Ilovent

Discovering the Galapagos

The Galapagos are being visited less and less by round the world travelers because of the high costs involved, not to mention the draconian regulations. However, Ilovent was able to enjoy this privilege...

Ilovent

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Published 29/11/2024

By Gilles Ruffet

Issue: 199

Published: jan. / mar. 2025

Discover this issue

Who: Fabienne and Jean-Charles
Where: The Galapagos Islands
Multihull: Outremer 45
Blog: www.blog-trotting.fr/u/ilovent

After three weeks ashore, we were very happy to be back at sea. The Galapagos Islands were 900 miles away, or around 6 to 7 days at sea, depending on the wind. To get to these islands, we would have to comply with the draconian cleanliness requirements for the boat. The hull has to be cleaned 72 hours before departure with a new antifouling, to avoid introducing any unwanted algae. The boat must also be fumigated to eradicate all insects on board and to prevent any being brought back. On top of this comes an entrance fee of over 2,000 dollars. The crossing from Panama got off to a flying start, with a wind of around thirty knots combined with a favorable current of 2 knots. In other words, we were breaking our speed records; 10 to 12 knots and often surfing at 18 knots! We spent the first day slowing the boat down... Ilovent was having a ball, but we were experiencing every kind of emotion. When it finally calmed down, we were able to resume our usual sailing activities, such as cooking, reading or playing. As we approached the Galapagos, the birds became more and more numerous. They’re not shy, and just settle in and, of course, poop everywhere. No sooner had they been chased away than they would return, relentlessly. We were having a dream crossing. No rain, and splendid sunsets and night skies. We were starting to get a bit fed up with the lack of wind though. We were in the doldrums, so we motored along for a day, finishing the journey sailing close-hauled.

It was also during this journey that we crossed the equator and respected the tradition of toasting Neptune with a glass of champagne. At the beginning of February, we dropped anchor in Santa Cruz Bay. We were a little tense as we waited for the officials to inspect the boat. When they arrived, there were 7 of them in uniform. We didn’t try to be clever. We filled in the forms and answered all the questions. Finally, after 30 minutes, it was done, we were accepted, and everything was in order. Phew! We were allowed to visit just four islands: Santa Cruz, Isabella, Floreana and San Cristobal. Given the trouble that we had gone to, we fully intended to make the most of it for at least a month! Santa Cruz is one of the four islands we are allowed to visit by sailboat. After a good night’s sleep, with no break for watches, we made our first contact with land in the town of Santa Cruz.
It’s a lively, good-natured place. We visited the Darwin Foundation research center. Here, it’s the animals that rule the roost, and they do as they please. First of all, a sea lion took up residence on the rear deck of the boat. The appearance of Jean-Charles scared it away. Then a whole herd of blacktip sharks settled under the hull. Watching them in action is wonderful. We then set off for a walk towards Tortuga Bay. The path is made of lava stone. It was very pretty, but as it was the middle of the day, we felt as though we were walking through a bread oven. Fortunately, the cacti provided some shade. We arrived at a gorgeous beach with exquisitely soft sand. Its inhabitants were sea iguanas and countless wading birds, which are laugh-out-loud funny if you take the time to observe them. The pelicans are also there, stoic as usual. The next day, we set off for the middle of the island on electric bicycles. The difference in altitude is considerable. As we climbed, the light drizzle quickly turned into a good equatorial downpour. After 20 kilometers of this, we visited the lava tunnel that everyone here talks about. It’s true that this ‘bubble’ in the lava is so uniform and so long that you’d think it was man-made. The National Park is awe-inspiring. Tortoises are everywhere, along the paths and in the fields with the cows. We then set off for Isabella, where nature is still intact. Our memories of this leg are of unique landscapes and an unprecedented concentration of animal species. On land, we were greeted by Galapagos penguins and blue-footed boobies. Anecdotally, it would appear that the bluer an individual’s feet, the better they are at fishing: in fact, a good diet improves the pigmentation of their feet. Apart from the guided tours, we wouldn’t be able to see too much. There are only two authorized tourist paths, and all walking and snorkeling is regulated. So it was as a group that we took a tour of the bay, which is 200 meters from the catamaran. The National Park guide is enthusiastic and knowledgeable. Floreana, a circular island with a volcano in the middle, lies to the south of Isabella. We only made a short stop there, but it was well worth the effort. It’s now time to get ready to cross the Pacific Ocean. French Polynesia awaits!