After our return from Argentina, we had our first Canadian visitors, Wally, Terre and Emma! It was great to spend time with friends from home. Here they are feasting on empanadas.
During their visit, we went to Isla Isabela which is the largest of the Galapagos Islands and located in the northeast of the archipelago. To get there, we took a two hour boat ride from Puerto Ayora to Puerto Villamil, the main settlement on Isabela. We stayed at La Casa Marita which is such a charming hotel that Roger and I have decided to return there for Christmas.
Through the hotel we arranged a guided hike to Volcan Sierra Negra which is one of five active volcanoes on Isabela. After a misty start, we hiked under a blue sky through lush vegetation until we reached the caldera. We were amazed at the size (more than 10 km in diameter) and to learn that the east side had last erupted only five years ago.
We continued along the crater rim and then headed down the trail to stop for lunch under the shade of a Jaboncillo or soaptree. How a large tree can thrive in such an austere environment is truly impressive.
The next part of the hike took us to Volcan Chico, a smaller volcano located on the northeast side of Sierra Negra and with a beautiful view of Elizabeth Bay.
Here the walking was rough, and the vegetation thinned to a few cacti and then to nothing at all.
We walked on lava that came from eruptions in 1963 and 1979, and from many years before that. We saw lava tubes and felt the heat from a steam vent where our guide said we could boil an egg.
He compared the landscape to Planet of the Apes while all I could think of were the styrofoam rocks in the old Star Trek episodes.
After exploring Volcan Chico, we retraced our steps back to the misty beginning where our driver was waiting with refreshing coca cola! When we returned to the hotel, Roger and I walked right into the ocean to clean the dirt from our feet.
When we return in December, I would like to do the longer hike to see the sulfur mines on the west side of Sierra Negra but Roger is leaning more towards lying in the hammock and drinking pisco sours.
More photos from our hike: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sataylor/sets/72157625428717134/
Categories: