Navigating Nature’s Masterpiece: A Galápagos Cruise Experience
A cruise through the Galápagos Islands will allow you to not only understand the connection between Charles Darwin and his theory on evolution but also to see the force of the islands’ volcanic origin (still active) and its biodiversity both on land and sea. Each island (got to visit 7) is a lasting memory of the unique wildlife and geology of this remote region. Home to many species, such as the Galapagos land and marine iguanas, blue-footed boobies, and the famous Galápagos tortoise. But sadly, there are many challenges that threaten this “Living Museum” starting with rising sea levels, higher ocean temperature, invasive species, illegal fishing, over tourism and population growth. Although the islands are part of a national park, it may not have the resources to manage its conservation when there are so many uncontrollable factors and special interests. Here is my take on what was a lifetime adventure…
But First a Bit of History
This archipelago of scattered islands, rocks, and islets was accidentally discovered in 1535 by the Spaniard Bishop Tomás de Berlanga and at the time were viewed as too remote and uninhabitable. The Galapagos Islands did not become internationally known until Charles Darwin visited and studied the islands in 1835, the beginning of what became the foundation for his theory on evolution. By then, the islands became part of Ecuador, first used as a penal colony. Later, it became a place for settlers to farm and fish, primarily on four of the islands which today has a population of 30,000 residents and growing. For a short period during World War II, the US maintained a military base on the Baltra Island, no longer the case. The islands are in no danger of any territorial conflict, as their problems are more about environmental exploitation. More on this later.
To Cruise or Not to Cruise
Travelers have the option of staying in hotels at several of the islands contracting with local tour groups to explore all that the Galapagos offers, or you can take a 3–7-day cruise. I chose a 5-day cruise with 13 other passengers and an 8-person crew which offered a long list of amenities and activities. Best part, not having to plan any of it. From the moment you land at the airport on the island of Baltra, you are picked up and taken to the boat. Staying in hotels may be less expensive than on a boat but probably not as adventurous and less catered to.
Once you are onboard the cruise yacht, the first thing the crew does is walk through all safety procedures before sitting down for lunch. The passengers were mostly Europeans, from Germany, Sweden, Australia, Belgium, and three from the US. All of us were able to communicate in English. (I’m always amazed at how bilingual the rest of the world is as compared to the US.) Lunch was the beginning of us connecting with each other. We then sat in the main lounge room for a full orientation of what the week entails and the first day schedule. We were given about an hour to get acquainted with our cabin. My luggage took up a big chunk of the cabin space. I was assigned to the top deck with a wonderful ocean view which made for the rocking of the boat a little less as compared to the rooms on the bottom level of the boat. The weather for the week during my stay was mostly 75° degrees with on and off tropical rain showers. Depending on the island, the sea at times was a bit choppy, mostly driven by the winds. It’s important that you check the weather for the week that you’re planning to travel to avoid their winter months. I did not get seasick, although at times you felt a bit off balance due in part to the strengths of the waves.
A Different Island Every Day, Sometimes Two
Day #1. Our first day after lunch, we went to Santa Cruz Bachas Beach where we saw flamingos, pelicans, iguanas, and received a lesson on the island’s history and fragility. Some folks were able to snorkel on the beach. By the time we left, it was close to 5:30 PM, and it was time to get back to the boat and get ready for dinner and enjoy the sunset while cruising through the night. Quite the treat.
Day #2. By 7 AM every morning, you are fed a scrumptious breakfast and then shipped out on two motorized dinghies, each fit eight people. The second day, we visited two islands. The first was the Bartolome Island, where we immediately started an amazing hike on man-made wooden steps up to the highest cliff where the views were just spectacular. It took at least 40 minutes to arrive at the top of the cliff. My back was beginning to feel some stress requiring me to pace myself throughout the entire trip. There was more snorkeling, lunch and then off to Sullivan Bay Island to experience an island completely covered by lava. Quite beautiful and mysterious.
