Day 11 - Giant Cacti Island - Thursday, 17th February
Another early rise and another stunning sunrise! Don't think I could ever quite get used to this! Although, I wouldn't mind trying!!
At sunrise, we came across a pod of short-finned Pilot Whales. Hannah ( one half of a delightful couple called Seb and...) got very excited about these as these are her favourite things and she's studied them. They're very small whales and they like to do this thing called 'logging' where they just kind of float on the surface and look cute! They certainly made for some great pictures in the early dawn light and we stayed with them for ages. These are the whales which are slaughtered 'for fun' in the Faroe Islands which my Niece in Germany gets so outraged about. She goes to a Danish school and she cannot come to terms with the fact that a country like Denmark (who own the Faroes) which seems to be so PC and into all the eco-stuff, condones the slaughter of these lovely animals. She's very vocal about it to anyone who'll listen ( and good on her I say).
But, for us - today - it was simply another wonderful encounter and lovely to see them doing their thing! What a fantastic start to the day!
We were still around San Jose Island and soon encountered some playful Bottlenose Dolphins! Captain Mike - who has obviously done this before - knew how to get them really excited and took the boat in big, wide circles, thrusting the engines to churn up the water! The Dolphins loved this and treated us to a magnificent display of leaping and frolicking behind the boat and plenty of bow-riding. Again, I think I got some really good pictures - although it's difficult to tell until I see them on the computer. Mark said to us outside 'If anyone ever tries to tell you they're not doing this for fun, don't listen to them!' He's so right. They were simply having fun and, hopefully, it shows on the pictures.
During the day, we also saw a Ray and a huge pod of Long-beaked Common Dolphins which I took some film footage of. They were squeaking and squealing and the noise reminded me of the meows Rupert does! Very cute! Mark said they were recording it and it will be on the DVD they're doing for us at the end.
Later in the afternoon, we stopped at an island called Isla Santa Catalina. This is where, we had been told, there were giant Cacti and great photo opportunities. We were stopping there shortly before sunset as, apparently, the light looked wonderful against all the dramatic cacti.
We landed about 4pm and were told to be back to the skiff by 6pm at the latest as it would be almost dark by then. Straight away, I was really excited. I can't explain why - maybe I'll be able to figure it out at a later stage - but it was almost as if the island had this magical effect on me! It sounds really strange writing it down, but I was just awe-struck right from the word go. I think I walked around the entire time with my mouth open! I felt I just needed to get out there and explore - so I marched off on my own. As soon as you got away from the beach, it became totally silent - apart from the odd squawk of a bird or the sound of my feet walking on the gravelly ground. The silence really was golden. I did actually tip-toe for some of it as I didn't want to make too much noise! Graham and Jenny kept up with me for a while - which was useful, actually, as I was able to ask them what certain birds were etc. There were loads of crows (or ravens- I can't tell the difference) and I heard a Woodpecker pecking, although I failed to spot it - or them. At some point ( I had no idea of the time - I think I was in a trance-like state) Jenny said that she and Graham were going back. I told them I was going to carry on, but I'd be back soon. It almost felt as if I wasn't talking and someone else was! That sounds really mad and the kind of thing some of my clients might say! Then Matt appeared and I wondered what on earth he was doing there! He asked me the time and informed me that he didn't have long as he had to be back at the skiff. He then marched on ahead. I was tempted to follow him, but it looked as though he might be having a wee, so I thought it best not to! I pretended to take a few very interesting pictures so that he didn't think I was watching him or anything. He smiled on his way back and told me not to be late. Well, mate, I thought. I might accidentally get stranded here and have to stay forever - so there! But I knew it would probably cause problems as all the boxes have to be ticked. So, I reluctantly started to make my way back too. Mark and Rachel had been right, though - the light was amazing making everything look so warm and golden. (Since I've been back, a friend has pointed out that it's not surprising I felt all funny being in a place with so many giant phallic symbols!)As I got nearer to the beach, I saw a small group of my fellow travellers all trying to photograph something behind me and I was in the way!! I looked round and saw the most amazing sight! The full moon was rising behind the hill-tops on the other side of the island and it looked simply stunning! I got out of their way and joined them in a frenzied photo-off. As I hadn't been there when Mark was dishing out advice, I wasn't sure whether or not I'd got my F-Stops right or anything - but I tried my best and I think I got a few good ones.
