Yes, have had an interesting few days here in Santa Cruz. It's been a bit of a big fuss around here lately, because the president of Ecuador came to visit the Galapagos Islands today. (well, OK, he's still here... I just watched him give a speech). Apparently, the Ecuadorians give their leaders a much more warm welcome than Canadians. (I'm sure if good ol' Stevie showed his face in Vancouver, there wouldn't be a bike rally for him...). Yes, that's right! I found myself in an impromptu bike rally this morning, not that I felt like 'working' anyways. When I arrived at the office, I was there for all of 5 min when the Ecuadorian (no, the Galapaguenian) gal arrived, looked at me, and said... "Andrea, vamos!" And so it was. Myself, Yasmania, and Eduardo were off to the bike rally to welcome the president of Ecuador to the islands. The story goes: the Galapapgos government is trying to display how much of a bike-friendly place Puerto Ayora is (and it indeed is bike-friendly... bike-safe, well that's a bit different), and so a bunch of people met with their bicycles at the gas station this morning just outside town, and when the president arrived, his convoy stopped, the president got on a bike, and rode into town with the bike-convoy... Que divertido!!!
That aside... I feel bad since I put work in quotation marks above. I actually do work around here, I swear. On Wednesday after the usual weekly oceanographic monitoring, instead of heading back to Puerto Ayora, we set off to the west side of Academy Bay to collect some organisms for the aquarium, because the exhibits were rather bland, and the aquarium is one of the stops on the presidents visit, it needed a bit of jazzing up. Now, I don't feel too bad about collecting some sea stars and urchins, a few fish, etc... but I felt bad about taking the octopus out of it's home and into a tank (well, I didn't do the taking, someone else did, I think I would have 'accidentally' let the octopus escape). Octopuses have, for a body mass equivalent, a brain similar in development to a fish... however, they possess the intelligence of a domestic cat. I'm going to visit my 'pulpo' (octopus) as often as possible, but I feel the need to give it a name... any suggestions?
On Thursday, we headed off to Canal Itabaca to monitor the lobster population. On arriving, we found two marine turtles 'copulando' (mating), and we jumped in the water to try to get some phots. Unfortunately, with the poor visibility, we decided to try to make a video instead... which quickly turned into jokes about 'tortuga porn'. And on our way back, the coast guard had accompanied a small vessel into the dock due to some very suspicious gear on board. Large hooks, thick fishing line, a gaffing hook.... and lots of knives. Everything you need for illegally fishing and finning sharks. Luckily, the suspects didn't have any fins on board, so we're hoping they were caught before they 'did the deed' so to speak. What an atrocious practice, to cut the fins from an animal and throw the carcass (alive) back into the sea to die...
On the hour-long ride back to Puerto Ayora, we stopped on the edge of Isla Plazas to watch the sea lions play close to our boat.... and I was lucky enough to take in the vista of that gorgeous coast east of Academy Bay again. And today, the bike rally. I almost jumped on a boat to go to San Cristobal because I don't have any plans for the weekend, but the girl from Spain that lives in the house with me said she's going to San Cristobal next weekend, and invited me to join her! I hope my slave-driver of a boss gives me the time off on Friday afternoon....! Ha ha!
Hasta luego. Besos y abrazos de Galapagos!
