Tuesday 3rd March
FLOREANA
The first day excursion and by far the best apart from the fact that Sue was ill and stayed on the boat whilst the others refuelled. On board there was just Mandy plus Don and Ann from 'Harmony' and I who spoke English as their native language.
Ann & Mandy
The boat was a high speed craft with 2 x 200 HP outboards and we had a good guide who led us into 2 different snorkelling locations, pointed out various interesting seabirds on the cliffs including some penguins at the end of the
trip. The only downside was the shore excursion, which apart from the sea lions and the iguanas on the jetty was not very exiting and far too much walking for me! Generally however it was a really good day, but long as we
didn't get back till 8 pm after starting 12 hours before!
REFUELLING
JB: Whilst Roberto was gallivanting off in to the Galapagos sunrise and sunset in Floreana, Malcy, Lindsey and me, with the able assistance of the lovely James on Cleone, refuelled Quasar V. Plan A was that World ARC had
arranged for a fuel boat to come and refuel Quasar at her anchorage. Roberto and Malcy had duly paid $423 upfront the day before. We were then promptly informed over the radio that the fuel boat wouldn't be coming out
that day. The problem was that we had booked all the other days with tours to the other islands so had to refuel today; we had to take matters in to our own hands - Plan B.
This involved us getting a refund and then filling 14 cans of diesel at a local petrol station, loading them on to a dinghy, getting them on to Quasar, filling the tanks and doing it all over again...and again. We finished at about 6.00pm, but a special thanks goes to James who lent us his dinghy and cans. It was actually quite good fun especially watching Lindsey take charge of James dinghy and reversing in to a water taxi!!!! I would just like to mention that there was no thanks from Roberto as he clambered back on the boat; just a considerable moan as he slipped on the spilt diesel on the deck and broke the port guardrail in an effort to save himself as he nearly went backwards into the sea!
(RL) Malcy thought a sign across the opening would warn me, but believe it or not I can't see in the dark and the half a guard wire across the opening made things considerably worse! I was furious!
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