October 19, 2013
Puerto Villamil, Isla Isabella, Galapagos Archipelago (Ecuador)
00°57.935S - 090°57.726W
If we had only 72 hours to cruise the Galapagos and only ONE anchorage to choose from, we would pick Isla Isabella. Originally called Albermarle or Santa Gertrudis, the largest island of the archipelago is home to six volcans, still very active. But it’s also home to the same animal species that can be seen on the other islands, with the addition of the fur seal. Not seen here, however, is the red-footed booby (only on Isla Bartolomé). Our week in Santa Isabella is getting to the end and I’m not quite sure I want to leave this very calm anchorage and quiet village to brave the 3,000 NM to the Marquesas. This is, really, a lovely place.
Our cruise from Floreana was the nicest we’ve had in the last month, with a bit of current pushing us, which DOMINO enjoyed: on 2 engines at 910 rpm, we were running at 9 kts, burning a total of 3.5 gph. At that rate, we would get to the Marquesas in 14 days, having burnt less than 1,200 gallons (we’re currently holding 2,300 gallons). This should reassure our family and friends who are afraid we won’t have enough fuel to get to Nuku Hiva. We, on the other hand, think that we can make it all the way to the Tuamotus and even Papeete without refueling if the conditions are smooth. But back to Isabella.
On the approach to Puerto Villamil, the giant black and white disk at the water surface were Manta rays greeting us to Isabella. As taken as we were with the beautiful sight, we concentrated on the approach to the anchorage, a tortuous path through volcanic islets and rocks, but the waypoints from S/V Carina were on the spot. Our iSailor for iPad was also on the spot, although there are 2 new buoys (R/G) to mark the entrance of the channel. We carefully steamed by the 3 yellow big-boat mooring buoys and dropped anchor just past the last one, but not too far beyond as the bottom shoals and rocks appear.
Approach waypoints:
WP1 - 00°58.046 S - 090°52.72W
WP2 - 00°59.10 S - 090°59.04 W (between the R & G buoys)
WP3 - 00°58.58 S - 090°59.95 W
Anchored at 00°57.935 S - 090°57.726 W in 11’ at low tide. Good holding sand, just make sure not to knock over the ubiquitous sea turtles who keep popping their heads to check you out! The anchorage is not very large and I can’t imagine how 35 sailboats fit in that space last Spring. Excellent, calm anchorage, protected behind the reef, but can get a bit rolly on windy days.
No sooner had we anchored that Henry-the-water-taxi greeted us and offered his services ($1/day, $2 from 6-9pm) –do you want water? Gas? Diesel? Lobster? Tours?) and showed us where to tie our dinghy if we wanted to use it (getting there at low tide is tricky), on the inside of the commercial dock rather than at the dinghy dock which, at low tide, is pretty messy. We were charged a one-time dock use fee ($5/person) but the dock is well built, guarded and safe, which is really worth the 5 bucks.
Around 2:30 in the afternoon, the dock fills with lobster fishermen who unload their catch for inspection and weighing; good time to fill-up your basket! [Note – Some restaurateurs may casually offer to sell you just-caught lobster since they go catch their own. Refuse! Their catch evades Park inspection, is neither weighed, nor tallied, nor measured. If we, as cruisers, are to pay through the nose for Park conservation, let’s not encourage black market operations.]
From there, it’s a 15-minute walk to town, passing the recycling station where you can drop your sorted trash (organic/recyclable/non recyclable) and also dispose of used motor oil. Very clean!Our visit to the Capitania improved our opinion of our agent since he had entered our pre-arrival info into the system and we were cleared in Puerto Villamil ($4.95 fee to clear in, $15 for International zarpe on exit.) A walk through town assured us that almost every restaurant had a WiFi hotspot and a $5 lunch menu, and that the many dive and tour operators were more than happy to book land and boat tours, let you enjoy their free WiFi, and provide you with anything else you might want: fuel, water, or taking you upland to the various “fincas” for provisioning. A very enterprising lot. It’s no wonder that most fishermen have become tour operators. Case in point, your “Go-to” man Milton will book your tours and take your provisioning directly to the farm as well!
Although the most interesting tours require a National Park Guide and must be booked through an agency, there is much to discover on foot and for free. Observe the Flamingo Lagoon in the center of town, home to pink flamingos; walk the 1.2 km trail to the tortoise breeding center while not stepping over young iguanas; observe the various patterns of lava flow left on the beach; walk (or bike) the 5km to the Wall of Tears, a wall of giant lava blocks built by prisoners from the penal colony (1946-1959); visit the white church in the center of town where the stained glass windows display Holy Booby, Saint Penguin, and Father Flamingo; or try to snorkel with penguins at Playa Concha y Perla, just a few hundred yards from the embarcadero. As for diving around the anchorage? Yes, it’s possible to snorkel around the rocks and even to spot a few penguins, dozens of turtles, and swim with the sea lions, but beware the many pangas and tour operators… and the cold water! We abstained.