Day #3. By the third day, we went to South Plaza Island to meet up with an entire community of sea lions who were not shy about approaching us and profiling for a selfie. From there we walked a portion of the island and came across iguanas, a variety of birds and vegetation. In the afternoon we visited the Santa Fe Beach where we got to see the wide range of rock formations and the infamous blue-footed boobies and, of course, more snorkeling in deep waters. I am not a good swimmer to save my life unless I am in a pool. The crew guided me through snorkeling in deep waters. Quite an amazing experience to see stingrays, sea lions, turtles and schools of exotic fishes swimming near you.
Day #4. In the morning, we visited Witch Hill, a beach area for more snorkeling, and in the afternoon for a hike to the northern side of San Cristóbal, an area known as Pitt Point. The minute we arrived on the shore, it started to rain. We began hiking up these amazing mountains as it kept raining harder. Even though we all had ponchos and umbrellas, we were soaked. We continue to climb up as the rain kept coming at a faster pace. When we reach the top and started heading back, we noticed all these waterfalls created by the rain. What we did not expect was that the trail that we came up on had also turned into a waterfall, preventing us from continuing to go down the path we came up on. Our tour guide had to call members of his crew to help find us a new path to get back down to the shore. This took a while and also required us climbing a bit higher away from the trail. We managed to get back down to the shore just when the rain had finally stopped. We were all soaked and before returning to the boat, a group photo to remember this adventurous day was indeed a must. This was our last evening together, saying goodbye to the crew and packing our belongings to allow us one more site visit the following morning.
Day #5. Overnight, we arrived on the southern side of San Cristóbal to visit a tortoise sanctuary before completing the tour. The only remaining species left for us to see that did not disappoint were these 20 giant tortoises being taken care of. These gentle creatures weigh up to 800 pounds and may eventually become extinct. We then returned to the boat to collect our belongings. Several of the folks were to remain on the San Cristóbal Island. A couple of us were taken to the airport to head back to Quito on that same day.
This trip exceeded my expectations. I was in awe of the mystifying beauty of these islands and its rugged coastlines. All these islands we visited, except for the northern side of San Cristóbal, are uninhabited and part of a national park. The waters and the rock formations in and around many of these islands were just breathtaking, as was its marine life. The ocean is of an opal blue, fading into an emerald glow as you approach the islands. Once you reach the coastline, the water becomes baby blue with cream color waves matching the sand (there is nothing like it). It is truly nature’s living museum to the world. However, there is another side to this amazing volcanic archipelago that you need to know concerning its fragility.
The Challenges Facing the Galapagos Islands and its Long-Term Sustainability
Over time, human behavior, along with climate change, will most likely destroy these islands, disrupting much of its endemic habitat even as it remains geologically active. Here is why …
In the last 15+ years, the Galapagos Islands have been experiencing significant and uncontrollable growth brought on primarily by tourism and the weakness of the country’s national and local governments to manage both the islands’ conservation and infrastructure. Sadly, this would impact what is one of the world’s last oceanic archipelagos.
Both human behavior and climate change are causing the extinction of a significant portion of the islands’ native species presently listed as endangered and at risk of extinction. The desire of multinational corporations seeking to increase large-scale tourism into these islands will have a disastrous effect, if not controlled. This will lead to unregulated economic growth, increasing migration to the islands for jobs without the necessary public service and infrastructure needed to maintain the islands’ growing population (e.g. water). This unregulated growth will add to more cargo ships and an increase in invasive species that are already impacting the islands’ biodiversity. To make things worse, this growth will also add enormous increases to the islands’ carbon footprint brought on by more airline flights, cars and larger ships. There are currently several major local and international players seeking to build a framework on managing the sustainability of the Galapagos Islands, but they will be fighting against so many well-funded special interest groups. If you are interested in learning more, click here to read an important research study on the Galapagos islands or maybe consider volunteering or supporting the following organizations. They are:
There are way too many photos of these islands for me to post. The creatures themselves were such a joy to photograph. These are my best pics which combine both the human element and nature. My intent was to capture the experience of cruising and trekking through these islands with portraits of their habitats and landscapes. As always, remember to click the center of the photo to view it in full. In summing up this unique experience, I leave you with a quote from Charles Darwin …
It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change,” and “There is grandeur in this view of life,”
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