15 th. We could sail on that day at the Los Tintoreras penguins, or relax on the beach. We had the saba yet the whole voyage, we discovered that even the animals naogladamy. We rented a board bodyboardingu (1USD/1h) and went to the beach.
On the beach they had been playing children.
We also had fun! :) What better
waves being able to swim in the 100 meter dash good! Excellent!!
Of course we had to also take down some of iguanas in the sun.
Some shattering on the rocks and opalaly.
Others stared grimly.
was named as one another lava lizard.
observation tower on the beach. By the tower these black rocks on which were all iguanas.
views from the tower:
- west
- east
and west from afar
crab. Commentary
redundant - in total we see that the crab ... ;)
(Almost) perfect sunset!
Who are they put the antenna! ;)
Przemek
at sunset! :)
A is the "shuttle" Return to Santa Cruz ...
I was wondering how to describe the expedition, said that probably the best I will describe the island after island, lest people here that it plans to make it easier to choose the island to choose for themselves. Another island will describe a time - it will be already less text and more pictures of animals!
On Monday we head to Columbia, first stop in Cali, the second Cartaghena of the Caribbean Sea. :)
Cheers, again from Quito!
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