Santa Cruz

We went on the pangas to the small harbour and boarded a bus for a 30 drive to the highlands. Such different topography as was misty, cool and the trees were covered in Spanish moss.


There are huge volcanos craters and incredible lava tunnels. These are hollow tubes that are made when the lava is flowing down the side of the volcano in a big river. The area that is exposed to the air hardens first and forms a layer.


Underneath the lava continues to flow and when the lava stops flowing it leaves behind the tunnel that has been formed.
We walked into a tunnel which was cavernous and then walked about 400m uphill within the tunnel.


There was either the option to go half way and turn around or continue to a break in the tunnel where you could exit. This involved going under a section that was just 50cm high for about 2m. Ross and all the kids were game and were eventually joined by the guide and the moms. Not the wisest move with my claustrophobia. I was fine until I got to the small section and in the 1 minute that I had to wait for the person in front of me to crawl through I could just feel the panic rising in my chest. But then it was my turn and down and through I went, very proud of myself!


We then went onto one of the farms which is on the migration route of the giant tortoises. They are free to roam the island and the farmers respect this and although they have wire fences, they only use the upper strands so that the tortoises and pass freely under them and continue on their way.


They are true relics of the dinosaurs and peer at you with such wise and considered looks as they just carry on with their slow stroll and even slower grazing of the vegetation.








We returned to the boat for lunch and will be at the Darwin tortoise breeding centre this afternoon which is home to lonesome George. He is the last of his breed but they have found some female tortoises on one of the outlying islands which are of a similar breed and he is shacked up with these 2 girls in the hope that he will soon be a dad. There is some concern as he was with another female last year but they obviously did not hit is off and no baby George's were forthcoming.
We are being let loose on the local harbour town for an hour after visiting the centre, which has wifi so will send all the Galapagos blogs through.


- posted by the Krige family