Boat projects in Mazatlan and vacation in Ecuador - Quito and The Galapagos

 Location:  Mazatlan, Mexico

Blue footed booby doing the mating dance while the female ignores him, Espanola Island, Galapagos

Happy New Year to everyone!  January started with a nice, relaxing weekend.  Maria and Allen (Jamala) invited us to Marina El Cid on Sunday afternoon (well really, we invited ourselves and they graciously agreed).  We spent the day by the pool in the sun, sipping lemonadas and telling tales.

Monday it was back to work on our projects at the boatyard.  The crew was in full swing after the holidays.  During the last week of December, the paint guy had come by to match the green for some touch-up work.  After a long discussion and a cost estimate, we decided to redo the green paint on the entire hull, rather than matching and patching.  

Preparing the hull to be repainted

Primer applied.  Seabiscuit just doesn't look the same without her distinctive green hull

The rest of the week continued with boat projects and chores, visits to the dentist for both Dave and me, and exploration of the surrounding area.  On Saturday, January 8th there was a swap meet at Marina Mazatlan, so I took a few things over to sell as part of our on-going decluttering project.

Chuck (Alhambra) giving the morning net weather report from the swap meet

We replaced the seal on the port stabilizer fin, painted it with the new bottom paint and got it re-installed before we left for our vacation.

We spent the rest of the weekend unlaxing, then started to begin to prepare to initiate for our vacation to Ecuador and Peru.  Tuesday morning we walked up to the clinic for our Covid tests and completed our health declarations for Ecuador.  Tuesday afternoon, we packed our suitcases and moved from the boat into a hotel near Old Town; we hiked up to the lighthouse (El Faro) to watch the sunset, then had drinks and dinner near Plaza Machado.

Dave hiking up the switchback trail to the lighthouse, Mazatlan

There were multiple cat feeding stations along the trail to the lighthouse; the raccoons like them too!

After the switchback trail, there are 336 stairs up the hill to the lighthouse. 
They are marked every 30 steps so you can keep track of your progress.

B taking a picture of the sunset from the Mirador De Cristal (Glass lookout platform) at the top of the hill.

Wednesday, January 12, 2022 - Mazatlan to Mexico City:  Today we flew from Mazatlan to Mexico City and stayed at a hotel near the airport.  After several phone calls to the clinic, we got our Covid tests for the flight to Ecuador.  They were negative, which was good news.  We celebrated that and my birthday in the hotel restaurant.

Birthday supper - Tuna ceviche, beet salad and shrimp with cous-cous plus cheesecake for dessert, and beer, of course.

Thursday, January 13, 2022 - Mexico City to Quito, Ecuador:  Our flight to Quito via Panama City departed at 2:00 a.m. this morning so we walked from the hotel to the terminal at 23:00 and hung around near the gate.  Prior to boarding the plane, the airline personnel checked our documents, passports, Covid test results and health declarations, then asked if we had a flight booked out of Quito at the end of our stay.  We did have a flight booked from Quito to Lima at the end of the month, but it was booked as part of our tour package and we didn't have any evidence of the booking.  The airline personnel told us "you have 19 minutes before we close the gate to prove that you have an onward flight" so we got busy on our phones and found a fully refundable flight from Quito to Lima.  After getting a fraud alert from our credit card, we were able to book the tickets, show the booking to the airline personnel and board the flight.  Technically speaking, an onward ticket is required for entry in Ecuador.  It is rarely checked, but if they do check and you don't have one, the airline you arrived on is responsible for getting you back out of the country.  

When we originally booked our flight to Quito, we were scheduled to leave Mexico City at 9:30 a.m., arrive in Panama City at 13:50, then after a 1.5 hour layover, catch our connection to Quito.  With the revised flight departure time, we arrived in Panama City at 6:30 and were scheduled for a long layover before the connecting flight.  We checked the monitors after we landed and saw that there was a 9:30 flight to Quito and, luckily, there was room for us on that flight.  Both flights were uneventful and we landed in Quito just after 12:00.  We got a taxi to our apartment near Parque La Carolina and settled in for our stay in the city.  

View of Parque La Carolina from our apartment in Quito, Ecuador

The altitude in Quito is 2850 meters / 9350 feet above sea level and Dave experienced some of the effects of altitude sickness, fatigue, loss of energy and shortness of breath, the first few days we were there.  We took things easy, did short walks in the park including the botanical gardens, and adjusted to the thin air.

