Blogs from Santiago Island, Galápagos, Ecuador, South America - page 2

Today we took a day boat trip to Bartolome and Santiago Islands, which are a two hour boat ride northwest of Baltra Island. There are several islands that are accessible by day trip, each unique in their own right by terrain and which species of bird or animal you wish to see. I decided on Bartolome Island because it is home to a very small and elusive colony of penguin, which originated in Antarctica, but long ago rode the Humboldt current to the islands, and they are the closest penguins you can see without traveling to the South Pole. Our boat was a 40ft. beautiful fishing yacht that we shared with our National Park guide Felipe, 4 college age Argentinians Dennis befriended, a Swiss guy, and 3 locals. We were given a delicious breakfast on the ... read more

At last a solid nights sleep! Sarah and I both got a good, much needed 9 hours. The boat had already moved to Sombrero Chino (Chinese Hat) before dinner yesterday so we were anchored and seas were quiet. At 8 we hopped in the dinghys and got a little boat tour of the south side of the channel on the north side of Santiago where the new lava flow enters the water. From the boat we saw a number of marine iguanas, blue footed boobies, penguins and the Lava Herron (an endemic species). The water was really blue and clear. Then the dinghy took us across the channel to our wet landing on Chinese Hat. There were 4 or 5 young sea lions resting on the beach. We learned that they are fed by their mothers ... read more

Unlike most islands in the archipelago which seem to have a dozen names, Santiago only has three: San Salvador, James and Santiago (the official Ecuadorian name) The day started with a hike on Buccaneers Cove, a notorious hangout for pirates and whalers drawn to the area by the deep water bay and access to an abundant supply of land tortoises which could be kept alive for up to a year in the hull of a ship, providing an important source of fresh meat for the men; not so great for the tortoise. It is estimated that as many as 100,000 tortoises were taken off the islands for food. The hike was excellent. The birds were out in force, including pelicans on the beach, yellow warblers, common egrets, Galapagos hawk, Galapagos dove, mockingbird, ducks and an abundance ... read more

Islas de Galapagos, Isla Bartolomè, 18-10-1990. Every waking moment of my time here touring these magnificent islands full with endemic life forms, animal species totally unconcerned with the camara toting foreign humans invading their cherished home, I am reminded of how the wortld would be without the presence and consequent demands of the human race, the impact we have on the world around us... Sitting here on top of our boat, hot mug of steaming java warming my hands, waiting for the first rays of sun that will herald the beginning of a new day...a brand new day in a natural world only slightly contaminated by the world of mankind...philosofical matters concerning the place of the human race in this world rule my mental thinking No big mega cities where the dregs of the human species ... read more

Islas De Galapagos, Isla Santiago, 16-10-1990. Curious prehistoric-looking reptiles eye us, approaching us easily and unafraid while we disembark from our dingy, shoes in hands since we invade this animal kingdom by a so-called wed landing. Slowly they shuffle closer over the black lava bed with its eroded shapes and small pools that house black-colored crabs - perfect camouflage in this volcanic landscape. All around our dingy huge sea turtles awkwardly work their way up the beach, their progress is slow and difficult. Out at sea they might be in their element but here on the hot beach they are being tested to their limits. Together with countless gulls, no doubt aware of what is about to take place, we sit around watching them find a suitable spot on the beach, go through the even harder ... read more