Geoff and Sue's Big Adventure

Up early with engine on by 08:00 and anchor up 15 minutes later on route to Isobela.

The 09:00 radio-net revealed that Amelie, Sulana and Yantina are all still sailing around 190-200° with 10-15 knots of East/North Easterly winds and managing around eight knots SOG with either cruising chutes or full main and genoas. Sotto Vento and Pearl of Persha both indicated they would leave Santa Cruz on Tuesday. Babe, who as usual is just in front of us, are coming to Isobela and hope to leave for the Marquesas tomorrow - if they get their 'zarpe'.

The crew found it a difficult passage, being unable to decide on which outfit and which position to adopt for the journey.

We arrived at Puerto Villamil at15:00 to anchor in 4.5 meter of water. Almost immediately we took advantage of a passing water-taxi for myself, Paul from Babe and Alan from Legend to go ashore and check in. When we arrived at the ferry dock we were incorrectly shown to a guy in uniform on the dock, who made a cursory inspection of our papers before handing them back with a simple 'OK'. He was just the local policeman. We got a taxi into town, along the dusty sand road and eventually found the Office of the Port Captain around 16:00, where we could officially check-in once they were able to locate us on the computer system. We had to contact Debbie to get her to get Ricardo, the local agent on Santa Cruz, to enter us on the system before this could be completed. It was 19:00 and dark by the time this had been successfully concluded and we headed back to the boats for a quiet evening in the anchorage.

Whilst ashore we also met an 'on island' agent 'JC' who listens out on channel 67 and was helpful while we were checking in. He can arrange for us to go to a farm restaurant (about 15 mins drive in the hills overlooking the anchorage, which is supposedly the best place to eat - suggested lunch is best rather than in the evening..

Statistics: 30 miles logged (47 miles GPS); Max wind F4 - while anchoring; Only motored; Position: 00⁰ 57.9’ S 90⁰ 57.9 W

Got an early email off to Debbie confirming we were officially checked in and requesting the zarpe to leave be processed for us to collect tomorrow afternoon.

Legend managed to get a water-taxi much too soon before we were ready, but being so difficult to attract, we had to take it. We all got into town and wandered around exploring. We didn't find any flamingos in the lakes on the edge of town but we did find a couple of good beach-bars we thought would be suitable for a sundowner.

We got a taxi up into the highlands to go for lunch at Hauser's Restaurant. Wonderful location that you would never find on your own and an amazingly large place hewn out of the jungle it would have taken some time and expense to build.

They were closed as one has to book in advance. The agent had already told him about the possibility of about 10 people for tomorrow but we were unable to confirm we were they.

On the way back to town, the taxi driver took us to the 'Campo Duro Eco Lodge' where there is a tortoise reserve. It was very pretty and has people staying there with the natural showers that Paul couldn't wait to get in although he seemed shy of going 'natural'. We also found there a Yellow Warbler, many different trees and plants including a extremely rare Galapagos egg plant and a few tortoises - when you've seen one and all that...... they are not very active!

We took a stroll along towards our intended sundowner bar where Sue and I went swimming. Along here the gulls are continually diving for their fish, often in competition with the pelicans and we watched them for hours. The sun did finally go down and after a couple of drinks we retired to the boat for the evening.

Into town to get on the internet and download the weather from Ugrib and Passage Weather ready for tomorrows departure. Susan did a little shopping while I did the downloads, then we met up with Paul and Trish and Tony in the main square, as arranged with JC to get the minibus up to Hause's Restaurant for lunch.

Lunch was very special but a little disappointing that they had forgotten to get any wine! the owner, Bert, had been there eighteen years, having been lucky enough to have purchase his five hectares before the law changed in 1998 so that only those born and bred there can now buy property. He used to be a chef on cruise-liners, in his previous life, which is where his attention to detail and presentation comes from. All that is there on his property, he has proudly built himself from the building and cement to the windows and frames. Although he only works there himself, the kitchen looks like it is from a large hotel!

The minibus eventually came back to collect us at about 15:30 and we stopped at the bakers on the way back to the main square to stock up on fresh bread and pastries. After a sundowner at the beach bar we made our way back to the boat for an early night.