October 13, 2009
Location: Santa Fe Island
Time: 6:35 PM
Weather: Began misty and cloudy then sunny and absolutely stunning all day!!!
The. Best. Day. Ever.
We woke up at 5:30 AM to eat and tour Santa Cruz for a bit with Fossy, our Ecuadorian guide for the week. Our first stop was Los Gemelos, pit craters located on the very highest point of the island. Several theories exist to explain the random craters in the middle of nowhere: a big lava bubble could have formed and burst, leaving the hollow, rounded spaces; a lava tunnel could have collapsed; or another one which I can't seem to remember at the moment. At any rate, the two craters are enormous and covered in vegetation now. The sides are steep and nearly sheer rock. If not for a few low guide rails, it would be an easy mistake to step into the mist and tumble right over the ledges.
Next we toured Primicias Ranch. Giant tortoises roam the area in the “wild.” Did you know turtles pass gas? I bet you didn't! Their poo is also larger than my foot. I have the pictures to prove it. At the same ranch, we walked through a lava tube: a cave in the ground formed where lava flowed through a hardened crust and left an open space. It was gloriously muddy and wonderful to spelunk through.
A bit more shopping at the Port allowed Megan, Ashley Hand, and I to explore the fish market. Remember how I said that sea lions feel a sense of entitlement to everything? The pelicans do as well. We saw a whole flock of enormous pelicans along with several sea lions begging for scraps of fish and trying to steal whole ones from the fishermen. It was unbelievable. I also found a pair of black shoes I just had to buy.
These last two weeks I have been eyeing the Cuencana women's shoes. They have the capability to wear heels everywhere and if it isn't heels they're wearing, they're wearing sharp little boots or strappy sandals. I would kill for the shoes these women wear. So I finally bought a pair of black shoes. They're perfect for hiking through mud and soggy areas and positively the most hideous shoes that my feet have ever touched. My toes practically recoiled at the sight of them but they're necessary. I don't want to get my hiking boots soaked and I can't wear sandals.
Setting sail for Santa Fe was magnificent. I was so anxious to get into the sun, I was giddy. The three hour sail was enough time to get a lovely tan and take a bit of a nap. Apparently the towel wrapped around my body inspired my fellow students to drape another towel across my feet and take a picture of me as a mermaid. Thanks, guys. The waves in the open ocean were large enough to send half the group running to their cabins. Fortunately, I had no problems and remained on deck the entire day. Nate and I had fun swinging from a large beam running the length of the ship as it rocked under us. I can't even begin to describe how perfect the afternoon was. The sun was glorious and bright and hot and if I didn't know any better, I would worship it. I love the hot, hot sun but the wind whipping through my hair kept it from being overpowering. The experience of being on a ship makes me want to play Titanic (“I'm flying, Jack! I'm flying!”).
Walking at sea is a treat. I haven't acquired my sea legs quite yet, nor has the rest of the group. Several of us nearly went overboard and we did fall on each other frequently.
We arrived on Santa Fe in the mid-afternoon and immediately broke out our snorkeling gear. I plunged backward over the side of the dinghy and right into a school of tiny fish. Several brightly-colored fish were weaving among anemone-covered rocks. Near the shore, a sea lion dove into the water right next to me and Jenny. She spun around me, blowing bubbles in my face and making gurgling grunts. We took pictures of her before we were yelled at for being too far away from the group. I swam with a sea lion: a legitimate, live, wild sea lion in her natural habitat! This is better than Sea World!
I was so terribly cold after snorkeling that I couldn't stop shaking until I'd consumed four cups of hot coffee and layered fleece up to my eye balls. One of the crew members teased me about how much I shake. For those of you who've had the pleasure of seeing me in an Ohio winter know how violently I shake. I'm worried that I won't be able to stay warm enough for longer than a half-hour in the water. The Pacific is warm, but the Humboldt current sweeps icy water from the South. It's the reason why penguins are able to live on the Equator but also the reason why I wimp out of swimming here. Mama Isa has tried to stuff me with carbs in the last 10 days but I have yet to acquire the layer of blubber under my skin to keep me warm.
The crew brought us to the island before dinner to show us land iguanas and more sea lions. Each alcove had a harem of females jealously guarded by an enormous alpha male bellowing his claim over them as he patrols the coast. Quite a few pups played among the protective crown of rocks on the beach. They make me want to weep gumdrop tears, they're so adorable. They are sleek as satin when wet but velveteen fur balls once the sun reaches them. It's amazing how they can simply not care less about what you're doing. Santa Fe belongs to them and they know it.
Our dinghy ride back to the boat at sunset was punctuated by white-tipped fins protruding from the water and nervous titters. We just snorkeled in the same bay.
Food on the boat is very enjoyable so far. We still eat rice, but it's brown. We have salad. We have vegetables in olive oil—not smothered in mayonnaise. We have PASTA! Glorious spaghetti! Cake! American food! I know I'm being ethnocentric but I've had enough freaking white rice to last me a life time. No mas. Really. I mean it. Mom, please don't make rice for the entire month of December, the entire month of January, and so on. Blech.
The crew of the Golondrina seems very sweet. One of the younger ones, Randy, came up to talk to me last night as I was trying to write and I was able to carry on a conversation in Spanish—mostly.
We set sail in fifteen minutes for a seven hour sail to our next island. This is truly an adventure of a lifetime.
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