Jim & Barbara Burton Travel: Galapagos

GALAPAGOS ISLANDS

The Galapagos Islands, located at the Equator, are all volcanic, all moving, some growing while others dying.

Our trip to the Galapagos began March 1, 2014, when we arrived at the airstrip on Baltra Island, which was created by the United States Army, as a base to protect the Pacific and the Panama Canal during World War II. Subsequently, after the war, the facilities reverted back to Ecuador and are now used as a military base by its forces. Apart from this nothing else is present on the island, barring some reintroduced land iguanas, as it is very barren. The airstrip, however, also accommodates commercial aircraft and until 1986 this was the only dropping off point for eco-tourists visiting the Galapagos Islands, which are a Province of Ecuador. Another airport now exists on San Cristobal Island.

From the airport on Baltra Island we were driven by bus, to the dock at Itabaca Canal, to take the ferry to Santa Cruz Island, where we stayed overnight in Puerto Ayora. The small ferryboats and water taxis that travel across the narrow stretch of water to Santa Cruz Island all charge the same fare, 80 cents U.S. (The US$ is the official currency of Ecuador) The sea lions lying on the dock obviously could not afford the fare, as they didn’t embark. Either that, or they did not wake up in time. On the other side of the canal we elected to take a taxi for the 45 minute ride to Puerto Ayora. There is also a very good bus service.

Arriving at our “very” rustic B&B “The Lava House” we dropped off our luggage and walked about five minutes into the port town, Puerto Ayora, where we had a very good meal at a local restaurant “The Rock”, recommended by our host, who did not speak English. Spanish is pretty much the only language spoken here. The next morning, after a very rudimentary breakfast, our taxi arrived to take us back to the ferry and back to Baltra, to embark on the Celebrity Xpedition yacht at Aeolian Bay, which was to be our home for the next seven days. Unlike the large cruise ships the Xpedition is a yacht holding around 98 passengers. It is very clean and comfortable, the crew were exceptional, as were the Naturalists and everything is included in the price.

Day 1 - We embarked, unpacked and set sail at 2:30 pm for Daphne Island where we cruised close by for about an hour. Daphne Island is devoid of trees and like Baltra very barren. It is primarily a scientific research site where a lengthy study of Darwin’s Finches took place over a period of twenty years. Accessibility is severely restricted as it has a very fragile environment and is home to large colonies of breeding birds such as Boobies, Magnificent Frigate Birds and Red Billed Tropicbirds. As was to be the schedule for the next seven days, before dinner we were given an orientation by one of the Naturalists for the following day’s activities with two options, one more arduous, the other more sedentary, for those who were less ambulatory. (I signed us up for the arduous each day, much to Jim’s chagrin) This was followed by a gourmet dinner. Early to bed was a prerequisite for a very early start each morning, but somehow we never made it until around midnight each evening, visiting with our new friends Michael and Lisa, English and American respectively who live in Monaco, Craig who hails from Tasmania, Australia and Peter and Barbara from Wales.

Map of our Route starting at Baltra

Day 2 - after breakfast and our first full day ahead of us, we donned our lifejackets and water shoes and traveled to Puerta Egas on the west side of Santiago Island, by inflatable boats which were kept onboard the Xpedition. These small craft would be our taxis back and forth to the various islands for the duration of our trip. Puerto Egas has a long lava shoreline and great variety of wildlife such as Fur Seals, Sea Lions, Turtles, Flamingos, Crabs, Dolphins, Sharks and Marine Iguanas. Marine Iguanas were originally just land creatures but now spend much of their life in the ocean. Because of the scarcity of food in the Galapagos they have adapted to foraging at the bottom of the ocean where lush vegetation abounds. They risk their lives leaping from cliffs, diving to the bottom, feeding, returning to the surface and propelling themselves into the air landing back on the cliffs. Not only is there the danger of mortal injury but that of predators waiting for a tasty meal. There are also pigs and goats that were introduced here by humans, which cause great harm to the endemic species.

After our morning excursion we returned to the yacht for a refreshing drink, lunch and a short rest before setting out again in the afternoon for another adventure. This was basically the schedule each day, a morning trip and another in the afternoon.

Rabida Island was our next stop and comprises a landmass of 4.9 sq km. The island has red sand beaches and a saltwater lagoon where Flamingos and a bachelor seal colony can be found. Additional wildlife includes brown pelicans, boobies, pintails and finches.

