Bob and Ann in Peru and Equador in 2008

Please visit October 18 slideshow

Blue footed boobie on Isla Bartolome


Yellow warbler on Isla Bartolome

After a short flight to Guayaquil, the largest and the most populous city in Ecuador, we then flew to the Isla Baltra airstrip, where Harry, our guide, welcomed us to the Galapagos. His assurance that we would be having lunch soon on our Yacht was taken with relief and some amusement at what we believed was Harry's irony in reference to our Galapagos lodging. As our pangas approached the Athala we were pleased to see the handsome catamaran, which on inspection of our quarters really could be classified, as a luxury vessel.

All 15 of us were seated at the large dining table for a chicken, veggie salad lunch. Harry gave us a run down of what was in store for the afternoon and gave us our cabin assignments.

Our cabin on the 2nd deck was dominated by a King sized bed which faced two large windows. Sets of towels folded at the foot of the bed were refreshed several times each day with clever folds courtesy of the cabin steward. We had plenty of storage space and a real shower in our bathroom.

Ample decks and comfortable lounge and dining area gave our group space for togetherness.

The Athala had motored to an anchorage off a beach where we could snorkel and swim with many tropical fish although by 4PM it was chilly with the sun almost gone. At 5PM we took the two pangas from the Athala across the Bay of Bartholome Island where we hiked to the top of a hill and enjoyed the splendid sunset and Harry's identification of the neighboring islands.

By 6:30 we had returned to our yacht, showered and gathered in the lounge for crème-de-menthe cocktails and were introduced to 7 of the 9 who served as our crew in dress whites. We were ready for the good dinner of avocado salad, chicken, fried yucca, broccoi/cauliflower dish and chocolate pudding for dessert. We adjourned to the sky deck to check out the stars -- brilliant. We were in bed by 9:15 and underway to St Lucas Island in rather rough seas.