Las Islas Encantadas


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South America » Ecuador » Galápagos
December 9th 2007
Published: December 13th 2007
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The Galapagos is truly a unique and inspiring chain of islands. Originally named Las Islas Encantadas, they still enchant, inspire and amaze visitors fortunate enough to experience such a magical place. Every island is a unique collage of diversity, full of wonders around every corner. A sanctuary for the strange and peculiar, most of the oddball cast of characters that inhabit these islands are found nowhere else in the world.

While the land can often appear to be a barren, desolate wasteland of lava fields and cacti deserts, sparsely populated by only the most resilient plants, it holds a surprising abundance of life. Giant tortoises and iguanas roam the land, reminiscent of prehistoric monsters. An extraordinary assortment of birds flock to the islands to nest, breed and feed on the richness of the sea. Brought by the four converging oceanic currents, penguins, sea lions, whale sharks, dolphins, sea turtles, hammerhead sharks and manta rays are but a few of the wide diversity creatures found in these lush waters.

Often while exploring these islands with my posse of camera wielding foreigners, led by a tour guide and translator, I couldn’t help but feel like a bonified tourist, snapping away pictures at the abundance of wildlife. Most areas in the Galapagos require a certified tour guide and permits in an effort to minimize the impact of the 140,000+ tourists who flock to these islands every year. Preservation and conservation are extremely important on these islands that already show the permanent scar of human presence. While the tour guide often makes the experience feel more like a field trip than an adventure, it is a small price to pay to be in this wonderful place.

Day 1: Baltra



The day started out a little rough; five and a half hours waiting in an Ecuadorian airport can tire even the most excited soul. But as soon as the plane took off I was reenergized with a giddy excitement. Eight days in the Galapagos swimming with penguins, sharks, rays, turtles and sea lions, observing several different species of iguana, a plethora of birds and taking too many pictures of everything was going to be awesome.

We arrived in Baltra four hours behind schedule, met up with our captain, naturalist, translator and the rest of the passengers (2 Ausies, 1 Israeli and 11 people from Holland). After boarding the boat, we were assigned cabins, fed and then headed to a beautiful white sand beach. Our cabin was near the engine room, hot and smelled a little like gasoline. While not particularly happy with our assigned lodging, it wasn’t that bad because most of the time we were on the islands exploring, snorkeling and seeing the sights and while in transit the best seats were topside anyway. Also, the captain said we could sleep up on the top deck, which we did.

A group of frigate birds drafted the boat on the way to the beach, effortlessly gliding, matching our speed. It’s amazing how little effort these birds exert while soaring through the sky. This extraordinary efficiency allows them to stay in perpetual flight for several weeks while at sea. Unlike other sea birds that have developed a water resistant, oily coating on their feathers, frigate birds cannot swim or land in the water and if one gets wet, it will most likely die. Still, these birds live off the sea, precariously scooping fish from the water’s surface or utilizing their speed an maneuverability to steal another birds catch. While watching the frigate birds, Roana and I got pooped on, which is always a downer, but it would take more than that to ruin my day.

Upon reaching the beach, we took a short panga ride from the boat to the sandy shores and were immediately immersed in wildlife. Within the first two hours in the Galapagos, we saw dolphins, sea turtles, frigate birds, pelicans, blue footed boobies, flamingos, a blue heron, marine iguanas and vibrant crabs, an abundance of natural beauty around every corner. After a few hours exploring the beach and observing the animals, we returned to the boat for dinner. After dinner we watched a beautiful Galapagos sunset from the top deck.

At night the light at the back of the boat attracted plankton, which attracted small fish, which in turn attracted larger fish, sea lions and Galapagos sharks; a primitive version of the nature channel that we watched for a couple hours. The six-foot sharks just meandered around but the sea lions were constantly on the hunt, chasing medium sized fish that would frantically flee, often leaping out of the water.

Laying our blankets and pillows down on some pads on the top deck, we drifted off to sleep listening to the sound of the ocean mixed with the hum of the engine. A fresh, ocean breeze brought the sweet fragrance of saltwater to our nostrils as we descended into our dreams. Though the day started off a bit rough, everything turned out all right and we were extremely excited to be cruising through the Galapagos.

Day 2: Plaza Sur and Santa Fe



We awoke to a beautiful sunrise off the coast of Plaza Sur, a small island near Santa Cruz that is home to about 1000 sea lions, various birds and both marine and land iguanas. Because the bull sea lions are highly territorial, defending their 30+ females and young, we were advised to stay out of the water and instead took a hike around the island to enjoy the flora and fauna. The sea lion pups were adorable as they waddled through the rocks, chasing crabs or testing the ocean waters. They posse a curiosity in their eyes, a glimmer of wonder and excitement. The bull constantly patrols his territory, on the lookout for rival males and predators, barking ferociously at both, but most of the sea lions lounge around the beach and rocks, soaking in the sun, enjoying the mellow atmosphere.