Day 3 - we traveled to Isabella Island, the largest at 4,640 sq kms, shaped like a seahorse, one of the youngest in the Galapagos and home to more wild tortoises than all of the other islands. Other species here include turtles, penguins, flightless cormorants, land and marine iguanas, Sally Lightfoot crabs, boobies, pelicans, hawks and finches. Introduced goats multiplied to over 100,000 animals but have since been eradicated by the Government of Ecuador and the Charles Darwin Foundation. Isabella is around 1 million years old and formed by the merger of six volcanoes, namely Alcedo, Cerro Azul, Darwin, Ecuador, Sierra Negra and Wolf of which only Ecuador is “inactive”. It is one of the most volcanically active places on earth with Ecuador and Wolf lying directly on the equator. The island’s highest elevation is 1,707 metres, 5,600 ft above sea level and Sierra Negra is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. In the morning our small inflatables meandered through the red mangroves of Elizabeth Bay on the east side, spotting green turtles, Galapagos Penguins, flightless cormorants, blue footed boobies and more, as we made our way stealthily through the silent waters.

In the afternoon we landed at Caleta Tagus and hiked up the volcano to a viewpoint over Darwin’s Lake, seeing a very large land iguana on the way, then higher up for a magnificent view of the ocean.

Day 4 – In the morning we went to Sullivan Bay, Santiago Island and in the afternoon Bartolome Island.

Santiago Island is 572 sq kms and its highest point is 907 metres above sea level. Its habitat suffered massive destruction from the introduced species of pigs, goats and donkeys, which were finally eradicated in 2006, since which time it has begun to recover.

Sullivan Bay has little or no wildlife but is geologically very interesting as you traverse across un-eroded black lava rock, with all its bubbles and swirls, it appears as if the eruption occurred just yesterday. It is virtually devoid of vegetation except for a very few Molluga plants that are the beginning of colonization of this barren terrain. Turtles also come to lay their eggs on its small beaches. When the sun got high, the temperature became very oppressive from the heat reflecting off the black lava rock, so it was time to head back to the boat and some much needed refreshment.

Bartolome Island, which is really an Islet lies to the east of Santiago Island and is only 1.2 sq kms in size with an altitude of 114 metres. It is one of the youngest islands and is home to Pinnacle Rock, one of the most distinctive sites in The Galapagos. Pinnacle Rock is actually a volcanic cone. Two sites are available for visitors here, a climb to an incredible viewpoint via a wooden staircase, constructed by the park service to conserve the terrain and a beach for both swimming and snorkeling. This island is the most visited and the most photographed in all of The Galapagos.

Day 5 – Our morning adventure was Las Bachas, Santa Cruz Island and in the afternoon, North Seymour Island.

Santa Cruz Island is the second largest island in The Galapagos after Isabella. It covers an area of 986 sq kms and rises to 864 metres above sea level at its highest point.

Las Bachas, has a sandy white coral beach and is a major nesting site for sea turtles, where we saw many nests cordoned off and being monitored by the conservationists. Behind these nesting sites is a lagoon where we saw our beautiful pink flamingos.

North Seymour was our afternoon stop and for us truly amazing. There are around 2,500 land iguanas of which 70 were originally moved here from Baltra in the 1930’s to ensure their survival, as goats on Baltra were decimating the population. They are truly magnificent creatures and like all the other wildlife have little or no fear of humans. Our walk, which was pretty flat terrain, took us through the breeding colonies of the Blue Footed Boobies and the largest colony of Magnificent Frigate Birds in the Galapagos. Blue Footed Boobies care for their young for almost two years and at this point are so large and helpless looking they appear somewhat sad. The male Frigate Birds looking for a mate put on a display of enlarging their throats, making them bright scarlet and if they are unlucky to attract a mate could be doing this for months, until they find one. The females are very selective. In addition to the amazing birdlife and land iguanas there are sea lions and marine iguanas along the coast.

Day 6 – San Cristobal Island - our morning stop was Puerto Baquerizo Moreno and the afternoon Cerro Brujo,

San Cristobal Island is the fifth largest and the most easterly in the Galapagos. It is 557 sq kms (215 sq m) in area and its highest point is 739 metres (2,395 ft) and is where Darwin first set foot in the Galapagos in 1835. A small lake at the top end of the island is the only source of fresh water in all of the islands hence it was the first to be populated. In 1880, a penal colony was built to house prisoners from the mainland. Today the town is the capital of the Galapagos, with a population around 5,400 who make their livelihood in government, tourism and fishing. It has the second largest population after Santa Cruz Island.

Our morning adventure was to hike up the steep trail to Frigate Bird Hill, stopping at various places on the way there and back. There are amazing views from the top and the various viewpoints in between. After our descent of two kilometers we arrived at the Galapagos National Park Visitor Centre, which depicts the history of the Galapagos, its flora, fauna and ecosystems. A further twenty-minutes downhill took us back into town where there are artisan’s stores and souvenir shops, then back to the port.