Pitcher plants in the carnivorous plant house at the Quito Botanical Garden

Sunday, Dave was feeling better so we went out to Mitad del Mundo (Center of the World) where the equator, Latitude 0°0'0", crosses  Ecuador.  The area includes an equatorial monument with a yellow line marking the equator, models of ancestral  housing, a chocolate museum and multiple restaurants and souvenir shops.  We wandered around the park, ate lunch at a small restaurant and watched the locals perform traditional dances.

B straddling the equator on the east side of the monument

Dave sitting on the equator

Local ladies performing a traditional dance

Local guys performing a traditional dance

Monday we went on a bus tour of the city, past the multiple parks, through the old town and up to the Panecillo, a small hill at the south end of the historical center of the city.  We had a coffee while we were up there and looked out over the city.

Virgen del Panecillo

Tuesday morning we walked across the Parque La Carolina and had brunch at a local cafe.  Later that afternoon, we took a cab to El Ejido, a large park mid-town, with plans to wander around the park and go to the Culture Museum.  As we exited the cab, we realized Dave had left his sunglasses inside.  We couldn't catch the driver, so we walked towards a shopping area to find a replacement pair.  We stopped at the Artesenal Market to look for some souvenirs, but when we were ready to pay, we discovered Dave's wallet was missing, whether he left it in the cab or he got pick-pocketed, we're not sure.  We spent the rest of the afternoon shutting down credit cards and making lists of what else was missing that we would need to replace.

We checked out of our apartment on Wednesday morning and walked across the park to the Sheraton Hotel where we would meet our tour group tomorrow morning.  After dropping off our luggage, we took a taxi to the TeleferiQo, a gondola that takes you "from the edge of the city centre up the east side of Pichincha Volcano to lookout Cruz Loma. It is one of the highest aerial lifts in the world, rising from 3,117 m to 3,945 m" (10226 feet  to 12943 feet).  We walked some of the trails at the top, hugged a pair of alpacas, swung on the swings and had lunch in the clouds.

B hugging an alpaca at the top of the TeleferiQo

Dave swinging on the swings that overlook the city of Quito 

For our last supper before the start of our tour, we ate at a sushi restaurant and then stopped for homemade gelato on the walk back to the hotel.

Gourmet sashimi at a restaurant near our hotel

Thursday morning we met the other folks in our tour group, then Jorge, our guide for the day, gave us a overview of the activities that were planned.  We got our Covid tests, which were required for our trip to the Galapagos, then went on a tour of the historical center of Quito.

The Hunter, pre-Columbian sculpture at the Museo Casa del Alabado, Quito

The courtyard of the San Francisco Church, Quito

An Ecuadorian girl helping her mother sell scarves outside the San Francisco Church, Quito

We had lunch near the Plaza Grande, then toured the Capilla del Hombre (Chapel of Man) which featured the art work of Oswaldo Guayasamin.

Fancy ice cream at Hotel Plaza Grande, Quito

Guayasamin's painting Mural Los Mutilados at the Capilla del Hombre, Quito.
This is an interesting piece as it is painted in panels that can be rearranged in many different sequences without changing the message of the art.

Back to the hotel for a rest.  Early evening we listened to a lecture about the past, present and future of Ecuador which was very interesting, then we had a group dinner in the hotel dining room where we got the chance to meet the people in our tour group.  There were twelve of us - Gene & Libby from South Carolina, Dawn from Florida, Karen from Texas, David & Susie from Maine, Rob & Diane from Colorado and John & Betty from Michigan.  Everyone in the group has done a lot of travel and it was fun to hear about their previous adventures and about their future plans.

Map of the Galapagos Island and our cruising route to explore the eastern islands

Friday, January 21, 2022 - Quito to the Galapagos Islands  We had an early flight this morning so we gathered in the lobby of the hotel at 5:15 and boarded the bus to the airport at 5:30.  Unfortunately, John had tested positive for Covid, so he and Betty weren't able to join us for the Galapagos leg of our trip.  They stayed behind in Quito and did their quarantine at a nearby hotel.

Our flight stopped in Quayaquil, then we proceeded to Baltra.  There was a cross-wind blowing as we approached the runway and after looping around twice, we finally landed safely on our third attempt.  Lulu, our naturalist, and Erick, the first mate, met us at the airport, got us and our luggage on the bus and helped us transfer into the zodiacs for a ride out to the Tip Top V, our catamaran for the week.  Pablo, the chief steward, gave us a short briefing on the rules aboard the boat, then Lulu reviewed our plans for the rest of the day.  

