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Trafficated

 

What does Trafficated mean?

 
 
 


Written by: Daryl

Photos: by Shelly Brennan and Daryl *

Can't Seem To Leave!!  

     Originally, the port Capitania in Puerto Ayora, on Isla Santa Cruz, gave our boat a stay of 3 days in the Galapagos out of a maximum 20.  That became extended to 15 days when we explained to him that the minor infection in my leg was taking a long time to heal and we didn’t want to risk setting sail with it in that condition.  It was a somewhat truthful excuse.  Then, after the 15 days expired, a ‘deal’ was struck between us and the Capitania and we received another extension of a week.  Now, it has been 6 weeks and we are still here. We have been kind of avoiding the Capitania, since we aren’t really sure how he feels about our self imposed extension.  We also knew that all of our back street sneaking wasn’t going to last forever and sooner or later we would end up meeting with him.  Then, last week, we woke up to find out that our dinghy was gone!!  It blew away with the night wind and a quick calculation determined it should be somewhere on the shore.  But, before we went searching, we had to have some breakfast and do a little tanning on the boat to get the day started, sometimes being on vacation can be hard work and we have to keep things in perspective.  A few minutes after our arrival on land, via a water taxi, our good friend Paddy the tour guide had a lead,…the Capitania found it!!  ‘Oh Great!’  We walked up to the Port Officina and sure enough the first thing the Capitania asks us, in Spanish,…’When are you guys leaving?’ It is lucky that we don’t speak much Spanish and we weren’t able to understand the extra adjectives he was using in the question. ‘Possibly mas Tardes’(maybe later) we replied,…we always reply.  Then he informs us that it was rescued by one of his personnel who ended up slipping on the lava shore and cutting his leg bad enough to put him in the hospital.  Just when we were laying low trying not to create any problems for the Capitania, our dinghy goes and puts one of his personnel in the hospital.  We ended up getting our dinghy back with some fumbled Spanish excuses on why we haven’t left yet, including 'Muchas Chicas' which was received with a smile.  So, we didn’t receive any real hassle from the Capitania about still being here.  I mean he is on our ‘payroll’ now so, there really shouldn’t be any problem.  Some quick thinking by Kjell, also made the dinghy rescuers leg feel better with a nice bottle of whiskey gratitude.  Unfortunately, for the dinghy, it opened up some old wounds on the rocks and now when we drive it we have to use one arm for steering, one arm for bailing water and one foot for pumping air, continuously. 

         So now, we can’t get the motor started on the boat (again) and haven’t been able to for the past 4 weeks.  But our new ‘retired’ attitudes have taught us not to worry about such inconveniences, and each day we go through the routine of turning the key, spraying some quick start and then after a few minutes of listening to the sputtering of the engine, we conclude that it won’t start today and we will try again tomorrow.  Our new attitudes have also enabled us to receive, for free!, a 2 month Galapagos Cruising permit allowing us to stay and cruise in the Galapagos without any more Capitania ‘deals’.  This means we are able to leave the confinement of our current port and sail to the other 3 port islands, if we ever get the motor running.  But, with the beauty of the sea, sun and sand in our backyard here in Puerto Ayora, repairing the motor has easily moved to the bottom of our priority list.  What do we really need a motor for anyway? It is a ‘sail’boat.  Sailors have been sailing in these waters for centuries prior to the invention of the motor, and we do consider ourselves to be sailors!

     The town of Puerto Ayora is a great little place.  Since our arrival, we have been welcomed into the community and it is impossible for us to walk down the street without at least 10 different locals waving to us, or stopping for a traditional handshake greeting and, if you are a lady, a kiss on the cheek!   Kjell and I always have a laugh when we think about the fact that most people who visit the Galapagos spend thousands to get here and only stay a week or two, rushing through one of the tours that are available.  We have spent a total of $188 ($100 of that for the ‘deal’) and have been here 6 weeks with the possiblity of staying another two months with our new Cruising Permit, if we choose to.  We must be doing something right.

 

-Unfortunately, the destiny of my camera has left us unable to document the past few weeks with regular photos. Another one is on the way.  However, I managed to meet up with an Australian traveler, Shelly Brennan, who had the advantage of taking one of the many tours to some of the other Islands here in the Galapagos and is letting me use her Photos for our Website.  On these tours you get to experience a Galapagos that you don’t see or feel here on Santa Cruz.  The animals are uncharacteristically unafraid of humans on these Islands and you are able to get very close for some unbelievable memories and great photos.

 

      

        Swallow-tail Gulls       Bartolome          Sombrero Chino      Isla de Rabida      Masked Booby

      

          South Plaza           South Plaza          Isla de Rabida      Iguana Carcass       Bartolome

    

 

 

Click on Photo to enlarge.          

           *

 

  Baby Sea Lion       Marine Iguana

    Frigate Bird            Baby Booby

  Mom with Baby       On Espanola

  Marine Iguana       Land Tortoise

   Land Iguana        Sally-lightfoot

  Frigates Mating

    Albatrosses

      Courting

 

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