Observation and Drawing in the Galapagos: Our Last Day on Isabela
Today marks our second full day on Isabela Island in the Galapagos. We began it by having our usual breakfast at the hotel down the sandy road from our hotel. Thank god breakfast was free too since there aren’t any ATMs on this island, nor do restaurants take credit/debit cards. This is something very critical to know if you ever plan on heading to Isabela. Regardless of this situation, we all made it work by occasionally borrowing money from those who still had cash on hand.
After breakfast, the first half of the group and I headed to the shore, approximately a 5 minute walk through this tiny beach town, to begin our sketching session with Jean. She led us through a set of sketching exercise that included quick 30 second drawings, blind contour drawings, and a long 45 minute intensive drawing. A lot of us spread out to draw different subjects, so naturally I wondered off and found two sleeping sea lions on the beach. I was able to lie down on my stomach about 3 feet away to sketch them. This was an interesting experience due to the fact that incoming tourists kept on invading the space with constant pictures.
A sea lion poses for our drawing session
When our drawing session ended, we switched with the other group as they started their drawing session and we began our free time on the island. Michael, Hannah, Ellie and I headed to the cove to snorkel at around 12:30. Unfortunately we didnt see too much probably due to the time of day and abundance of people present. Consequently, Ellie and I met up with Sarah and Ana where we had our last lunch on Isabela. We weren’t super enthused when we found out they were only serving a fish stew with a main fish entree. We scarfed down the fish, sunburnt and sandy, and then proceeded back to the hotel.
The sea lion I drew!
Once at the hotel, it was time to pack our bags again and head back to Santa Cruz Island for the remaining duration of the Galapagos week. This meant taking another 2.5 hour boat ride. This boat ride differed because of the large waves our boat went over in the first half of the trip. Some of us reacted more to the startling drop of the boat than others.
Finally on Santa Cruz, I immediately noticed how much more inhabited it was compared to Isabela. I think the biggest sign were the abundance of people and ATMs. Santa Cruz was also tourist city for we were surrounded by Europeans and Americans alike along the strip of restaurants and shops.
Hungry and tired, all of us split up down the strip to find food. Ana and I were so hungry that we basically went into the first restaurant we saw. It worked out for us too as we ate some delicious fajitas….at a sushi restaurant regardless. Don’t ask me why I thought that was a good idea to eat fajitas at a place where they serve sushi for we were pretty desperate.
To end the day, Ana and I walked back to our lovely hotel, Deja Vu, worked on our sketch journals, compared our sunburns in the mirror, and before we knew it, we were both out like a light. Tomorrow we have an early start at 5am to Bartholomew island of which I look forward to.
As always,
Madisen