April 27 – Quito to Baltra Island

We had an early morning flight to the Galapagos Islands via Guayaquil and arrived about 12:30pm on Baltra. All the passengers and luggage were briefly fumigated on board the plane to prevent hitchhiking insects, etc from invading the islands. Almost all of the islands (97%) are part of the Galapagos National Park which required a $100 visitors fee from each of us.

After a bit of a wait and a short bus ride, we boarded our home for the next week, the Beagle, a 13-passenger sailing yacht with a crew of 5 plus our naturalist guide, Bitinia Espinosa, who provided a wealth of knowledge. 

The Beagle

We also met a few more traveling companions, Martin & Denise and John & Mariley who were staying for their second week on the Beagle.

Bachas beach

After our first taste of the excellent cuisine on the Beagle, we donned life jackets and set out in the panga (zodiac) to Bachas Beach.

Just above the high water line were lots of sea turtle nests. Carefully avoiding these, we trouped along the beach past a couple of rusting barge hulks that give the beach its name. 

Sally Lightfoot crab

On the black lava outcrop we saw a lots of Sally Lightfoot crabs in all sizes and colors from black juveniles that blend in with the lava to bright red adults.

Female frigate birds & red-footed booby

Cresting a dune to approach a small lagoon, we got our first close up look at frigate birds and the red-footed booby. A solitary flamingo was feeding across the lagoon.


Then back to the beach for the first snorkel of the trip -- water temperature was perfect. We saw surgeon fish, a moray eel, many fingerlings and a marbled ray on the sandy floor. Martin pointed out a hawkfish and we got a water level view of a pelican.


We learned a lesson in "survival of the fittest" as we watched frigate birds dive bombing a sea turtle nest to eat the hatchlings. Bitinia (Biti) told us that because they lay 50-70 eggs in each nest, if only 1% of green sea turtles make it, the species will survive.


Back onto the Beagle to clean up and dry off, then Biti gave her orientation talk on tomorrow's activities accompanied by her amazing hand drawn maps of the sites.


After a welcoming toast and dinner, we were introduced to the crew: Luis (panga driver), Angel (engineer), Andre - "Triki" (steward), Pedro (chef) and Captain Washington.