Date: January 4-13, 2026
Route: Panama City – San Cristobal (Galapagos)
Miles/Hours: 954 NM/187 Hrs
First Days on the Pacific
We set off on Sunday, January 4th, in the afternoon. In the morning, we still change the engine oil and filters. We first head south – catching the trade winds, so we sail on a broad reach – speeds reach 9 knots (but with about 2 knots of consistent current). We sail like this for two days, dolphins swimming with us, and seagulls flying around the yacht. The sun is causing the thread on the UV filter on the genoa to fall apart, so we drop it and sew it. It’s a few days of sewing, but we manage. After two days, we enter the convergence zone, and the wind dies down. We lower the sails and start the engine. After a few hours, the wind returns, but from the opposite direction and much weaker. The next day, a 12-kn southerly wind begins, so we raise the freshly covered genoa and mainsail.
Various birds (mainly gannets) keep visiting us, perching on the bow pulpit, panels, and railings. Unfortunately, they make a lot of mess.
In the early morning hours, we find a flying fish on board.
Crossing the Equator
On January 11, 2026, we cross the equator. To mark the occasion, we’re having a small party with fruit and sparkling wine. Of course, we’re also offering Neptune a treat.
Agent in the Galapagos
The services of an agent in the Galapagos are mandatory. This agency handles all the entry and exit formalities. There are several, but we chose YACHT AGENTS GALAPAGOS Co., recommended by friends. The delightful Javier is coordinating everything. We start arranging the arrangements about a month and a half before our planned arrival in the Galapagos. First, we send copies of the yacht’s documents, insurance, AIS certificate, and copies of crew member passports. All documents are in PDF format. The next step is to pay half of the invoice amount. What we pay for:
Port Fee: International Arrival – $3.00 – payable per ton of yacht
Port Fee: Lights and Buoys – $7.00 – payable per ton of yacht
Port Fee: Local Arrival/Departure – $7.00 per document
Port Fee: International Zarpe (weekdays) – $15
Galapagos Migration Cards – $20 per person
National Park Entrance Tickets (adults) – $200 per person
Environmental Risk Inspection (GNP) – $50 per person
Biological and Sanitary Inspection – $100
Immigration Fee (Entry and Exit) – $64 per person
Yacht Entry Permit – $150
Agent Fee – $500 (for 2 people on the yacht)
Fee Document preparation fee – $150
Additional crew member fee – $50
Port representation – $150.00 per port
Authority transport fee for inspection – $100
Bank fees – $25
Additional fee for each person arriving by plane – $50
Additionally, you’ll also need a fumigation certificate – $70 and a diver’s hull inspection certificate – $170.
You also need an anti-fouling certificate (which you get from the marina for free) and an exit ZARPE – you have to pay for these, but you still need this document when leaving any country.
72 hours before arriving in the Galapagos, we reported our arrival date. It turns out that even though there’s no boarding check in at San Cristobal, Javier arranged it for us, so we don’t have to sail from Santa Cruz to San Cristobal immediately after check-in. This gives us a day to get ready for the yacht and explore the city.
Galapagos Check-in
The check-in is scheduled for 3:00 PM. We arrive at the anchorage around 10:00 AM, so we have plenty of time. The agent gives us the coordinates for where to anchor. We drop anchor near the designated spot on the sand. The anchor holds very well. We can hear seals (or rather, sea lions), and indeed, there are plenty of them in the water and on the shore. They rightly ask us to secure the yacht so they can’t board.
Around 2:00 PM, a water taxi arrives with a diver to inspect the seabed – everything is fine.
Shortly after 3:00 PM, another water taxi arrives with officials on board – nine in total, plus a representative from the agent. The officials represent:
Galápagos National Park, the Galapagos Government Council, the Biological and Sanitary Inspectorate, the Port Authority, Immigration, and the Medical Officers.
Everyone receives a copy of the documents I previously sent to the agency. In addition, everyone has their own paperwork to fill out. We set up a table in the cockpit, and everyone squeezes in with their last ounce of strength. We answer a multitude of questions about the number of batteries, the capacity of various tanks, future plans, ports visited, and so on.
The sanitary inspector checks all the food for alien contamination and expiration dates. The doctors examine the first aid kit and check the medications for expiration dates. Others take photos of labels to avoid throwing trash and spilling sewage, as well as photos of the engine room and bilge pumps.
San Cristobal
We anchor in Porto Baquerizo Moreno. There is a water taxi that can be called to the shore via VHF on channel 14. Taxis run from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. The fee is $1 per person.
