Shiplogs: Galápagos Islands

magyarul

     20/05/2007 - 12/06/2007                                   »»   page 2/3   »»

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10. day - 29/05/2007 - , 7. Day Oil sea The sun was shining very strongly in the morning, but now we wish to have rather a strong wind. There was not any wind at all. We were drifting with the current to north meanwhile I was cutting Geza´s hair. But the current was not always pleased us and sometimes turned against. A big group of dolphins were jumping far away and when they noticed the boat they turned 90 degrees and went away. At around 8.30 pm we passed again the equator so we will spend couple of days still on the north part of the Earth. We feel that the currents are changing continuously below us and the wind is weaker. In the night the cost guard from the Galapagos came close to see the boat. They asked the boat name and left quickly with their high-speed engines. Daily position: 09:00 0-32.00S 88-20.09W log= 18455.5

11. day - 30/05/2007 - , 8. Day Preparing the lines for towing Slowly but stadily the currents here play a practical joke on us. Today we got into a strong south-western counter current which significantly reduced our speed even in the breeze. We hardly performed 1 knots of average speed with all the sails in the morning. If it makes burden on us it helps Aron at least who sails opposite to us. He sailed closer to us luckily. The currents of the Galapagos used to be the basic story of the seamen. Other name of the island is Encantadas (Bewitched) because of the unpredictable currents around the volcanic islands. Seamen told the story about islands which produce the illusion of moving. It is true that the currents confuse sail men here and make sailing difficult around. During this not so fascinating sailing we started to prepare the lines in case we have to tug Arons boat. We had one 50 meters and a 20 meters long lines to use for this purpose. We made a monkey fist (weight made of rice ala Rotor) to throw the lines on board of the other boat. It was also amazing that in a stronger, 11 knots of wind we hardly performed again 3 knots of speed because of the strong counter current below. We called Aron on VHF radio at midnight. We might be heard from here... By that time the distance could have been only approximately 10 miles between the two boats. We could hear Arons voice loud and clear on VHF... Daily positions: 10:00 0-04.00N 88-38.89W log= 18496.1 18:00 0-16.00N 88-34.76W log= 18508.8

12. day - 31/05/2007 - , 9. Day After the radio communication with Aron we calmed down. According to his new position he was coming towards us. We stopped and parked the Rotor in the ocean. No sense to go to north against the current and he had not got navigation lights in the night due to his seriously low batteries (there was not enough sunshine to fill them up). The low batteries make the radio communication hard too because he has to switch off his radio after every call. We usually call on a previously arranged time. The next call was at 6 am. He confirmed his position and direction. In the south wind he could sail towards southeast. We set the sails and started to go towards east to meet him at a point during the day. At 11.30 am Aron did a surprise call on VHF. He saw our mast from far away. We took the binoculars and saw him too between the zenith and the horizon. We were happy to find him and he looked happy, as this was his 37. day on the open sea without having any company. When we got closer we both took pictures of each others boats. This time we were about 120 miles northeast of the islands so it was time to get closer to them. The turn was very pleasant in a good 10-13 knots of wind and we could continue the way towards the islands without any current below us. We knew that after sunset Carina (19 feet sailing boat of Aron) will disappear in the dark so we discussed to call each other at 2 and 8 am and we switched on the navigation lights of Rotor to be followed easily by Aron. Daily positions: 00:00 0-26.30N 88-37.30W log= 18519.4 06:00 0-23.00N 88-37.00W log= 18522.7 18:00 0-13.70N 88-18.49W log= 18543.4 Aron the Robinson of the Pacific Ocean appeared Rotor Rotor

13. day - 01/06/2007 - , 10. Day Early in the morning a current arrived towards southwest. It was like a rushing train. We hopped on and were on the way towards the islands. It was more than 1 knot and became stronger during the day. Aron could get well with it although he was drifting a bit towards west. (Imagine that his small 19 feet boat sails by 2 knots in a breeze and the current starts to push his boat by 1.5-1.8 knots to the west.) It is not a problem on the way as the waypoints are far away from the islands on a safe distance. Although Aron had enough food on board we thought to make him a package with fresh (if we can say fresh after 10 days sailing) fruit, veggies, sausage, bred and eggs in it. We left in a box in the sea and he picked it up Daily position: 20:00 0-15.49S 89-14.89W log= 18606.9 Rotor

