The Galapagos Islands

Denny and I flew AeroGal from Quito, Ecuador, to San Cristobal Island, the "capital" of the Galapagos Islands, Saturday, January 17, returning Saturday, the 24th.  We found a spectacular 2 for 1 price for a week long cruise online for the PARRANDA, a ship in the Quasar line.  Unfortunately, it caught fire and sunk the Tues. before we were to go.

http://www.yachtsgalapagos.com/mainland_ecuador/galapagos/fleet/parranda/parranda.htm    (The Parranda)

"there just aren't enough superlatives to do them justice!"

http://www.divephotoguide.com/news/official_statement_regarding_the_parranda_sinking_in_the_galapgos                   (The Parranda story)

http://www.galapagosexpeditions.com/tabs/evolution.php                           (The Evolution)

Fortunately there were no injuries to any of the guests or crew, but tragically the ship was lost.  It is hard to believe that this beautiful ship, just renovated and returned to service is sitting at the bottom of the ocean now!  When we anchored off Bartolome, the salvage ship was there taking off the fuel and other toxins.  They will then float it out to sea and sink it once again.  How sad to lose such a beautiful ship especially three weeks after reconditioning and renovations.

Luckily for us, we weren't there that week and were re-assigned to the EVOLUTION where we had the very most spectacular time with 21 other travelers, 19 fellow Americans and 2 Brits.  We made some wonderful new friends aboard whom we hope will visit us at the Tree House and whom we will certainly try to travel with again.  They came from all over the US, Ca. to NY, Il. to Tx.,  with a bunch of fun loving southerners too.

This was an International Expedition tour that was all the more memorable because of the two excellent naturalists on board, Boli and Dora.  18 dedicated and competent crew members spoiled us rotten.   In addition to the obvious perks Denny and I loved the wake up music, the towel creations we found on our bed each day upon our return from excursions, and the beautiful vegetable and fruit carvings on the cheese trays each meal (see "more pictures").

The Galapagos Islands are located 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador at the Equator.  They were created by volcanos 1-3 million years ago and are surprisingly diverse.  There are thirteen greater islands and six smaller ones.  Not all have human inhabitants and not all can be visited.  The total population is thought to have surpassed 16,000 now and issues of overpopulation are being studied.  An Ecuadorian can not simply choose to move there.

The islands have highlands with lush vegetation as well as coastlines of semi-desert.  Also scattered along the coasts are sandy beaches, lava fields, lagoons and mangrove swamps.  All that we visited were wonderful to tour -- beautiful, exotic and educational!

Arriving on San Cristobal, the "capital" of the islands, we were taken by bus to Puerto Moreno where our "pangas" came to collect us and take us to the EVOLUTION.  Just off the dock we saw a sea turtle alongside the boat and sea lions lounging on abandoned or vacated ships.  And it only got better and better after that!

After settling into our cabin -- amazingly spacious with a big bathroom, I mean, head -- we were served the first of many beautifully presented and delicious meals offered either in the formal diningroom or "al fresca" on the stern deck.  The anchor was raised and we set off for Espanola (Hood) Island by way of Kicker Rock and a hike on Cerro Brujo (Wizard Hill).  This was a "wet landing" where you step off the panga onto the beach -- quite different to be doing it barefoot or in crocs as opposed to last year when we were stepping off the zodiacs in waterproof boots onto ice!

Kicker Rock is home to many frigatebirds, the "pirates" of the seabirds -- they only steal food, don't catch it for themselves.  They will grab a booby midair and shake it until it regurgitates, then swoop down and catch their prize before it falls into the sea or onto the ground.  It seems a tough way to go but there are many of them and they all seem healthy enough -- though they do have to feed their young for almost two years before they too learn the tricks.  There were lots of Naszca (masked) and Blue-footed boobies flying about as well as shearwaters and a pelican or three.  This is a birder's paradise!

Before leaving San Cristobal we stopped briefly for a walk and swim at Cerro Brujo.  There were sea lions EVERYWHERE!  The long beach was full of females and pups.  They lay together in groups as they are very social creatures, often laying across one another even.  Denny was a photo-maniac!  The pups are just SO CUTE and so curious!  They grow quickly from the rich mother's milk and some look bigger than the moms from whom they are nursing!  The males patrol an area off shore that deliniates their territory up through the beach where their females and pups lie.  Unsuccessful bulls must leave the area and live in "bachelors colonies."

