Enjoying the tranquil beautiful early morning, in the dining area using un-encumbered wifi, wonderful compensation for a lack of coffee facilities! Shooed away by the kitchen staff I found Simon up.
Barely enough time for breakfast, (sea turtle flipper sighted) before meeting our boat at the dock, for our swim and snorkel along the top of the island bay hopping from Lagoa Azul to Flutuante Lagoa verde, and back; sorkelling spots before lunch and beaches after.
So lucky to be on a small boat, arriving early, once I’d mastered the mask and dealing with it leaking! I managed a snorkel or two! We had the area too ourselves until the masses arrived! Brimming with coloured fish, it was beautiful, but dangerous with too many boats parked anchored at one tiny picturesque point! Simon nearly lost his legs clambering back on board; health and safety left in the Galapagos! However it was full of locals and Brazilian tourists, so lovely to see when elsewhere the locals and local tourists had been priced out!
We passed many distant offshore oil of gas tankers plus a rig ship, there appeared to be a mainland terminus locally however our captain assured us they are forbidden near the island! It was lovely though.
At the second stop Bananal (just us) the driver joined us kindly showing us, live huge orange starfish, corals and purple sea urchins. Lovely warm sea (cold currents aside) and calmer clearer water made it easier. Really special, fantastic and fun.
Another couple of snorkelling stops and we arrived at the Green Bay, famous for the gap you can walk through! After snorkelling, once the throng arrived I put my mask aboard and walked and swam across; spoiling the instagrammed background with my old English body!
Next the captain drove through an impossibly small gap, before stopping to take our lunch order! Eating early again with the whole restaurant to our selves at Praia de Fora was lovely; I even got a small coffee!
Afterwards we swam at the famous Sandy Praia de Amor, full of a type of iridescent long thin swordfish, sadky just missing the sea turtle! It then got too busy to snorkel! Followed by an iced purple blueberry style fruit on the busy Praia da Feiticiera; forgetting wearing money belt I couldn’t swim!
Unfortunately earlier clambering back on the boat Simon mistook the horn for a hand rail; my head jerking in fear as he splashed back! Simon ok, part retrieved, but unfortunately not ok; oh dear. We await details of the repair damage fees.
A really lovely way to see the mainland facing side of the idyllic island.
Swimming off the dock enjoying the view we decided to eat in; mistake! Warm wine (power cut); huge portions (english stomachs too small); flavoursome fish indigestion inducing; lasagne too heavy! Poor choices; all would be delicious on a cold wet damp November evening with kids or four legged friends to consume our leftovers!
Our last day, a visit to the famous remote Instagram location Praia de lopes mendes.
Early morning view
Breakfast followed by on the boat (including the oil/gas tankers)
Views round the island
Lunch & iced fruit
Simon’s underwater photography
Our guest house after famous local shaped rocks!
Evening views
We stayed at Pousada Asalem, Ilya Grande, Brazil