I went back to the boat very happy! But, I should point out at his point that we have run out of red wine!! Shock! Horror! Apparently this has never happened before and we are the first group to drink the boat dry of most alcohol (white wine is either out or almost out and much of the popular beer!) So, I'm having to make do with some beer I've never heard of. Well, it's alcohol I suppose. God, I sound like my Mother! Anyway, we had another hilarity filled evening and Hannah gave us a great talk about Pilot Whales. After, many of us went outside for another beer and the hilarity continued - mostly led by Tony who was on particularly good form! I was regaling them about meeting Matt and joked that he'd asked me for a quickie behind a Cactus and that I'd had to refuse him because I am a Lady. I did add that this was a joke but it led onto Tony saying that he thought Matt was a Mexican for some reason and it just got sillier and sillier. I went in to get another beer and saw that Matt was sitting just outside the door, reading. Oh my God, I thought, please don't let him have heard all that! But, he had his head down, reading a whale book. As I came out again, Rachel was just coming in and saw Matt too. The look on her face was a picture as she did a u-turn, mouthing something unmentionable and re-joined the others! I got back to them and Rachel was panicking saying,'Oh my God! Matt's just there! Do you think he heard??' I said I didn't think so, but Rachel wanted to make sure. So, she went and stood near him and pretended to look at life jackets or something and we had to carry on talking. She came back and said that the noise of the boat's generators drowned out our conversation, so she was happy we hadn't been overheard. I think he would just have been amused by it all anyway! But it was funny!
We are moored by the island tonight and will be leaving in the early hours to our next destination. I'm glad because it does look absolutely stunning in the moonlight and terribly romantic. Ok, I can dream I'm here with George Clooney or whoever! But it means that the boat is going to start up at something like 3am and as we're next to the engine, that ain't going to be funny!! As I sat out tonight, I saw another shooting star and gasped again in wonder and made another wish.............
Another early rise and another stunning sunrise! Don't think I could ever quite get used to this! Although, I wouldn't mind trying!!
At sunrise, we came across a pod of short-finned Pilot Whales. Hannah ( one half of a delightful couple called Seb and...) got very excited about these as these are her favourite things and she's studied them. They're very small whales and they like to do this thing called 'logging' where they just kind of float on the surface and look cute! They certainly made for some great pictures in the early dawn light and we stayed with them for ages. These are the whales which are slaughtered 'for fun' in the Faroe Islands which my Niece in Germany gets so outraged about. She goes to a Danish school and she cannot come to terms with the fact that a country like Denmark (who own the Faroes) which seems to be so PC and into all the eco-stuff, condones the slaughter of these lovely animals. She's very vocal about it to anyone who'll listen ( and good on her I say).
But, for us - today - it was simply another wonderful encounter and lovely to see them doing their thing! What a fantastic start to the day!
We were still around San Jose Island and soon encountered some playful Bottlenose Dolphins! Captain Mike - who has obviously done this before - knew how to get them really excited and took the boat in big, wide circles, thrusting the engines to churn up the water! The Dolphins loved this and treated us to a magnificent display of leaping and frolicking behind the boat and plenty of bow-riding. Again, I think I got some really good pictures - although it's difficult to tell until I see them on the computer. Mark said to us outside 'If anyone ever tries to tell you they're not doing this for fun, don't listen to them!' He's so right. They were simply having fun and, hopefully, it shows on the pictures.
During the day, we also saw a Ray and a huge pod of Long-beaked Common Dolphins which I took some film footage of. They were squeaking and squealing and the noise reminded me of the meows Rupert does! Very cute! Mark said they were recording it and it will be on the DVD they're doing for us at the end.
Later in the afternoon, we stopped at an island called Isla Santa Catalina. This is where, we had been told, there were giant Cacti and great photo opportunities. We were stopping there shortly before sunset as, apparently, the light looked wonderful against all the dramatic cacti.
