Call me Ishmael. I totally lied about that last entry...I actually do want to share one story from the Angelito week cuz it's just too good not to.
Before we met up with our tour group at the airport in Baltra, Grace and I had some mild anxiety at being stuck on a boat with 12 other people for 8 days. I mean, there arent many escape routes on a boat, especially a small one with cabins that only allow for one person to stand at a time. But pretty instantly we learned we had hit the jackpot with our Angelito shipmates. On board we had british couple Jill and Rob Gwilliam, possibly the most adorable couple I have ever encountered, celebrating their 40th anniversary. I want to be them when (if) I grow up. But there was also another contender for most adorable couple ever, Anu and Velu, speech pathologist professor and engineer/pre-med/birdwatcher extraordinaire from Indiana via India. Next there was Dave, the Harvard geneticist/professor, his lovely wife Leah and science brainiac kids Tam and Corrine from Brookline MA, and Robert and Elles from the Netherlands, Ursula from Switzerland and Vittorio from Canada. Add to that roster our amazing Swiss guide Maja and 7 local crew members and there you have it. Over the course of the week we got to know one another quite well, seeing as how there was little choice in the matter, but we really did seem to become one big family in no time, and this was the moment that really solidified it-
On the 5tth evening together, we had a long navigation to make around the tip of Isla Isabela. We had been told to keep an eye out for whales and dolphins on the way, but were pretty sure Maja just was telling us that to keep us out of her hair for the 5 hour ride. Sensing this tone, I decided I would go below and shower. Part of me knew that if I did, I would miss something amazing, but I was salty from our epic snorkel sesh and needed to rinse. Sure enough, as soon as Im covered head to toe in suds I hear an alarm bell go off and feel the boast slow to a halt. I tried to rinse off as much as I can and start throwing what appear to be clothes as the footsteps and voices of everyone on board are thundering above taunting me. As soon as I reach the top deck I see spout in the distance behind everyone on the deck. And then another spout, and then another. We were smack dab in the middle of a POD of whales swimming right next to our boat. I grew up in Southern California, I have seen my fair share of whales, but never so many and never so close. We circled around them running screaming at every spout that spouted for a good 20 minutes. I finally noticed that like me, Jill was only half dressed and better yet, Velu had shaving cream all over his face and was jumping and screaming like a 2 year old about to try ice cream for the first time...or something really exciting. I caught a very crappy video right before my camera died:
Let me give some context: prior to this our group had had some of the best luck imaginable in terms of seeing wildlife in the Galapagos. We had seen everything we expected to and more, and this was only 4 days in! But there was one thing we had pretty much no chance of seeing, the Galapagos Albatross, a bird who who only resided on Genovesa, an island not on our tour. Big deal, who cares, birds suck anyways (in my humble opinion). But to Velu, the Albatross was at least half the reason for even coming to the Galapagos. I really have never seen a more enthusiatic bird freak in my life...spotting these puny little finches and distinguishing ground finch from tree finch (ancient torture mechanism for someone like me) was like the highlight of this mans life. It would be sad if he weren´t the coolest guy ever.
Anyways, after the excitement of seeing all these whales we calmed down and were all feeling pretty satisfied and reflective. As he started descending to finish his half-shaven grill, Velu jokingly said ´´Now all we need to see is the Albatross and I can die happy.´´ Ask and ye shall recieve my friend.
2 minutes later the quiet content of the boat was interrupted by the highest pitched most erractic skrieking I have ever heard. Everyone ran down a level to find Velu, still twofaced with shaving cream, jumping, squealing and pointing at some average looking bird sitting on the water surface. Contrary to appearance, it was...drumroll...an ALBATROSS! Miles and miles away from the only island it is supposed to be chillin at.
Like I said, I could have cared less, the thing looked like a fat seagull to me, but seeing the sheer joy that it brought Velu, the way it united the whole boat, passengers and crew, and and the impossibility of the situation was beyond perfect. So ya, I know you had to be there, but it was one of those days where all I could do was sigh, grab a beer, watch the idyllic sunset off the bow and appreciate how lucky I am to be here.
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