14. day - 02/06/2007 - , 11. Day In the nights we were sailing 1 mile before Carina to avoid the collusion with it, as it had not got navigation lights. We kept the regular VHF calls. At 2 am we had bad news from Aron. He drifted 4 miles away north of the track in the northwest current above Cristobal. But it was not a big problem as we could still hear him on VHF. In the morning he could sail closer and had only a 2 miles distance from the track due to the stronger wind. In the morning we could see him and we informed him about the many dolphins and fish around. In the afternoon the wind arrived therefore we changed track and tried to go to the south. It was not easy in the northwest current and also the left spreader of Carina broke. Carina performed an average 1 knots, sometimes the current won though and the boat was drifting again to the north. In the evening we were still at the northeast part of Santa Cruz Island and could not get to the south. We were in a safe distance from the islands and there was not any traffic therefore the two captains went to sleep before tugging Carina. I had the task to watch the two boats in the night. Tugging was necessary due to two reasons: we could not get to the south port of the island in the weak wind and northwest current and the manoeuvre capability of Carina was not safe in a small place such as a port or between two islands. Daily position: 17:00 0-32.80S 89-48.00W log= 18644.2

15. day - 03/06/2007 - , 12. Day - Arrival Towing Towing Colours of the Anchorage The captains of Carina and Rotor woke up at 2 am. Aron was asleep and could not notice that his sails had turned and the boat had gone away towards northwest in the current. This was the point he had to stop as the island of Santa Cruz was very close. The currents could be stronger around the island and it could be a problem sailing back in it. There was not any wind. So it was time to tow. We started our engines and went for Aron. He made a bit of light with his torche to see him in the dark. We reached his boat droped the lines then he tied them to his boat. We towed him towards Santa Cruz. A seal came to us close when we entered the bay. It seemed it said hello to us:-) We saw vulcanic stones and shores grey clouds and fog. We arrived at the Academy bay at around lunch time. Both boats dropped the anchor. The port is open to the southeastern winds and the waves can come in. Most of the boats hold with two anchors so we did the same. One for and one back anchor was dropped. There is not any dinghy dock, however a water taxi (only half dollar) can be called whenevever we wanted to get to the shore. We had not got cruising permit on the islands. From Ecuador it can be very expesive to get one. It is around 1000 dollars. The trick was in the old times to declare a wrong engine or something like that and based on the international laws the capitancy gave a 3 days permit to fix everything. Today things have changed due to the increasing importance of tourism and every sailingboat can stop for 20 days. You cannot sail around the islands with it but you can anchor in the Academy bay. We declared also immigration on the same day. On the day we arrived we noticed some different species of animals and the beauties of the surrounding nature: birds, iguanas, seals, turtles etc. We will write about them in details. We would like to say thanks to the Hungarian radio amateurs living in America: Freddie, Gyuri, Laci, Pali, Pista and the others who helped us to find Aron. Daily positions: 06:00 0-45.00S 90-09.00W log= 18668.5 10:00 0-45.00S 90-18.00W log= 18668.5 Welcome drink Crab Brown pelican Marine Iguana Foto Foto Marine Iguana Together Colourful Bird Water taxi