We landed about 4pm and were told to be back to the skiff by 6pm at the latest as it would be almost dark by then. Straight away, I was really excited. I can't explain why - maybe I'll be able to figure it out at a later stage - but it was almost as if the island had this magical effect on me! It sounds really strange writing it down, but I was just awe-struck right from the word go. I think I walked around the entire time with my mouth open! I felt I just needed to get out there and explore - so I marched off on my own. As soon as you got away from the beach, it became totally silent - apart from the odd squawk of a bird or the sound of my feet walking on the gravelly ground. The silence really was golden. I did actually tip-toe for some of it as I didn't want to make too much noise! Graham and Jenny kept up with me for a while - which was useful, actually, as I was able to ask them what certain birds were etc. There were loads of crows (or ravens- I can't tell the difference) and I heard a Woodpecker pecking, although I failed to spot it - or them. At some point ( I had no idea of the time - I think I was in a trance-like state) Jenny said that she and Graham were going back. I told them I was going to carry on, but I'd be back soon. It almost felt as if I wasn't talking and someone else was! That sounds really mad and the kind of thing some of my clients might say! Then Matt appeared and I wondered what on earth he was doing there! He asked me the time and informed me that he didn't have long as he had to be back at the skiff. He then marched on ahead. I was tempted to follow him, but it looked as though he might be having a wee, so I thought it best not to! I pretended to take a few very interesting pictures so that he didn't think I was watching him or anything. He smiled on his way back and told me not to be late. Well, mate, I thought. I might accidentally get stranded here and have to stay forever - so there! But I knew it would probably cause problems as all the boxes have to be ticked. So, I reluctantly started to make my way back too. Mark and Rachel had been right, though - the light was amazing making everything look so warm and golden. (Since I've been back, a friend has pointed out that it's not surprising I felt all funny being in a place with so many giant phallic symbols!)As I got nearer to the beach, I saw a small group of my fellow travellers all trying to photograph something behind me and I was in the way!! I looked round and saw the most amazing sight! The full moon was rising behind the hill-tops on the other side of the island and it looked simply stunning! I got out of their way and joined them in a frenzied photo-off. As I hadn't been there when Mark was dishing out advice, I wasn't sure whether or not I'd got my F-Stops right or anything - but I tried my best and I think I got a few good ones.
I went back to the boat very happy! But, I should point out at his point that we have run out of red wine!! Shock! Horror! Apparently this has never happened before and we are the first group to drink the boat dry of most alcohol (white wine is either out or almost out and much of the popular beer!) So, I'm having to make do with some beer I've never heard of. Well, it's alcohol I suppose. God, I sound like my Mother! Anyway, we had another hilarity filled evening and Hannah gave us a great talk about Pilot Whales. After, many of us went outside for another beer and the hilarity continued - mostly led by Tony who was on particularly good form! I was regaling them about meeting Matt and joked that he'd asked me for a quickie behind a Cactus and that I'd had to refuse him because I am a Lady. I did add that this was a joke but it led onto Tony saying that he thought Matt was a Mexican for some reason and it just got sillier and sillier. I went in to get another beer and saw that Matt was sitting just outside the door, reading. Oh my God, I thought, please don't let him have heard all that! But, he had his head down, reading a whale book. As I came out again, Rachel was just coming in and saw Matt too. The look on her face was a picture as she did a u-turn, mouthing something unmentionable and re-joined the others! I got back to them and Rachel was panicking saying,'Oh my God! Matt's just there! Do you think he heard??' I said I didn't think so, but Rachel wanted to make sure. So, she went and stood near him and pretended to look at life jackets or something and we had to carry on talking. She came back and said that the noise of the boat's generators drowned out our conversation, so she was happy we hadn't been overheard. I think he would just have been amused by it all anyway! But it was funny!
We are moored by the island tonight and will be leaving in the early hours to our next destination. I'm glad because it does look absolutely stunning in the moonlight and terribly romantic. Ok, I can dream I'm here with George Clooney or whoever! But it means that the boat is going to start up at something like 3am and as we're next to the engine, that ain't going to be funny!! As I sat out tonight, I saw another shooting star and gasped again in wonder and made another wish.............
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