On Isabella, it’s the volcanic features that awed us. On land of course with the Sierra Negra volcano and the Volcàn Chico, but over and under the water as well at “Los Tuneles” and Isla Tortuga.
THE VOLCANS - Nothing says “Galapagos” better than sitting at the top of “Volcàn Chico” and staring at Elizabeth Bay below, a turquoise mirror at the bottom of black lava field, Isla Fernandina springing tall across the bay. From there, look north to the end of the island and search for the imaginary Equatorial line. It’s a sight to behold, albeit a new version of the view described in the old books, since the 1974 eruption of Volcàn Chico has for ever remodeled the brush-and-cactus landscape with lava fields, lava “waterfalls,” tunnels and arches and craters and vents, a landscape of black lava and oxidated iron, purple manganese and yellow sulfur, and and orange mix of it all.
Not to be ignored is the Sierra Negra crater. At 11 x 9 km, it is the second-largest crater in the world, and still very active. Just a look at the lava flow scar left by the 2005 eruption gives an idea of the destructive power of the volcano.
Still, the ridge is full of life, endemic flowers and fruits as well as the all-invasive introduced guayava.
And as much as I don’t enjoy walking, I must say that this 16-km round-trip was worth the effort, even if my shoes didn’t make it back to town and I finished the walk bare feet. Personal reward? A little canary who wanted to share my lunch just hopped on my knee, then on my arm and just stood there while I enjoyed my sandwich!
SNORKEL TRIP
So much for the land. The sea called and we were off to “The Tunnels,” which we consider the superlative landscape of the Galapagos, the ONE TRIP NOT TO BE MISSED.
After a 30-mn high-speed run and still catching a big-eye tuna underway, Fabricio Morocho (Facebook mowglitourgalapagos.morocho) ran his boat at full speed through breaking surf, followed with a series of double-S’s between barely submerged rocks, to finally come to rest in green lagoon dotted with lava bridges and tunnels, surmounted by Galapagos cactus reflecting their silhouettes into the glassy waters. Surreal landscape.
A fur seal greeted us from his cave in the lava rock.
A Galapagos seagull (“Gaviotin”) cast its shadow before landing on a basaltic ridge.
Blue-footed boobies in various stages of development hammed it out for the photographers.
Even though the day was overcast and the flat light not so great for pictures, we kept snapping away, above and below water.
White-tip sharks darted in and out underwater tunnels, not the slightest worried about us.
Turtles swam with us as if we had been forever in their company.
Crabs scuttled on the rocks, red-orange on jet-black; an octopus darted in and out of its bone-and-shell-ringed hole.
Healthy green sea lettuce, rust ferns, and many other vibrant plants swerved back and forth in the mild surge. Wrasses and parrotfish fooled around.
And when, on our way back to town, we spotted the Manta rays, a few of us jumped overboard and swam with the giants, docile to the point of touching us, too close for JP’s camera to catch more than a wingtip in the viewfinder. What an extraordinary experience!
DIVING TRIP
But we needed to book a “real dive.” Seriously, you can’t come to the Galapagos and not explore deep down. We decided to go dive the crater at Isla Tortuga with Harry from Isabella Tour, the only operator licensed for the site. Harry provided us with excellent semi-dry suits, which is absolutely necessary in these cold waters. Even though the water was turbid and the drift dive was going rather fast with no less than 8 divers—several of them rather inexperienced--we managed to spot a great variety of sea stars and sea urchins when they were not obliterated by thousands of fish.
I even spotted a little purplish seahorse hanging in the ferns of the crater’s wall, but the dive was going so fast that there was no time to admire it.
Then, a 9’ hammerhead shark came face-to-face with JP. It’s the shark who chickened out, made a wheelie so fast that I didn’t even see its shadow! A good dive, all in all, but I wish it could have been slower to really enjoy all the little things. As for turtles? They were everywhere, sleeping, munching or swimming.
NEXT?
What’s left to do now? We’re skipping “Las Tintoreras,” a popular tour in front of the anchorage, where tourists can observe from above a number of white-tip sharks swimming in the crystal-clear lagoon below. Instead, we’re hiring a taxi to visit the higher part of the island, catch a few more spectacular views if the weather cooperates, and stop at Finca Trojan to load up in fresh fruits and vegetables. Then…. Off to the Marquesas.
Tour info– If you cruise Isabella, be ready to spend $$ on tours. Current prices run as follows, but can be higher during the season (Dec-March) where availability can also be scarce.
- Taxi - $10/hour
- Las Tintoreras - $35 to $40
- Sierra Negra - $30 to 35 on foot ; $165 on horseback (then walk to Volcan Chico)
- Tunnels - $70 to $80, depending on the season and whether or not you have your equipment
- Isla Tortuga Dive - $150 for a 2-immersion trip
Have fun and enjoy!
Till next blog…
Dominomarie