Monday 27 May 2013

The Galapagos Adventure - Jatun Sacha

Hello Hello Hello

I hope that you are all well, and thought, seeing as I have a free evening here in the wonderful city of Quito, that I would allow you to indulge on the start of "My Big Adventure".

I have now been gone just over a week, which means that my Galapagos days are over, and that I have a day and a half until I start on my new adventure - my 35 day tour from Quito to La Paz.

On May 19th, I flew from Quito airport to Guayaquil, and from there to San Cristobal.


Arriving at San Cristobal Airport - I was finally there. 

After arriving at the airport I was met by a lady called Lydia, who is one of the owners of the project I am working for called Jatun Sachu. The main aim of the project is to remove invasive species of plant which have been brought to the island over a period of years, the main plant type we worked on is called Maura. (It looks a bit like a raspberry bush.) The problem with maura is that it grows up and around already existing and usually endemic trees, strangling and killing them. This has therefore led to a huge decrease in San Cristobals endemic plant species on the island, which has huge effects on the Islands wildlife. Using machetes we cut down the Maura, creating space for endemic species of plants to be planted or as in the case at Galapaguera, another area of the island I work at,  place to start growing coco, so that the island can start making its own chocolate. Over the course of the week, I made some amazing friends, and was really sad when I had to leave, but new adventures, now await.



Aside from the voluntary work, there was also opportunities to go out and explore/discover the famous Galapagos' coastal areas and famous array of animals. During my time on San Cristobal, I was lucky enought to see Giant Tortoises, snorkel with sea lions, swim with turtles and see hundreds of new types of birds, from small yellow finches, to huge pelicans and Frigit birds.


A Sea Lion Pup
A Giant Tortoise
On 23rd May, we got the opportunity to to walk to one of the coastal areas near Jatun Sacha, it was just breath taking, the sounds of the waves as it hit the black volcanic rock cliffs, was just something I never imagined I´d see outside of a David Attenborough documentary.






The last week has been better than I ever imagined, and I feel it has been a real privilege to have had the opportunity to experience what I have.

I hope to log in sometime before I go home, but if i don´t get the opportunity, have a wonderful 6 weeks, and be prepared for a lot of blogging when I return.



Maisie

ANNND..... because I took sooo many photos and not all of them will fit into the text in my blog, gaze below for some more..... I hope you like them!!!



One of Darwin's Finches

A Giant Tortoise

Me at Galapaguera with the Giant Tortoises


San Cristobal Island

Me on the Coast, on the "David Attenborough Walk"

Sea Lions taking over the small town of San Cristobal

Sea Lions love to snuggle

Kicker Rock, where I went snorkeling 

Me with the Sea Lions, on my last night on the Island. 





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