Jacana's yarns

Sailing west about from Melbourne, Australia.

26 October 2011 | Bundaberg, QLD
04 October 2011 | On passage to Bundaberg, Australia
01 October 2011 | On passage to Bundaberg, Australia
26 September 2011 | On passage to Bundaberg, Australia
20 September 2011 | Port Vila, Vanuatu
10 September 2011 | Port Vila, Vanuatu
09 September 2011 | Port Vila, Vanuatu
08 September 2011 | On Passage to Port Vila
05 September 2011 | On Passage to Port Vila
02 September 2011 | Fiji
01 September 2011 | Lautoka, Fiji
18 August 2011 | Suva, Fiji
02 August 2011 | Suva, Fiji
24 July 2011 | On Passage to Suva, Fiji
21 July 2011 | On Passage to Suva, Fiji
17 July 2011 | Neiafu, Tonga
28 June 2011 | On Passage to Tonga
27 June 2011 | On Passage to Tonga

Galapagos - Changing Times

17 March 2011 | Wreck Bay, San Cristobal, Galapagos
Yo and Dan Hellier
Sea Lions surround us, making guttural cattle-like sounds. Golden cowrays and mantarays visit, flapping the water with their wings.


The tuna surround the bait fish, expertly herding them into a tightening circle, then massacring the fish boil right next to our boat. Then they all join in, sea lions, puffer fish, frigates, laughing gulls, noddies and pelicans.


Marine iguanas dot the rocks

Interspersed with daubs of vermillion Sally Lightfoot crabs


The harbor of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno is peaceful and comfy.

The Galapagos are laid back.





Everyone has their favourite sleeping spot, even Guy from Endorfin.

The sealion pups are playfull, while the grown ups are lazy sleeping shitting mounds of fur and fat.
Some of the local pro fishermen have a unique way of ensuring that their boat is not picked as the bedroom or dunny. They surround the topsides with rolls of barbed wire. Most effective but not really within the spirit of the Galapagos.


This old fellow may well be a reli of the land tortoises we chummed up with in Saint Helena, a couple of oceans before.
He gives a knowing blink of the eye to ward off the flies. Yep, flies.
This is the closest thing to Oz we have come across, yet the local human inhabitants here have yet to develop our own effective and unique Aussi salute.


But... the fight for survival goes on....meal by meal.

Note for Yachties: Provisioning at Galapagos
Supplies are much much better than any of the literature lets on.

The municipal fresh market is splendid- tomatoes, basil, parsley, potatoes, onions, broccoli, cauliflowers, spring onions, sweet potatoes, lettuce, eggs, beetroots, cucumber, snake beans, capsicums, chillies, apples, pears, bananas, watermelons, cabbages, melons, shallots, pumpkins, beef, pork, chicken, prawns, avocados etc. Prices are dirt cheap.

The choice at the market is much better on the days that the ship comes in (once a week usually Tues or Wednesday). Sat and Wed mornings are apparently the best - more stalls and more choice, but the mercardo is open every day.

There is a fish monger, and a number of butchers.

There are a number of laundries. Sebastian's seems to get the nod from the locals. Good equipment and $1 a kilo. Open 7 days a week.

Other small tiendas dot the town selling bacon, yoghurt, cheese etc. Each seems to have its own little niche.

There are two smallish supermarkets with a surprisingly wide selection. Chemists abound.

Pasta, rice, flour and all the basics eg vinegar, tinned tomatoes are sold in most of the tiendas.

Bread flour is available in one supermarket and from the panaderia (in bulk).

While wine is available here, it is 200% to 250% more expensive than Panama and the choice is limited. So stock up on wine before you come.

So in other words, except for wine, there is no need to overstock in Panama.

Also if you go to Sharsky, one of the tour operators on the foreshore, for a fee they will refill your propane bottles. If they don't have the fittings for your bottle they'll send it over by ferry to Santa Cruz to get it filled.


Comments
Vessel Name: Jacana Of Melbourne
Vessel Make/Model: Northshore 46
Hailing Port: Melbourne Australia
Crew: Dan & Yolanda Hellier
About: Departed Melbourne April 2003. We have now finished our circumnavigation. Thought we might cruise down the east coast of Oz for a while
Jacana Of Melbourne's Photos - Main
21 Photos
Created 28 October 2011
14 Photos
Created 27 August 2011
6 Photos
Created 17 July 2011
6 Photos
Created 28 April 2011
32 Photos
Created 17 March 2011
There are over 900 species of birds in Panama and 400 of them are in our jungle backyard at ShelterBay marina
21 Photos
Created 20 December 2010
Regular visits to Oz allow us to travel via new countries and catch up with mates and family
1 Photo | 1 Sub-Album
Created 13 November 2010
4 Photos
Created 26 July 2010
18% of all species of birds in the world occur in Colombia
5 Photos
Created 20 June 2010
14 Photos
Created 7 April 2010
We joined the people on the street for Emancipation Day, and the festivities of Carnival. With other yachties we took Jessie James' tours to Asa Wright Bird Reserve, the Caroni Swamp, Nariva and the pitch lake.
17 Photos
Created 30 March 2010
Trinidad & Tobago have the greatest number of species of birds per sq kilometer than any other country in the world...about 460 odd species.
22 Photos
Created 9 March 2010