Day 3, Galapagos

Both children are dealing with a bit of travelers tummy, so we opted to not do any activities involving long walks today. Maddie and I went into town for breakfast and to grab a few groceries while Auguste had a slow morning. It’s about a 10 minute walk to the water taxi, which takes maybe 5 minutes to cross the little inlet into Puerto Ayora. So not difficult, but takes a little time.

When we got back we decided to take the kayak out. After situating all three of us into the kayak, we set out for a beautiful paddle in Franklins Bay!

We paddled along the mangroves, saw lots of crabs, iguanas and pelicans. We spotted a blue footed booby on the cliff too!

There was a little inlet tucked into the cliff that was so amazing! The water was bright turquoise and it was quiet and so beautiful.

We’re so lucky to be in this spot and have the kayak right here off our own dock! Just amazing.

After our kayak, we booked a time to visit Las Grietas with the company just outside the gate. Las Grietas is a fissure in the volcanic rock that created a gorgeous water-filled little channel. It’s perfect for swimming. The brackish water doesn’t have a ton of fish, but it’s crystal clear. Like most areas on the Galapagos, you may not visit without a guide. This is to control crowds and to protect the natural sites. So after a little mid-day siesta we headed out. Our Airbnb is a quick 5 minute walk to Las Griegas. We arrived, our guide announced it was time to swim and he dove in! Our host had provided snorkeling equipment so he suited up and followed him!

It was a truly stunning spot. The volcanic rocks and the clear blue water were amazing. You could see all the way to the bottom. We swam to the far end and sat in the sun for a bit. Auguste was loving diving and swimming. We spotted a handful of huge fish. And we had the whole place to ourselves! Super fun excursion.

For dinner Auguste wasn’t excited about going out so Maddie and I went to the restaurant near the water taxi for some seafood. We were seated right by the railing on the deck and the water was filled with baby sharks! Occasionally a sea lion would swim by. We had a fabulous dinner. Maddie had a seafood pasta and I had some yummy grouper. A perfect end to our day!

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