Cerro Brujo and its coral sand beach awaited us in the afternoon. It is an excellent place to swim and snorkel. Seabirds and sea lions are abundant on its shores.

After bidding San Cristobal and its diversity farewell, we sailed onward to Kicker Rock. This monolith stands alone in the Pacific Ocean, the remains of a lava cone rising 500 feet from the ocean, about two hours from San Cristobal. Originally it was one rock but due to erosion it has split into two. We circumnavigated this amazing sight with everyone in awe. I can only liken it to Uluru (Ayers Rock) on land in Australia, as they both seem to have the same mysticism.

Day 7 – Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz - our last day in The Galapagos.

Due to its proximity to Baltra Airport it is the most visited island in the Galapagos, both for its accessibility to the interior, the highlands and Puerto Ayora. Puerto Ayora is the main town situated on the southern coast and can be accessed by paved road from the ferry dock on the northern coast. This small port town is a hive of activity with quaint hotels, small shops, nice restaurants with good fish, dive and snorkel outfitters, ferry boats to connect to other islands, adventure cruises and more. Its population is around 12,000 in total.

Our trip to the Highlands, by bus, traveling north along the highway and passing through the small town of El Mirador, we turned west onto a dirt road stopping frequently to allow Giant Tortoises the right of way. Ultimately, we arrived at a farm, which allows tourists to walk along tracks through the property to view the Giant Tortoises, which wander around and in and out at will. The farmers have removed the lower wires of their fences in order for the tortoises to come and go as they please. After donning our rubber boots we began our trek. We felt like black- footed boobies. The Giant Tortoises live in the Highlands during the rainy season, as food is more plentiful. Although mating can take place at any time of the year it is most common during their time spent in the Highlands, February – June. From July to November the females return to the Lowlands to lay their eggs and feed in the grassy plains, on highly nutritious plants. Although Giant Tortoises are migratory it is only the adults that migrate. The young tortoises remain in the lowlands until maturity. Females’ lay up to sixteen hard-shelled eggs, with each hatchling’s sex determined by the temperature in the nest. After strolling through the property seeing these amazing, huge, prehistoric looking giants grazing, wallowing in mud pools, mating or just wandering around we were served a nice buffet lunch, with wonderfully refreshing local fruits.

After being driven back to Puerto Ayora, a ten-minute walk took us to the Charles Darwin Research Centre and Tortoise breeding facility. At the Darwin Research Centre there are exhibits regarding climate and geography as well as the evolution of flora and fauna and current conservation programs. The Fausto Lirena Tortoise Centre has many large enclosures, with tortoises of varying ages and species from various islands. They range from hatchlings, to juveniles, to adults and are identified also by the island from which they originate. With the decimation of the tortoise population on Pinzon the program to save them began in 1965. It subsequently grew to encompass other islands and as of 2008 4,000 tortoises have been repatriated to their islands of origin. Lonesome George was the last known tortoise from Pinta Island and unfortunately died before being able to reproduce offspring and save his species. There are essentially two types of Giant Tortoise in The Galapagos, The Domed, who live in humid areas where foraging is at ground level and The Saddle-backed, whose shell fronts are angled backwards and allow their necks to extend and reach higher vegetation in more arid areas. Giant tortoises can weigh up to 250kg, live for more than a hundred years in the wild and considerably more in captivity. Sexual maturity occurs around 20-25 years in captivity but approximately 40 years in the wild. Like turtles they lay their eggs and that is the last of motherhood. They do not raise their young when they hatch about eight months later. After walking back from the Darwin Centre we arrived back in town and were treated to some antics at the small fish market. As the fishermen cleaned their catch, some brown pelicans, one sea lion and a marine iguana seeking a free meal bombarded them. They essentially ignored all but the sea lion and every now and then threw him some scraps. It was comical to watch them all vying for attention. Even more comical, was seeing the huge brown pelicans sitting in the tree branches, bowing under their weight and looking as though they were not strong enough to hold them. We concluded our walk through town back to the dock and made our last trip on the high seas back to the yacht for our “Last Supper”

We thoroughly enjoyed our last evening with a photographic depiction of our seven-day adventure, as taken by our Naturalists and our last supper with our new friends. After watching ourselves, the places we visited and all of the wonderful things that we had seen, we were entertained, after dinner, by our Naturalists both vocally and instrumentally. It was all most certainly amazing, a trip to remember and never to be forgotten.

The following morning we bade farewell to our fellow passengers, our new friends, and our crew, not forgetting of course our Naturalists and made our way back to Baltra Island. We did not join the others at the airport as we had one more night on Santa Cruz and another lovely dinner at “The Rock” before flying on to Bogota, Columbia the next day, wait for us there……………………………..