Sea Lions don't seem bothered at all with the tourists -- they pose and play and swim among us freely.  They often were around and about while we were snorkeling and swimming.  However they can be very dangerous when provoked so we were warned to stay clear of fights and to approach slowly.  It doesn't take long to get used to their presence -- which is good since they are prolific on all the islands!  Their only predator is sharks.

My favorite shore wildlife are of course the "Sally Lightfoot" crabs which are also everywhere in great abundance!  They scurry about all over the lava rock.  Starting out as minute black crabs, then each time they molt they grow a larger shell and get more colorful.  They don't live all that long though because so many larger creatures love to eat them!  Still, we found some pretty large ones.  There are two other fun crabs to watch on the islands -- ghost and hermit.  The ghost crab burrows into the sandy shores and dashes for home before you can ever get a really good look at it.  The hermit crab lives in discarded shells under which it hides when it feels threatened.  The Galapagos crab, however, is the beautiful Sally Lightfoot, too numerous to feel the need to hide except when molting.

Lava gulls and Noddy terns are also prevalent along the shore and beautiful yellow warblers along with Darwin's finches of many varieties.  We eventually learned to tell them apart -- several subspecies of ground, cactus, tree, warbler, mangrove and even woodpecker finches.  And mockingbirds!  What a pretty song they sing!  The most prominent birds on the islands though are the boobies -- Nazca (masked), blue-footed and red-footed boobies.  Boobies are long winged sea birds the size of geese.  They only come to shore to breed.  They dive for fish and it is amazing to watch.  I could go on and on naming all the many different birds sighted each day, but I promise I wont!

We travel in two smaller groups when off the ship, each with a naturalist, going our separate ways and learning about all that we see.  Both Boli and Dora are Ecuadorian, have been guides on the Galapagos for over ten years, exude an abundance of energy and harbor a wealth of knowledge which they share constantly.  Denny likens them to the best, most enthusiatic college lecturers you have experienced.  Since our ship wasn't full this week, Boli brought his two charmingly shy daughters along, Valessia and Nathaly.  Dora gave them a few German lessons over the week and they were "supposed" to practice their English, but were painfully shy --- just like me with my Spanish!

Returning to the Evolution we are greeted by the lovely Montserrate, our hostess in charge of all the goings on of the ship.  The beverage manager, Juan, has a delicious chilled juice for us plus snacks.  Then it's time to clean up and head for the top stern deck and bar for hors deuvres and the sunset.  Since we are right on the equator, we only have twelve hours of sunlight, roughly 6 to 6.  The sunsets are magnificent.  (We never saw a sunrise.  Surprise, surprise.)

At 7 each night there is a "briefing" at which one of the naturalist explains the next day's options and gives a multitude of information about it -- history, geology, flora & fauna.  Also what we need to wear, take, etc.  We have been issued wetsuits, fins, masks and snorkels all to be contained in our mesh "cabin bag" for easy access and transport.  It is a real science -- the way they run things -- now we know how the term "shipshape" came to be!  By the time we enjoy the "Captain's Cocktail Reception" and fine dining, we can't wait to get to our cabin and bed!  The ship travels to the next island while we sleep.  At this time of year the seas are relatively calm and we have no trouble at all sleeping (though Denny did take a profilactic seasickness pill each night).

Espanola Island is the oldest and most southern island of the Galapagos and we rise early to hike in the cool morning air.  Sea lions are there to greet us, of course, and a host of both the small lava lizards and the big marine iguanas.  Marine igianas love both the sea and the lava rock shores.  An endemic species to the Gallapagos, they are one of the most interesting of the Gallapagos creatures, I think.  Lizard-like in appearance, Darwin called them" hideous."  They can grow to four feet in length, half of that in tail.  It is that tail that propels them through the water and they are great, fearless swimmers.  Herbivores, they eat algae at the bottom of the sea.  They can stay under for up to an hour but usually only go for 10-15 minutes at a time.  Since they are cold blooded we often found them spread out flat on the lava rocks sunning.  Large males establish harems and mark their territories.  If challenged there is a lot of head bobbing and pushing until one backs off.  Fun to watch!