We had lunch while we cruised from the Baltra anchorage to Playa Las Bachas, then went to our cabin to try on our wetsuits and to get ready for our first adventure, a beach walk and snorkeling.  Before we boarded the zodiacs, Lulu asked us to rate our snorkeling skills.  With the exception of Libby and Susie, everyone was fairly comfortable.  Today's snorkeling destination was from the beach in benign water and Lulu agreed that she would give Susie and Libby extra help while she made sure the rest of us were ok.

A marine iguana, Las Bachas Beach, Santa Cruz Island

Flamingo in a pond, Las Bachas Beach, Santa Cruz Island

Dave helping B adjust her mask and snorkel, Las Bachas Beach, Santa Cruz Island

Sea Turtle tracks leading up the hill to a nesting area, Las Bachas Beach, Santa Crus Island

We went back to the boat to freshen up, Lulu gave us an overview of the next day's activities, then we had a safety drill followed by a welcome cocktail with the crew and supper.  After supper, the captain fired up the engine and we cruised north to Genovesa Island.

Saturday, January 22, 2022 - Genovesa Island, Galapagos  The fleet of boats that cruise the Galapagos Island are controlled by the Galapagos National Park service and the itinerary details are subject to change but, generally, each boat does a two-week circuit of the islands.  One week is spent on the east side of the archipelago and the second week is spent on the west side.  Our tour was of the islands to the east.  All of the cruises start at Baltra Island, where a former US Army World War II base is now the main airport for the Galapagos Islands.

Genovesa Island is north of the equator and is known for its birds including frigate birds, red-footed boobies, swallow-tailed gulls, Nazca boobies and if you are lucky, the short-eared owl, one of the only owls that hunts during the day instead of at night.  We had a pre-breakfast (coffee and fruit), then boarded the zodiacs and went to the island for a dry landing at Prince Philips Steps and a nature hike around the island.

Walking up Prince Philips Step, Genovesa Islands

Red-footed booby

Baby Nazca booby

Short-eared owl eating its breakfast

A Nazca booby

After our hike, we went back to the boat for breakfast, then went out in the kayaks and paddled along under the rock cliffs near Prince Philips steps.

B and Dave kayaking, Genovesa Island

Our next activity was snorkeling, so we went back to the Tip Top V, turned in our kayaks and got into our wetsuits.

The group ready for snorkeling from the zodiac, Genovesa Island

A spotted eagle ray

At the end of our snorkeling session, Lulu gave us the opportunity to go again in another location with the possibility of seeing hammerhead sharks so we took her up on it.  The visibility wasn't great but we did get to see the sharks.

After snorkeling, we took a break for lunch, had a well-deserved nap and read up on the top deck.  Mid-afternoon, we loaded into the zodiacs for a wet landing at Darwin Bay where we took a short walk along the beach and then did some more snorkeling.

Swallow-tailed gulls with a baby chick

Swallow-tailed gull with an egg

Baby sea lion playing in a pool

A group (shiver) of white tipped reef sharks.  Dave counted 18.

We went back to the Tip Top for showers and happy hour.  Lulu gave us a briefing on the next day's activities along with a short lecture, then it was time for supper.  After supper, the captain fired the engines and we heaved anchor for our cruise to South Plaza Island.

Sunday, January 23, 2022 - South Plaza Island and Santa Fe Island, Galapagos  Breakfast was at 6:00 this morning, then we loaded into the zodiacs at 6:45 for a dry landing and a nature hike at South Plazas Island.  The main attractions on the island are the tall prickly pear cactus, the Galapagos red carpet weed and the land iguanas.

Prickly pear cactus with two land iguanas underneath, South Plazas Island

Land iguana, South Plazas Island

Land Iguana, South Plazas Island

Yellow Warbler, South Plazas Island

Galapagos red carpet plant and prickly pear cactus on South Plazas Island. 
Our boat, the Tip Top V, along with two others are at anchor.  

After our hike, we went back to the Tip Top V, heaved anchor and cruised for about 2 hours to Santa Fe Island.  We suited up in our wetsuits, boarded the zodiacs and were in the water snorkeling at 12:01.  The water was really clear and we saw a lot of tropical fish, sharks, rays and sea turtles.  A blue-footed booby dove right behind B as she was snorkeling.   

Lulu snorkeling.  One of her hobbies is photography and she took many of the photos used in the Galapagos section of this blog.

A ray

Yellowtail surgeonfish and King Angelfish

Dave snorkeling

Large school of yellowtail surgeon fish

Sea turtle

We snorkeled for about an hour, then took a break for lunch and a rest.  Mid-afternoon we went out kayaking, then for a nature hike on Santa Fe Island.

