A long day with an early breakfast and then a coach to the airport at 8:30. The scheduled flight was delayed by half an hour and we eventually took off at noon, stopping at Guayaquil, and arriving at San Cristobal around 3 pm, the time here being one hour back from Quito. There was a long queue at immigration, and it was very hot in the terminal, but once through, we got on a coach to the port and then on a zodiac to the ship. But even here we were queued. In order to have our photo taken.
Cabin 618 was very luxurious and the Butler Danny and his assistant. Ivan were insistent on telling us all about it even though we had little time before the safety drill and we had to fit in a pleasant lunch before this.
Then the expedition leader, Paulina, gave us her introduction, all a bit of a rush. Then another short time to finish the unpacking before Paulina‘s 7 pm presentation on the morrow and a zodiac safety talk.
We sailed past Kicker Rock, most impressive with the sun's dying rays on it. had dinner in Hot Rocks, a pleasant space, before wandering round the ship for a bit, including the stargazing deck and then to a welcome bed.
Click on any of the thumbnail photos for a larger version
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Kicker Rock is the vertical remnant of a former tuff cone less than 5 kilometers to the west of San Cristobal. Both its Spanish name “Leon Dormido” (Sleeping Lion) and English name Kicker Rock imply that it is one rock only -when in fact it is a larger one 300 meters long by 100 meters wide with a maximum height of approximately 150 meters and next to it an obelisk-like rock separated by a narrow channel some 20 meters deep.
When approaching Kicker Rock, Blue-footed Boobies, Nazca Boobies and frigatebirds can be observed, while sea lions can be seen along the shore. An interesting explanation for the English name suggests that James Colnett in 1794 likened it to famous landmarks in Portsmouth.
On to Sunday 10 March - Isla Bartolome & Buccaneer Cove, Santiago