07/09/2008 (end of week 5).
Welcome to my 5th blog post from the Galápagos Islands. I’m now almost halfway through my 
volunteer stint here at the Charles Darwin Research Station.
This last week was a frustrating one on the work front. I’ve had some technical issues to deal with on my laptop over the last few
weeks and evidence this last week suggested the free anti-virus checker I had wasn’t doing its job. There weren’t any crashes, but a general slowing and some application hang-ups had progressively gotten worse. I seemed to spend more time dealing with these issues than doing what I needed to do. A new anti-virus has picked up some problem files and things have improved somewhat, but it remains to be seen if I need to take the plunge and actually spend some money on a decent security suite.
I had at least managed to mostly shift the old GIS (Geographical Information Systems) office contents from the Botany building, over to the office at BIOMAR I am in. From next week I will be sharing the new GIS office with at 2 other people, 1 permanently and the other for the rest of September. The company is welcome after 2 weeks of solitude.
I’ve been asked how my Spanish is going and I have to admit it is still a bit hit and miss. Sitting behind a computer most of the day doesn’t help and neither does having neighbours that speak good English (especially the American one). I have been making a few enquiries about taking some lessons to supplement the computer based language package I am using (somewhat sporadically).
volunteer stint here at the Charles Darwin Research Station.This last week was a frustrating one on the work front. I’ve had some technical issues to deal with on my laptop over the last few
weeks and evidence this last week suggested the free anti-virus checker I had wasn’t doing its job. There weren’t any crashes, but a general slowing and some application hang-ups had progressively gotten worse. I seemed to spend more time dealing with these issues than doing what I needed to do. A new anti-virus has picked up some problem files and things have improved somewhat, but it remains to be seen if I need to take the plunge and actually spend some money on a decent security suite.I had at least managed to mostly shift the old GIS (Geographical Information Systems) office contents from the Botany building, over to the office at BIOMAR I am in. From next week I will be sharing the new GIS office with at 2 other people, 1 permanently and the other for the rest of September. The company is welcome after 2 weeks of solitude.I’ve been asked how my Spanish is going and I have to admit it is still a bit hit and miss. Sitting behind a computer most of the day doesn’t help and neither does having neighbours that speak good English (especially the American one). I have been making a few enquiries about taking some lessons to supplement the computer based language package I am using (somewhat sporadically).
While riding my bike back to work from lunch in town last Friday, I heard somebody call my name and got to meet another volunteer, Zoë (from England), sent here by Julian from Friends of Galápagos New Zealand (see link at left). She had recently arrived and is working for one of the other international non-government organisations here on the islands. I played the part of tour guide to Las Grietas (see also week 3 blog post) on Saturday, where the snorkeling was better than I thought it would be. On the way back I got to see a few bird species I
hadn’t seen before. Birds on the left, from the top: Lava Gulls (endemic -world's rarest gull), Whimbrel (a migrant), Black-necked Stilts (uncommon resident) and a Cactus Finch (endemic); on the right from the top: White-cheeked (or Galápagos) Pintail (endemic) and Yellow-crowned Night-heron (endemic).
On Sunday we headed to Tortuga Beach, where I got a chance to explore the peninsula I missed on my previous visit (when I went snorkeling instead). Lots of Marine Iguanas in a more natural setting than those at the Marine Laboratory I am used to. I also bumped into a Yellow-crowned Night-heron sitting nonchalantly in the mangroves, as well as seeing pelicans and frigate birds
soaring overhead; with one frigate bird intently trying to steal a fish from a seal, which would occasionally surface with it and rip pieces off by tossing its head violently to the side. I also saw a Cactus Finch, the first 
finch species I have confidently identified.This Friday is looking good for an early departure from work to head over the Isabela Island for the weekend. I’ve been hearing some fantastic things about the island, so look forward to the trip.
I’ll let you know how that went next week. Till then…
Pete
Pete
