March 12, 2012
After a night of motoring against very strong currents setting to the SE and lying ahull, we ended up seven nm off Baquerizo Moreno. Dawn revealed a very clear view of the capital so we set our course to 183 degrees to arrive off the harbor entrance. The SE setting current was so strong that we had to steer 165 degrees to make good 183 deg. It´s a little bazaar to be sliding down a course line while pointing off in another direction. It´s something I´m used to and have experienced on tugs under exceptional Wx and current conditions but it´s been a long time. The end result was ending up on our course line at the harbor entrance. The anchorage was obvious with all the yachts anchored there. We dropped anchor in 25 ft of water at 0830 hrs. The procedure for clearing into most countries is to have the courtesy flag of the country raised on a starboard side flag halyard and underneath it a yellow quarantine flag indicating that the vessel requests "free pratique". This will be followed up by the appropriate authorities: Health, Customs and Immigration. An agent is required for entry into the Galapagos. Within a short time after anchoring a "panga" (water taxi) will come alongside and ask if you have an agent. There are several vying for the business so if you don´t have a specific name one will request to represent you. A lot of info comes through the net services on the SSB so we had an agent´s name. Once we gave that to the "panga" he indicated that Bolivar Pesantes would show up in awhile. That is just what happened: Along comes our agent with port officials. It´s a great help to be fluent in Spanish and we feel so comfortable to be back in a Spanish speaking country. Additionally, all officialdom becomes very accommodating when addressed in their own language. Everything was completed in short order but we had to wait several hours for the Immigration official to show up. It was 1700 hrs before we were finally cleared.
The "pangas" do all the transporting from the vessels to the docks and back again: $1.00 US. The currency used in the Galapagos is the once mighty US dollar. All ATM´s dispense it down to our penny. It sure makes life a lot easier! The swell generated by the Pacific makes landing in a dinghy impracticable and dangerous. Additionally, a safe place is so far away that it isn´t worth while. End result, everyone uses the pangas and everybody is content.
First view of Baquerizo Moreno is impressive: A beautiful seaside town that is very clean and well organized. As a result of the Galapagos being designated a National Park, every effort is made to ensure an ecological approach to all foreign matter and disposal. The result is clean waters and a pretty town stretched along a "paseo maritimo" (maritime walkway). These "paseos maritimos" are common in most Spanish influenced countries. What makes this one so different are the seals and sea lions: they are ensconced everywhere! After disembarking from a panga, the first thing the visitor witnesses are the seals sleeping on benches, steps and stones. They have absolutely no fear of humans! These seals are wonderful to behold but they have the rank smell of rotting fish. Each one of them consumes a terrific amount in a day. They are quite playful but spend most of the day sleeping around on whatever thing they can find, including yachts with spoon type transoms. As long as the wind is blowing their rank smell in the other direction it´s wonderful to observe them. The best way to describe Baquerizo Moreno would be to compare it to a hiker, diver, yacht place one might find on the Eastern Seaboard like Maine. There are tour boats for diving, visiting other islands and general excursions. Additionally, taxis are available to travel anywhere. This town is remote but quite modern in all aspects. The inhabitants are friendly and welcoming to the extreme.
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