Early start (one day I may get a trip with late starts!!), for our first visit to one of the Islands, Santa Floreana. We were greeted off the boats with sea lions play fighting in the waves and a mating pair of blue footed boobies, brilliant name, brilliant feet (oh, and they weren't actually mating, it wasn't Booby porn). From the beach we ventured to a lagoon to see pink flamingoes and to hear the history of the island from Diego, our boat guide. As the book written about it describes, a saga of desire, deception and death!!!! It seems the earliest settlers were a German doctor and his wife, who decided it would be a tropical paradise to live out their lives, you know the sort of thing - peace and quiet, a donkey to ride around on, mandatory madness, (the Doctor pulled out all of his teeth, deciding as he was a vegetarian this would keep temptation away, he also kindly did the same for his wife...... although they did have one set of false teeth that they shared for chewier veg, so that's ok!). After these came another German family whose ancestors still live on the island, and then the Baroness, who came complete with 3 lovers (that's my girl!!). Unfortunately turns out she was a bit of a control freak and tried to take over the island, making people pay for food and water, that is, until the day both her and her youngest lover disappeared without a trace (mwhahahaha). Shortly after, the original doctor was found dead, turns out he had eaten poison chicken. But how could he have, he was a vegetarian I hear you say........mwhahahaha!!!!! All a bit Lord of the Flies (with grown ups, rather than school boys).
Moving from the lagoon we took a short walk to what can only be described as paradise. A long white beach, with clear blue waters in a small cove. We took a walk along the beach, and had been told we could see sting rays if we looked carefully. No need to look carefully, at times we were practically falling over them!!! Amazing, although concerning as we had bare feet and didn't really fancy being stung. Best solution was a shuffling motion rather than picking your feet up so you didn't stand on one! We could also see nesting sites where turtles had laid their eggs. Such a beautiful place could have stayed all week.

Leaving paradise, we ventured to our first snorkelling site, Islote Champion. Great to be back in the water again, and to top it all we were accompanied by sea lions. Not content with just swimming so you can see them, these guys swim up to you and then dart away, bite flippers, and also do flips and turns in the water, some are huge as well. As we were getting out of the water, one swam up to Jane and they just looked at each other nose to nose for about 3 minutes, just fantastic, felt really privileged to be there.

After lunch we then ventured to Bahía Post Office, which is exactly that. Set up by whalers in the 18th century, the way it works is you leave a card and then look at the ones that are there. If you live near an address on a card you post it to the addressee, simple!! I have 3 to post, 2 in Cambridge and 1 in Aylesbury. There were cards from all over the world there, it's brilliant! Can't wait to get mine (Jane and I sent cards to each other, saying wish you were here, I know, we amaze ourselves sometimes!).

A short walk up the beach took us to a lava cave, where early settlers lived. Now, for anyone who has seen the film The Descent you can picture what it was like. We climbed down a ladder, then further down some rocks using a rope to guide us, then further down some more rocks, then down more, down, down, down (I'm now a bit nervous), until we finally get to the cave. Luckily we had torches as its pitch black down there, but huge! Once we got used to the light, Diego ventured further into a stream, which although was freezing, became quite nice when you were used to it! Interesting experience, glad we weren't ripped apart by mutant creatures, but not on the list to do again!!

Back at the beach we got kitted up for more snorkelling from the beach. Once again, words fail me, it was like "Sea Turtle alley", we saw about 5 in total, really close up as well, about half a foot away, so graceful, just mesmerising to watch. Got back to the boat with a huge grin!

Evening was a few beers and another early night (I think the last 8 weeks is catching up on me!!)