A sea lion pup on the rocky shore.  We were able to get in close with the kayak.

Sea lions napping on the beach, Santa Fe Island. 
If you look closely you can see one has a red tag, used for tracking, on its fin.

Don't move, there's a  Santa Fe iguana on your foot.

Our group on the beach with the sea lions.  The Tip Top V is in the background.
Susie, David, Dawn, Diane, Rob, Karen, B, Dave, Libby and Gene.

After an active day, we were all ready for happy hour and supper when we got back to the boat.  Anchor up at 20:15 for a short (+/- 2 hour) cruise to Santa Cruz Island.

Monday, January 24, 2022 - Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos  After breakfast this morning, we boarded the zodiacs and went ashore at Puerto Ayora on the south shore of Santa Cruz Island.  Our first stop was the Charles Darwin Research Station where we learned about the giant tortoise breeding program and other scientific research being conducted at the station.

The entrance to the Charles Darwin Research Station

Galapagos giant tortoises at the Charles Darwin Research Station. 
Notice the different shape of each tortoise's shell, an indication of which island they are from and the type of food they eat.  

Next, we took a bus ride up into the highlands of Santa Cruz Island where we explored sink holes created by ancient magma chambers, hiked and crawled through a lava tunnel, walked trails through the woods with giant tortoises and had lunch.

Sink hole in the highlands of Santa Cruz Island

B and Dave with a giant tortoise up in the highlands

Tortoises enjoying a mud bath

The group climbing down into the lava tunnel

B, followed by Dave, crawling through a tight spot in the lava tunnel

After lunch, the bus took us back into Puerto Ayora where we spent the rest of the afternoon wandering around on our own.  Dave and I bought a few souvenirs and tried the local beer before going back out to the Tip Top V for happy hour and supper.  Anchor up at 22:30 for a 3 hour cruise to the north side of Floreana Island.

Ceramic garden, Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos

A small bar surrounded by trees in bloom, Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos

Tuesday, January 25, 2022 - Floreana Island, Galapagos  Our day started with a zodiac ride to La Olla Bay on the north side of Floreana Island, a wet landing and a hike up to La Baronesa View Point,  There is a story of human drama, soap opera style, associated with the humans that lived on the island in the 1930s.  Nobody knows the true story, but this blog has a good summary.  If you want to know more, the book "The Galapagos Affair: Satan Came to Eden", made into a movie in 2013, tells the most popular version of the story.

The view of the cove from La Baronesa Viewpoint.  Erick is in the zodiac towing the kayaks.

As we were standing up on the viewing platform, Lulu spotted a penguin swimming in the cove below.  She cut off her story and we hustled down the steps in order to watch the penguin.  They are a rare sighting at this island and we were lucky to see one.  After taking photos, we loaded into our kayaks and paddled around the cove and back to the Tip Top V.  We cruised from La Olla Bay to Post Office Bay then climbed back into the zodiacs and went ashore for a short hike to the "Post Office", snorkeling and beach time.

The Galapagos penguin, Floreana Island

B and Dave kayaking near a flamingo, Floreana Island, Galapagos

Blue footed booby, Floreana Island

B mailing postcards from the "Post Office" at Floreana Island.  The system has worked since the days of the whaling ships, when people came to the island and if they saw letters to someone near their hometown, they would take the letters and deliver them.  It still works today.  A few people in our group found postcards and took them so that they could deliver them when they got home.  My mom, Louise, reported that she received hers in early February.

A blue star fish, Post Office Bay, Floreana Island

We had lunch and a short rest, then it was time for our afternoon snorkeling at Champion Island.  When several people in our group mentioned that they didn't want to snorkel, Lulu quietly said "Don't miss this one".  It didn't take much convincing before we all suited up and got ready to go.  She wasn't kidding, this was the best snorkeling on the whole trip.  The water was extremely clear and there were lots and lots of colorful fish, playful sea lions, white tipped reef sharks and sea turtles.

Sea lions playing, Champion Island, Galapagos

We went back to the Tip Top V, moved to Punta Cormorant then went ashore for a nature hike and some beach time.

Sea turtles in the surf at Punta Cormorant.  They were waiting for it to get dark before going up the beach to lay their eggs.

After a very busy day, we settled in for happy hour and supper.  Chef Raul had a surprise for us tonight.  For dessert he cooked us bananas flambe then put on some dance music and entertained us with his hip hop moves.  We had a good laugh then time for bed and our 6 hour cruise to Espanola Island.