There is a colony of blue-footed boobies on Espanola as well and we are treated to watching the whole family experience -- from gathering nest materials to tending the eggs to newly hatched chicks to teens demanding to be fed to wing fluffing in preparation for first flights.  There is no "hatching season" here as there are few predators and lots of food so they mate all year long with spectacular high-stepping rituals.  They have to show off those blue feet!  There are also a few waved albatross still here, most have already fledged and flown off to sea to hunt.  But we see a few soaring and one still on a nest.  More Gallapagos gulls, petrals and mockingbirds as well.  And the top predator --hawks.  Another highlight on the hike was a blow hole -- the sea gathers in a lava tube and then shoots out periodically with a huge spray going 60 feet high.

Returning to the ship we enjoy another great juice like guayabana and a snack (perhaps rolled meats and deviled eggs) and then change to our snorkeling gear for an hour or so in the water.  I really got into the snorkeling and went every chance I could.  My most favorite sealife to watch were the sea turtles and the rays.  More than once I found myself too far from my partner as I followed one or the other wherever they were going.  They are so graceful!!!!  The sea lions too were a kick -- they'd zoom by, circle back, and even stop to stare into your mask.  Sometimes they'd play together and be so fun to watch -- diving and nipping and twirling.  They are such a touchy, feely species!  Once in awhile we would see fur sea lions as well (Santiago Island) -- but they are more independent.

The water is so very, very clear and the seas are full of gorgeous fish:  parrotfish of many varieties and colorations, huge triggerfish, surgeons, trumpets, bright yellow puffers as well as spotted ones, beautiful boxfish, balloonfish, and schools and schools of pampano, salemas, and grunts.  The moorish idols and king angelfish get very big and the giant damselfish had little ones swimming with them that were a metallic blue.

Denny hiked and took the panga rides, but not being as comfortable in the water, and not being able to see much without visual correction in the masks, he sometimes chose to stay aboard and enjoy the ship -- reading, relaxing, and sharing travel adventures with others.  This is a well travelled group so we are learning a lot about where else we might want to go in the future!

Our days continued in this manner, an early morning hike to a bird colony or geological site, then a swim or snorkel opportunity.  Back to the ship for a yummy lunch and then a siesta.  A late afternoon swim or snorkel or another hike or panga ride before cocktail hour at sunset.  Then a briefing and dinner.  Rarely did we have the energy for star gazing or movie watching before we fell exhausted into bed eagerly anticipating the morrow.   The food is delicious and plentiful.  I have had to cut back from a plateful to half a plate (they are BIG plates) and by the last day the serving staff knew to cut things in half for me so that I could at least taste everything!  lolol  Three meals a day with multiple choices, plus the snacks and hors deuvres, WHEW!  and MMMMMMMM!

The Darwin Station at Santa Cruz was so very interesting.  Darwin, you may remember, came to the Islands aboard the Beagle in 1835 and stayed for five weeks.  It was here that he formulated his theory about evolution through natural selection and later wrote about the "survival of the fittest."

Giant tortoises are being bred to be reintroduced to the islands where they were decimated, mainly by the whalers and explorers who would fill their holds with them.  They would stack them 10 high on their backs.  Some could live a year with no food and water and be a steady source of food for the sailors.  Can you imagine?   There are pens of each year's hatches clearly marked by numbers indicating the sub-species and island of their origin.  Other areas contain the the breeding females and males.  Zoos across the world also returned some when they heard about the near extinction.  However, because of their exposure to strange diseases, these are kept together in one area of the station.  They can not be released among the wild ones who would not have immunity.  The last giant tortoise known to inhabit a northern island, Pinta, is thought to be over 150 years old -- Lonesome George.  They are hopeful that they might find a female with whom he will mate so they can reintroduce their offspring there one day.  But there are different sub-species on the different islands and they can not always reproduce together.  He may be the last of his kind.  It is quite a history.  The giant tortoises are truly a wonder.

Also at the station, the environmentalists and scientists plan the eradication of introduced flora and fauna on the islands in order to bring them back into their natural balance.  Feral cats, dogs, burros and goats plagued certain islands.  Rats overran booby colonies eating the eggs and the young.  Introduced plants took what water there was and endemic species withered.  Some have to be pulled out by hand, some can be poisoned.  Helicopter assaults have now rid all the islands of goats and burrows,  and natural vegetation is returning.  The pictures of the before and after are unreal!

