Previously on the Amazing Exclusive Race, one team of two joined the Eden motor vessel for a cruise around the Galapagos Island.  After visiting fabulous islands such as Isla Lobos, Santa Fe and South Plazas, they motored to the mysterious Isla Isabela and the town of Puerto Ventimilla.

Delivering building supplies into Puerto Ventimilla

Waking early, racing resumed with the Simon and Ang being shuttled to the dock.  There they boarded a chiva for the drive to the Sierra Negro, a huge shield volcano with a 10km wide crater.  The chiva ride took the team past flamingos, lava flows and rural farmland.  At one point, Walter, a member of Team Holland spotted a red bird in the trees.  He excitedly called out to the driver to stop, and jumped out of the chiva and was soon snapping away.  He was quickly followed by the other passengers, once they had realised no one had fallen off the truck.

Galapagos flamingos on the way to Sierra Negra	Crimson bird half way up Sierra Negra

Back in the chiva, the rest of the drive was quickly completed and the teams commenced the walk up the volcano to the mirador.  The hike was expected to take 45 minutes; however, as all teams were racing the humid walk was completed in half that time.  At the summit, they were treated to a spectacular view of the huge crater.  There, they had lunch, and fifteen minutes later the clouds arrived.  While they watched clouds obscure the crater, the other teams were entertained by Ang, who demonstrated her love for all things Mary Popins.

Ang, aka Merry Poppins, in front of the huge Sierra Negra crater

Returning to Puerto Ventimilla and to a beachside bar, Team Canada enjoyed a ceviche while Simon, the other team Australia and half of Team America 3 braved the cold Pacific waters and went for a swim.  With these challenges completed, all teams walked back to the dock and were soon back onboard the Eden.  There the final additional passenger, Adam of Team America 4, arrived and that evening. After the regular briefing on the next day’s activities, the Eden motored into the night for nine hours, bound for the remote western side of Isla Isabela.

The mysterious Galapagos bottle tree	Simon completing the beach swim challenge

Puerto Ventimilla town	Ellie and Ang from the two team Australias shelter from the rain

Waking after a restful night’s sleep, Simon and Ang found the Eden in a spectacular location called Punta Moreno.  They were once again dropped ashore by zodiac where they walked around a huge kilometres wide lava flow.  Their walk allowed them to see hundreds of sally lightfooted crabs, sea lions, blue footed boobies and other birds.  Their walk took them past a small sea lion colony where they sadly saw a sea lion with a large fishing hook in its flipper.  The flipper was infected and obviously was causing the sea lion great pain.  With no veterinary or park services in this remote location, there was little that could be done for the animal.

HDR image of a lava flow	Galapagos thumbs up cactus

Ruben’s feet seemed imune to lava	Sally lightfooted crabs also love lava

Lava cactus

Panorama of a huge lava flow

So sad, but there was nothing that could be done	Another photo of a sally lightfooted crab loving lava

Cactus worthy of being a Windows desktop background

Continuing, the teams soon arrived at a lava tidal pool. There they saw many trapped fish and several large white tipped reef sharks.  Soon it was back to the Eden to change and once again into the cold Isla Isabela waters.  Here, they snorkelled right next to the lava flows and despite the waters being murky, saw sting rays, heaps of fish, kelp and by Ang’s count, at least ten turtles.

Ang poses for a photo before she begins the easy turtle spotting challenge	One of many turtles spotted

Racers on Eden’s sister ship, Aida Maria, go for a swim

Back onboard the Eden, the boat once again motored north, this time bound for Elizabeth bay.  Here, they embarked into the zodiacs and travelled into a mangrove estuary, which unlike Australian mangroves, included mangrove trees as tall as gum trees.  On the ride in they saw lots of turtles, blue herons, cormorants and smooth bill anis. As required by national park regulations, motors were not used in certain parts of the estuary, meaning Ang, along with Adam from Team America 4, had to take up oars and row the dingy.  Soon it was time to leave the peaceful mangroves.  On the way out of the bay, they passed over tens of golden rays swimming in a school.

Flightless blue eyed cormorant	Close up of a Heron

Reaching open water, the team’s dingy continued to a nearby rock island.  There, they motored around the island and observed a mixture of blue footed boobies, sea lions, penguins, marine iguanas and blue herons that were all living together on the island in perfect harmony.

Mixed use colony

Boobie on a rock	Lots of boobies

Yawning boobie

Finally after this action packed day, they returned to the Eden and then cruised for four hours to Targus cove where they spent the night.

Sunset towards Fernandina

… To be continued.