Wednesday, January 26, 2022 - Espanola Island, Galapagos  Breakfast then a zodiac ride to Punta Suarez on Espanola Island where we went for a nature hike.  

A sea lion in the rocks near our landing spot at Punta Suarez

A marine Christmas iguana

 A group of marine Christmas iguanas huddled together keeping warm

  

Dave and B watching the blow hole on Espanola Island

Nazca booby with an egg, Espanola Island, Galapagos

Juvenile albatross, Espanola Island

Blue footed boobies.  The one at the top left is doing the mating dance.

Baby sea lions on the beach, Punta Suarez, Espanola Island

After our walk, we went back out to the Tip Top V for a snack and some relaxation while we moved to the next anchorage.  At 12:01 we were in the water snorkeling.  There were a lot of playful sea lions around and we watched as Lulu and Dave dove down to the bottom while the sea lions followed their moves.

A colorful fish hiding in the rocks

Colorful fish, coral and sea plants

Playful sea lion swimming near B

We went back to the boat for lunch and then some of us went ashore at Gardner Bay to spend time walking along the beach.

The white sand beach at Gardner Bay

Sea lions basking in the sun on the beach at Gardner Bay

Mockingbirds on the beach at Gardner Bay.  They were very curious

Karen was playing with the mockingbirds, who were very curious, when a sea lion decided it wanted to get close to her.  Most of us didn't know what was happening, but Lulu, our naturalist, started laughing and couldn't stop.  The video of Karen and the sea lion is here:

Another busy day.  We went back to the Tip Top V and cruised to San Cristobal Island, had supper, looked at photos and Lulu gave us our briefing for tomorrow's activities.

Thursday, January 27, 2022 - San Cristobal Island, Galapagos  Today we started with a cruise around Kicker Rock, aka Leon Dormido (sleeping lion).  As we were getting close to the rock, Lulu spotted some dolphins so we changed course to get closer to them.

Kicker Rock, aka Leon Dormido

A dolphin surfing the bow wake of the Tip Top V

We finished our circumnavigation of Kicker Rock then had breakfast.

Chef Raul in the galley of the Tip Top V cooking breakfast

After breakfast, we went for a zodiac ride around Warlock Hill (Cerro Brujo), ducking in and out of the cliffs and cruising through a natural arch in the rocks.

One of the zodiacs cruising between the cliffs of Cerro Brujo

Cliff formation called The Cathedral, Cerro Brujo

Zodiac cruising through a natural arch on Cerro Brujo

At the end of our zodiac tour, we had the option to go ashore and walk the beach or to go snorkeling one last time.  Dave, Diane and I all chose the snorkeling option.

Sea lion playing on the bottom

Sea lion ballerina

Sea turtle

The crew moved the Tip Top V into the bay near the town of San Cristobal and, after lunch, we went to the Interpretation Center.  The center includes information about the geological and human history of the islands along with explanations of the conservation efforts being implemented.  From the Interpretation Center, we walked through the downtown area, shopped for souvenirs, did some people watching and had a beer near the shore.  The zodiacs picked us up for our last night aboard the Tip Top V.  We had a farewell cocktail with the crew, supper and then it was time for bed.  Anchor up at 21:30 for our cruise to Santa Cruz Island.

B with a replica of Charles Darwin and the Beagle, downtown San Cristobal

A sea lion sleeping on a bench at the San Cristobal pier.  The saying on the bench says "Conservemos Lo Nuestro"  which in English mean Let's Keep What's Ours.

Dave relaxing at a small cafe downtown San Cristobal

B's souvenir from the trip, a pair of blue footed booby earrings

Friday, January 28, 2022 - Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos to Lima, Peru  This morning, before sunrise, we loaded into the zodiacs and went for a tour of Black Turtle Cove.  We saw sea turtles, baby sharks, rays and lots of birds.  Back aboard the Tip Top V, we packed our bags, ate breakfast and got ready to leave the boat.

Sunrise near Black Turtle Cove, Santa Cruz Island

Baby shark, Black Turtle Cove, Santa Cruz Island

A ray swimming under the mangroves, Black Turtle Cove, Santa Cruz Island

A sea turtle near the zodiac, Black Turtle Cove, Santa Cruz Island

We cruised to the bay at Baltra Island and the crew helped load us and our luggage into the zodiacs for the trip to shore.  We said our goodbyes, then Lulu and Erick escorted us to the airport and made sure we got through security.  Next stop, Lima, Peru.

Until next time...