16. day - 04/06/2007 - , Darwin Foundation Puppy Seal Darwin Research Station Tortoise Nursery Galapagos was discovered by accident by Tomas de Berlanga in 1535. Berlanga drifted off course on his way from Panama to Peru. (It is possible that indigenous people were aware of the existence of the islands before.) The name of Galápagos came from the giant Galápago (tortoise). In the following centuries pirates and whalers visited the islands for replenishment of their boats. Charles Darwin arrived on Beagle in 1835 and collected evidence for his theory of evolution. The creatures were different on the islands than their relatives on land. It was interesting to see that the seals on the shore act like a puppy. They climb even on a boat. The sellers of the fish market on the main street were really angry with one of them. The seal was stealing the fish parts and fought with the humans and also with the pelicans for it. The seal was not afraid of anyone although the sellers spread it with water to go away. It was just like in a circus attraction. We were really excited to see some part of the islands. So first we went to see the national park of Santa Cruz. Thanks to the Darwin foundation here people try to study and save the special creatures of the islands, which were depopulated due to the human devastations (hunting and introduction of new animals on the islands such as dogs, cats, goats and pigs which started to hunt for the unprotected species). On the research station people collects the eggs of the threatened tortoises (or other animals) they put them into incubators and raise the children until the second age. They make them familiar with the natural environment until they are 5 years old, then they let them to go with a chip under their skin. Otherwise these animals could not reach a matured adult age. We saw many giant tortoises in the park from the surrounding islands. They could be 250 kilograms and 150 years old. We saw other animals too such as the marine (the only seagoing in the world) and land iguanas. One of them ate too much and could not move. There are different giant tortoises from the islands and the differences can be seen on their size and shells. There are 14 subspecies (one is Darwin tortoise) of these tortoises, but 3 of them are extinct. Tortoises were one base of Darwins observations too. Male Giant Tortoise Male and Female Giant Tortoise Eva and the tortoise Face of a Giant Tortoise Giant Tortoise Eating Land Iguana I am full... Giant Tortoise Harmony

17. day - 05/06/2007 - , Geology and currents Searching for the Anchor Today we invited Aron and Cameron (helpful Australian sailor) for a lunch on board. During Aron and Geza removed and repaired the mast of Carina and searched for the lost anchor of Aron, I collected some facts which effect the special environment and animals on the islands. The archipelago is volcanic creation (one of the most active today too) and relatively young 4-5 million years old. It is approximately 1000 km from the main land. The local birds, iguanas, tortoises etc. came from the main land. The climate was very good and they had not got predators here so they stayed here and started to develop differently from the species on the main land. The cormorants e.g. flew here and became incapable to fly. They had not got any predators here. The maps of the currents are really interesting. The warm and cold currents are mixed here. The Humboldt comes from the Antarctica and brings cold currents, which is ideal for seals and the Galapagos penguins. Other currents are warm and ideal for tropical creatures. The South Equatorial Current goes to west, the Panama Current goes to the southwest and the Peru Current goes to the northwest. These currents meet at the Galápagos making a special living environment. El Nino is a returning phenomena of nature. In an El Nino year the currents bring warmer water and this time the penguins, for example, disappear from the islands. Reparing the Mast Lunch Anchorage

18. day - 06/06/2007 - , Tour around Santa Cruz Los Gemelos The bus transportation system is not idealy on the island. If one wants to go on a tour a taxi should be taken. First we stopped at the twin craters called Los Gemelos. These are not real vulcanic craters but rather sinkholes. We passed the town of Santa Rosa and the taxidriver beleived that it was the first town in Santa Cruz. The craters were surrounded by Scalesia forest. After that we went to see the El Chato Tortoise Reserve. Passion Fruits (Maracuya), gayaba, papaya, orange and coffe trees were planted here. The tortoises ate them among other plants such as grass and leaves. The tortoise has not teeth therefore they ate them and swallow them as a whole. We could even try the tortoise life by trying on some old shells. The next stop was at the lava tubes. These tubes were formed by the solidifying of the outside skin of the molte lava flow. When the flow was ceased the molten lava flew out from the tubes leaving the tubes behind. We visisted a tunnel which was around 1 km long. At half way the tube was so narrow that we had to climb through it like a dog. It was interesting... El Chato Tortoise Reserve El Chato Tortoise Reserve El Chato Tortoise Reserve Coffee tree Papaya tree Tortoise Life Scalesia Tree Vulcano Tube Vulcano Tube Vulcano Tube

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