While we are sitting on the hard we have to come to a decision on our route across the Pacific. Along with several other yachts we have discussed this with, we think we will all be boycotting the Galapagos islands. Since last visit they have become greedy. Last time we paid around US$100. Since last year with amendments again January this year, the minimum charge for a yacht is US$600 plus $125 per person. Then your boat has to have a fumigation certificate from the last port and you have to have a medical when you arrive. On top of that, if you have a dirty bottom on your boat they send you back out for 40 N miles to scrape the bottom and collect the scrapings in plastic bags to show on your return. If you require fuel ( one reason for stopping here) you have to notify them a couple of weeks in advance. We know they aren't serious about the environmental situation, because one boat arrived without said fumigation certificate and was charges $60 for one without being fumigated.....what does that tell you! You can't turn up and plead failures to your boat, as they will board the boat and make an assessment as to how long it will take to fix and that is how long you will stay after you pay all the money.
Hence some serious thinking going on