Day One: SAN CHRISTOBAL and Board the Ship

After meeting at Casa Blanca, it was time to take the zodiac to the ship.

Once aboard, we received our room assignments and the first surprise: there are NO cabin keys. Then off to attending the orientation briefing and the abandon ship and safety drill.

Then off to the buffet lunch.

After lunch, the luggage had been delivered and then it is time for the lecture on the Natural History of the Galapagos.

At 1530 our first excursion. Around Wreck Bay.

Our first Sea Lions

Sea Lions on the Beach

Blue-footed Boobies

Drowning Juvenile Frigate Bird.  these birds do not have working oil glands to waterproof their feathers.  The result is that if a bird lands in the water, it quickly becomes too waterlogged to fly itself out of the water.

Sea Lions around the bay

Not Much to Plan

This is too weird. With this cruise, we have nothing to plan. Nothing except to research the pre-cruise day and post-cruise afternoon in Guayaquil..

Things to do in Guayaquil include iguana park, the boardwalk, the clock tower, the lighthouse, a local craft market, and the flower market.  All the day trips seem to include a/the chocolate plantation or lunch at the chocolate plantation.

The Offer

We are willing to pay for a Category 1 cabin.

They include airfare from Miami or offer us $450 pp airfare credit. 

LATAM Airlines has direct flights from JFK to Guayaquil,  Ecuador for about $650.

Well, Lindblad had no cabins available that we are willing to pay for.  So we are waitlisted.

Within 24 hours, Nat Geo called and took our offer at the lowest rate for a cabin to be assigned later.

So we are on!!