Southern Isabela Island
Today we could do what we wished with our day. For some, there was a long, tiring, challenging and beautiful hike up the slopes of Sierra Negra Volcano to the recently active Volcan Chico. Naturalists Bitinia and Daniel lead the group of over twenty volcano hikers. The trail they followed was damp with cooling garua at first, and then we plodded through dust and finally tramped across sharp and cindery lava. Others visited the tortoise breeding center, followed a board walk to the lovely and expansive white beach of Puerto Villamil, and then had a coke or a swim and enjoyed a moment of relaxation. There was a chance to sleep in, or do it all.
I took two taxi pick-up trucks of guests along the coast on a picturesque and winding gravel road to the “Wall of Tears.” This is a sad monument in a beautiful setting, left by prisoners who were forced to carry heavy and sharp lava rocks on their shoulders and construct a wall 80 meters long and 7 meters high and wide. We climbed to the summit of Orchilla Mirador lookout for a view of the lush slopes of Sierra Negra, where our companions were hiking and hidden behind grey clouds of damp garua.
Most of us returned to the ship for lunch; some tasted the local seafood and vegetarian cuisine. The large group of volcano hikers munched on sandwiches as they sat under a shade tree near the edge of the broken and rough lava from an eruption in 1979. On the ship it was siesta time, while the volcano the hikers carefully made their way across the sharp lava.
In the afternoon the hikers returned to town, very dusty and tired, but pleased with the unique experience of having climbed a volcano, hiked along its rim, walked across recent lava flows and around steamy pit craters (see today’s photo). Many went directly into the ocean to wash away the dust and revive their tired feet and legs; others opted for a hot shower on the ship. Naturalists Rafael and Silvana led two groups for a short nature walk on the islet Tintoreras. As the evening approached, we gathered for seafood bocaditos, soft drinks and beer and to chat among ourselves. Our crew and a couple of brave guests played a rowdy volleyball game played Ecuadorian-style and with a soccer ball! On the ship we enjoyed a presentation by two leaders of the Friends of the Tortoises Club, two young boys who charmed us with their knowledge and their enthusiasm for conserving these magical Galápagos.
Today we could do what we wished with our day. For some, there was a long, tiring, challenging and beautiful hike up the slopes of Sierra Negra Volcano to the recently active Volcan Chico. Naturalists Bitinia and Daniel lead the group of over twenty volcano hikers. The trail they followed was damp with cooling garua at first, and then we plodded through dust and finally tramped across sharp and cindery lava. Others visited the tortoise breeding center, followed a board walk to the lovely and expansive white beach of Puerto Villamil, and then had a coke or a swim and enjoyed a moment of relaxation. There was a chance to sleep in, or do it all.
I took two taxi pick-up trucks of guests along the coast on a picturesque and winding gravel road to the “Wall of Tears.” This is a sad monument in a beautiful setting, left by prisoners who were forced to carry heavy and sharp lava rocks on their shoulders and construct a wall 80 meters long and 7 meters high and wide. We climbed to the summit of Orchilla Mirador lookout for a view of the lush slopes of Sierra Negra, where our companions were hiking and hidden behind grey clouds of damp garua.
Most of us returned to the ship for lunch; some tasted the local seafood and vegetarian cuisine. The large group of volcano hikers munched on sandwiches as they sat under a shade tree near the edge of the broken and rough lava from an eruption in 1979. On the ship it was siesta time, while the volcano the hikers carefully made their way across the sharp lava.
In the afternoon the hikers returned to town, very dusty and tired, but pleased with the unique experience of having climbed a volcano, hiked along its rim, walked across recent lava flows and around steamy pit craters (see today’s photo). Many went directly into the ocean to wash away the dust and revive their tired feet and legs; others opted for a hot shower on the ship. Naturalists Rafael and Silvana led two groups for a short nature walk on the islet Tintoreras. As the evening approached, we gathered for seafood bocaditos, soft drinks and beer and to chat among ourselves. Our crew and a couple of brave guests played a rowdy volleyball game played Ecuadorian-style and with a soccer ball! On the ship we enjoyed a presentation by two leaders of the Friends of the Tortoises Club, two young boys who charmed us with their knowledge and their enthusiasm for conserving these magical Galápagos.
