Photo shows nifty Galapagos penguins searching for sardines in the mangroves near the Puerto Villamil dinghy dock.

We are anchored behind the black lava rocks and mangrove islets known as Las Tintoreras at Puerto Villamil on the island of Isabela - the last island before the Marquesas, 2,900 nautical miles to the west. Villamil, with a resident population of 2,000, is a taste of what Puerto Ayora was like 30 years ago - a laid back village with sandy streets, small restaurants, mini markets and hotels. People amble down the middle of the streets because there isn't much traffic. On the seafront where the small wharf is located, sea lions have collared all the best wooden seats, huge marina iguanas lie comfortably prone in the path to the one main road, and small Galapagos penguins zip through the clear water, searching for prey in and around the mangroves - happy feet, or perhaps more appropriately, happy flippers, just south of the equator.

Isabela is the largest island in the Galapagos and consists of five separate volcanoes, some of them still active. In fact, Volcan Sierra Negra, closest to Villamil, exploded only a few years ago. Volcan Alcedo, the third from the South, has the largest population of galapagos in the Galapagos (!)- around 5,000 of them - a feral animal eradication programme has reduced the danger to tortoise nests and hatchlings at least for now.

The anchorage is the cruisers' favourite, a bit tight for space, but relatively flat with far less swell and wave action than Puerto Ayora. Despite the lack of services here compared to the two other main inhabited islands, the island is still the preferred choice and attracts a steady stream of yachts on their way across the Pacific. There are 9 other boats here in the anchorage at the moment, the numbers down from a few years ago, although it is hard to imagine many more squeezing their way in.

Not everyone is ready to part with the exorbitant Galapagos entry permit fees and try their luck by asking for 72 hours - generally allowed in many other countries. The Ecuadorian Armada, in the form of the Villamil Capitania, tell yachties to pay up or ship out and give them 12 hours to make up their mind then escort them out of the harbor. We paid dearly for our three port autgrafo but at least it gives us the time to decide when we depart and the authorities leave us in peace.



Galapagos penguin near the Villamil anchorage studying the weather!



Penguin swimming near Penguin Rock