Galapagos - Darwin Research Center

This morning we started with a wake up at 5:30, which I think is going to be the general rule for the week. Breakfast at 6 then off on our first journey of the day.

We took the Zodiacs to shore and walked approximately 2km to the Charles Darwin Research Center. This research center has been working for about the last 20 years on reintroducing the Tortoises to one of the islands, and building up the population again on others.

The buccaneers and whalers captured many thousands of the tortoises during their travels through here, to the point where some of the islands have become extinct.

One poor tortoise named Lonesome George was brought here to the center because he is the only known tortoise left of his species in the world. They have tried introducing him to females but so far there are none to his liking. So we got to visit Lonesome George, see lots of baby tortoises and sit amongst the bigger tortoises.

It is amazing how big these get.

We also spent a little time on the fishing pier today watching some of the locals bring in their catch. Not only were we there, but so were sea lions, pelicans, blue heron all fighting for any scraps or handouts from the fisherman. The pelicans were the most bold, they would sweep down right at the fisherman and try to grab the catch from them.

Back to the ship for lunch, then a 1 hour break and off again for more exploring. We went to the highlands and had a course on geology. This guide really knows his stuff, but I am afraid that my brain is now on overload and I am hardly absorbing anything.

Plus with all of the action going on around you with the animals it is a little hard to concentrate.

We walked for about 2 hours through the highlands.

Next stop was on to a farmers land that luckily for him, and us, the tortoises pass through for migration.

Our guide once again had it all figured out, there were about 4 busses at the site when we arrived, then they all left shortly after and we started our walk. We kept being told to blend in, which basically means get down real low so the tortoise doesn`t see you as a big intimidating object.

In the Research Center this morning the tortoise are really used to humans, and not shy at all. In the wild they are much more timid around humans, but if you blend in and stay small and quiet they will walk around you. It was truly amazing, looking out over the fields you could see what looked like large rocks, but of course when you got up close it was tortoise shells we were seeing.

The end was the most amazing, we came around a corner to a little pool of fresh water that was filled with about 20 tortoise. Our guide had timed it so we would see the tortoise coming down from the mountain for water. It was like being inside a movie having them walk right by you and go down to the water.

We are now back on ship finished supper, Andre and I are the only ones up still and it is 9:30. We have been warned that tonight will be a rough night of sailing. We are moving on to another island that is about 7.5 hours away, wake up call at 5:30 again and they want us on shore by 6:45 to beat the other boats. I can`t wait for tomorrow, our first day that we will make it into the water for some snorkelling.