And, of course, there is the documentation of Darwin's research on the many finches of the islands that led to his theories and publications of the Origin of the Species.  The adaptations are obvious and there are so many examples of the "survival of the fittest!"  We had a great time learning to identify each species and sub-species and tracking down even the elusive vermilion flycatcher and the woodpecker finch on the island of Santa Cruz.

There were sea stars galore off Bartolome Island, seahorses off Genovesa, penguins and sharks off Fernandina and Isabella.  The white tipped reef sharks were at first intimidating but they too seemed to not care the least about us.  "The food is so plentiful here that there is no danger," our naturalists say.  When the sharks appear to be hunting however, everyone is pulled from the water.  We only saw hammerheads from the pangas.  We walked through a lava tube and had a picnic at a giant tortoise farm.

At Bartolome we climbed to the rim of a shield volcano, 371 steps,and posed for one of the more famous shots in front of the calderas and Pinnacle Rock.  It was there also that we anchored next to the salvage boat that was securing the Parranda, 40 feet below.  And on Santa Cruz we took a panga ride through a mangrove swamp where we saw baby sharks, sea turtles and marbled eagle rays.

There is only one small colony of Galapagos penguins on Fernandino and Isabella Islands and they gather in small groups.  We watched a few as they swam near the ship at anchor and then saw maybe 5 groups of 8-20 on a late afternoon panga ride.  Earlier that afternoon when I was snorkeling a group of penguins came through -- what an unexpected delight that was to see!  They literally "fly" through the water!  Boli said they are most like Magellanic or "Jack Ass "penguins.  They make a braying sound.

Genovesa is an old volcanic crater.  It is one of only two pristine (no human inhabitants and no introduced species, flora or fauna) islands in the Galapagos, home to more than a million seabirds and the only colony of red footed boobies.  We landed on a rock and climbed the caldera on a somewhat precarious rocky path with dubious handrails.  Coming over the top was a visual shock as there were birds EVERYWHERE!  We walked among them across the small island to the cliffs on the other side encountering boobies, frigates, gulls, pelicans, tropic birds, finches, mockingbirds and thousands of storm petrals.  It is an amazing scene!

On North Seymour Island there is a frigatebird colony and we got to see the males with  inflated large red sacs sit in bushes hoping to attract a female.  They postured and called and flapped.  The females flew over them in large circles until they chose.  lololol

There are also land iguanas on North Seymour.  These are smaller, more rare iguanas who were almost extinct as a result of feral cats and dogs.  They live more inland in drier parts of the islands and eat succulent plants for both food  and water.  More colorful than all but the "Christmas" marine iguana, they are shades of yellow and orange.  They sleep in burrows, warm up in the sun, and then seek shade.  Darwin noted back then even that they allow finches to sit upon them to pick off ticks.

Three times we came upon whales -- sei, orcas and fins.  It is always so wonderful to see them.  Once too a pod of bottlenosed dolphins came to the ship and entertained us with their antics.  Denny got some great photos from the bow!  We never saw them while snorkeling though.

Thursday we crossed the Equator a fourth time and after dinner the crew put on a silly King Neptune show in which all were called upon to play a part.  The captain (behind a great mask) had a fresh lobster that everyone had to kiss and with which he mopped all the foreheads.  YUCKY!  Denny and I had to demonstrate the mating ritual of giant tortoises.  Others had to be boobies trying to escape frigatebirds, marine iguanas posturing, sea lions barking, etc.  King Neptune (Boli) kept trying to pawn off his wife (Dora).

We also had a game of Pictionary with Galapagos topics instead of a briefing Friday before dinner.  I had to act out or draw "endemic species" for my team.  Denny had "welcome cocktail."  One new friend had "the Evolution" which was harder than you might have expected.  That night, our last dinner aboard ship, was a major celebration with sushi rolls as the hors deuvres, wine, steak and lobster.  Several people spoke about what a great trip it had been.  It was bittersweet goodbye.

There just aren't enough superlatives for us to be able to adequately describe our fabulous trip to the Galapagos!  I will put as many pictures as possible here under "more pictures..."  for the Galapagos Islands are truly something special. They are a MUST SEE!   Put them on your lists, my friends, you will not be disappointed.