Tortuga Bay - MUST DO

Another early morning on the farm, it was the first night we had the house to ourselves, so pressure was on to run it properly. We did the usual farm tasks which we will get the hang of but it’s frightening obvious that neither of us are farm people.
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Today’s adventure would take us to Tortuga Bay which would work out about a 10km round-trip of walking. The best way to describe Tortuga Bay is untouched paradise over run with amazing, unique wildlife. It takes about 1 hour to get there from Puerto Ayora and there is only one track in and out by foot, but was it worth it? My god, yes!

​The beach is nesting area for heaps of sea turtles so is only open between 9am – 5pm. You cannot swim here but if you walk about 15 mins more you will arrive at the main lagoon and swimming beach FILLED WITH MARINE IGUANAS! We couldn’t believe it, on the walk over, we both said, god, those logs look like massive iguanas – until 1 moved! Then as we approached closer we realized that they were infect massive marine iguanas. Unique to Galapagos these lizards can forage under the sea making them marine reptiles. I had only ever read and watched these on David Attenborough shows so to actually see these giants up close and personal was an experience I will not forget.

After taking far too many photos with the iguanas (by law you have to remain 6ft/2m away from these guys at all times) we headed to go find some shade as today it hit late 30’s and I began to look like the familiar meted candle. We found a perfect spot nestled away in the lush green mangroves but only a few feet from this pristine beach and crystal-clear waters. I was desperate to get in. You know when you have really made an effort to get somewhere and you just hope it meets expectations? Well todays adventure blew these expectations out the water – no pun intended!

The long walk back in sweltering heat was unsurprisingly pretty unenjoyable despite the beautiful wildlife and bird life along the way. It’s funny in Galapagos as there is this diverse mixture of people, some incredibly rich and dressed as bird watchers 24/7 with their neck ties, waistcoats with 35 pockets and binoculars cemented to their bodies…and then you have me and Leo waling back in our swimmers and jandals dripping with sea water and looking beached as. Maybe I was inappropriately dressed but it was the least of my worries when it was that hot.
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Stopping at a local café on the way to the bus stop home, we both downed a Gatorade, managed to nab some WIFI to message mum and dad and then headed home for a well-deserved shower. I know that farm work is not really my thing and I am hoping that as time progresses I will get into my groove but currently my main concern is my parents and not having accessible WIFI to check how they are is really stressing me out. I know as soon as they get back to Scotland safely then my heart and head will be able to rest but for now I’m a coiled spring in this farm wishing I could chat to them.