Santa Cruz, Puerto Ayora

Puerto Ayora Fish Market

I was up at 5.30 am and out watching Elliot's storm petrels feeding around the boat.   As breakfast was at 7 am I decided that I should try to get some decent photos of them, got quite a few that were recognisable.   After a good breakfast we were off to the Charles Darwin Foundation Research Centre on Santa Cruz.   We landed on the jetty and walked through the town towards the fish market where blue-footed boobies, brown pelicans and sealions jostled with human customers for fish!

We carried on towards the outskirts of the town and after about 20 minutes arrived at the Charles Darwin Centre.   This was something I had particularly looked forward to since the trip had been booked, and it more than exceeded my expectations.

Lonesome George

They have a collection of tortoises from the islands where their survival as a species is threatened.  Eggs are taken when laid and brought back to the centre, where they are incubated at regulated temperatures warmer incubation produces females and cooler males.   The centre therefore have to ensure that they vary the temperature to continue to raise both genders.   The hatchlings are raised in an enclosed area where they are protected from predators.   Once they have reached a size when they cannot be predated by rats they are placed in a more open environment until they are considered old enough to survive in the wild when they are transported back to their original island.

Vegetarian Finch

The star of the show is Lonesome George a lone male from the Pinta Island.  Although droppings were found in 1981 no female or indeed other tortoise has been found.  George is currently residing with 7 females from Wolf Island (with the nearest DNA) in the hope that he will (a) remember how to mate and (b) produce hybrid offspring with at least some continuance in genetics.

Enough of Tortoise for now, we were supposed to be on a bird watching trip.

Around the grounds there were several birds, including small, medium and large ground finch, galapagos mockingbird, yellow warbler and to our delight 5 vegetarian finches.  After we had browsed the Charles Darwin shop and taken refreshments, it was time to go back to the jetty, as the panga would be there at 12.00 noon to get us back on the Cachalote for lunch.   Instead of taking the usual exit route, a couple of us decided to return through the centre for one last wander, not wishing to take our leave until the last moment possible.  



Land Iguana

 Unfortunately, on our way back to the jetty, Mike remembered that he needed some batteries - ostensibly for his pacemaker!   A quick bit of shopping resolve the issue, and soon we were back on board enjoying lunch - beef in a lovely tomato sauce with rice and salad.

At 2.00 pm we disembarked to visit the highland area and rancho marisposa.   As a volcanic island the highlands produced excellent examples of sink holes, dark-billed cuckoo and smooth-billed ani were spotted as we continued our walk.   We also visited a tortoise reserve where they roam free in long grass, and are surprisingly hard to spot.   At one stage we came across two pools where tortoise drink and there were also a couple of white-cheeked pintail and common moorhen.   An eagle-eyed member of the group spotted a green warbler finch (there is also a grey subspecies).  



Tortoise Drinking

 After about an hour and a half of walking, where we had seen at least 20 wild tortoise, we arrived at a small cafe where tea, coffee and a rather strong spirit was offered.   As we enjoyed the refreshment Juan picked up a convenient guitar and started to sing a few british sea shanties - quite bizarre!

Soon we had to return to the boat.   Locals were playing volleyball in front of an enthusiastic crowd, and a lava gull was loafing on the traffic roundabout.   As Carol had managed to destroy her walking boots these were abandoned in a bin before once again we jumped into the pangas.

We had an early dinner - 6.30 pm - to give the captain more time to negotiate our overnight trip to Espanola/Hood island.   We are warned that it could be a rough night - so sea sickness pills have been dolled out.

Elliot's Storm-petrel