You've all been spared of a blog for ...ohhhh....4 days – lucky you! The past few days have been a mishmash of recovering from the day trip (kids just wanted to stay on boat for next couple of days, chilling!) another trip to Charles Darwin Centre for kids to do some still life drawings of the tortoises (!) Mark doing bits and bobs on the boat (changing the wire from SSB ariel to radio for better reception, changing various filters on engines, collecting water in jerry cans, etc) I went to the local garage with my permission slip for the diesel man to charge me 4 times the going rate cos I is a gringo. Even the taxi driver thought the man was kidding as the cost dial indicated $57 and he proceeded to charge me over $200. However, obviously I took it as a man (because it is all part of the rich tapestry of sailing life – being charged 4 times the going rate) , but was glad I was a woman as the taxi driver filled all the jerry cans for me and loaded them onto the water taxi (who says chivalry is dead!) Why was a taking a water taxi, I hear you ask. Now, there lies a story. As I had loaded up the dinghy with all the empties, Mark and I realised that the reason the outboard wouldn't go into gear is that the prop had fallen off. One of the only things we don't have a spare of. I half heartedly snorkelled for a couple of minutes, not really expecting to see anything and being proved right. Then I spent half an hour picking my way between on the black volcanic coastal rocks to see if I could see the small bit of black plastic, but it turns out if it is there, it's as well camouflaged as the marine iguanas I was nearly standing on. Ho hum, lets see if a delivery makes it's way to the Marquesas!
Apart from all of that jazz, we've enjoyed the company of Goody and Yolo, two other yachts, one of who left today and the other who leaves tomorrow, so that really does mean that we are the last yacht in the Galapagos. So, we'll pick up Whit today, our groceries at the farmers' market on Tuesday and head off to the Marquesas as soon as possible after.