The male land iguanas who grow to over a meter in length, are adorned with colorful, yellow scales and spikes running down their spines. They feed primarily on the native cacti that flourish on the island, eating fallen fruit or climbing the prickly trunks to get at this nourishing food. Without fresh water on the islands, the cacti are the iguana’s source of both food and water. The marine iguanas on this island are significantly smaller than the land iguanas and are a dark grayish/black color. They feed on the seaweed in the ocean have adapted to be able to desalinize the seawater, expelling excess salt in a life preserving lugee. In both these species the males are significantly larger and more decorative than the females.

Besides cacti, a red succulent covers the island, creating a uniquely vibrant landscape. In the hot, rainy season this plant turns green, producing more chlorophyll to take advantage of the abundance of sunlight and water. By turning red in the dry, cooler season, it slows down its photosynthesis, preventing it from drying out.

Even the seagulls in the Galapagos are beautiful. Bright red rings around their eyes help them see at night. We saw a mother swallow tail gull regurgitate a whole fish into its baby’s mouth, a surprisingly beautiful/gross show of motherly love.

After a couple hours of enjoying Plaza Sur, we were off to Isla Santa Fe where we snorkeled and hiked through a giant cacti forest. The snorkeling was very good, clear turquoise water and an abundance of marine life. We swam with large sea turtles, gracefully gliding through the water; rays, some of which were over six feet wide; sea lions, curios aquatic acrobats and a variety of colorful fish. The water was a little cooler than expected and Roana decided she wanted to wear two wet suits next time. During our hike we saw a rare type of land iguana, which was larger and paler than the ones on the previous island. It had red eyes and looked like an albino. We also saw a variety of birds including Galapagos doves, canaries, mocking birds and a Galapagos hawk. The giant cacti were very interesting, with trunks resembling trees, void of thorns but covered in a thick bark. Reaching 4-5 feed in diameter, these cacti grow over 30 feet in height to out compete other plants for the sun's light. Out at sea we saw a type of ray that leapt a few feet out of the water, doing a back flip, an unexpected aerial acrobat. I was later told that they do this to remove parasites from their skin. We also saw a large black tipped reef shark swimming around the boat.

Espanola



We woke up to another beautiful Galapagos sunrise, this time in Gardner bay on the island o f Espanola. One of the oldest islands in the Galapagos, Espanola was born from volcanic eruptions 3.3 million years ago. Since then it has slowly drifted form the volcanic hot spot where it was born, gradually sinking into the sea. This mysterious island, shrouded in a slight mist is home to an abundance of life including large nesting sites of blue-footed boobies, masked boobies and albatross. Galapagos hawks can be seen soaring through the sky scanning the land for prey. Tortoises, iguanas and lava lizards wander through the rocks and bushes. In addition we saw many tropical birds, finches, mocking birds, canaries and sea lions.

The blue-footed booby is a very peculiar bird with weird mannerisms and vibrantly blue feet. No one is sure what evolutionary forces caused this colorful footwear and it remains one of the many mysteries of this mysterious place. Their courting displays are particularly interesting: first the male whistles to get the females attention, then does a little dance, spreading his wings, and finally if she seems interested, takes a twig in its beak and offers it to her to seal the deal. If she accepts this engagement twig they mate. Once the eggs are laid, they take turns sitting on the nest and both take part raising the young. Even their kamikaze, dive-bombing fishing technique is peculiar. They fly 20-30 feet above the water and when they spot a fish, tuck in their wings and do a streamlined dive at their prey. In order to withstand this impact, they have evolved cushioning sacks on the front of their head, but still the impact sometimes blinds them, eventually resulting in death.

A bird who makes one believe love is not limited to humans is the waved albatross that finds a partner and mates for life. Couples can often be seen rubbing beaks in an affectionate display. One of the giants
Galapagos Hawk Galapagos Hawk Galapagos Hawk

Patroling the masked boobie nesting site for unguarded young
of the Galapagos, their wingspan can exceed ten feet. It's hard to believe that these elegant, beautiful birds can have such hideous offspring. Huge, brown, molting, flightless piles of feathers, the young ones hardly resemble their majestic parents. Being the end of their breeding season, we were fortunate to see some of these awesome birds before they leave the islands and take to the sea for several months.

It was also cool watching a few Galapagos hawks patrol the masked booby nesting area for unguarded young. The piercing gaze of the hawk would be a truly nerve racking sight if I were a young bird. We didn't see them eat any babies, but was cool nonetheless.

On the rocky shore we saw a blowhole that shot a spray of water twenty of thirty feet into the air. A crack in the volcanic rock that fills with water from the crashing waves and when the pressure builds, erupts in an impressive display.

Near the end of our hike we saw a bloody brawl between two iguanas over a territorial dispute. They wrestled, scratched, head butted and bit each other, an anything goes, no holds bar, street fight. The winner won the head honcho position in the area and the right to breed with the beautiful ladies of the land, but both left bleeding carrying permanent scars.

While snorkeling we saw an abundance of life, sea turtles, sharks, sea loins, rays and tons of fish. It was awesome diving though huge schools of thousands of fish, creating a moving, living tunnel around me. Sharks are always fun to swim with, and even though these were fairly small, five-foot white tipped reef sharks, they still get my nerves tingling a bit.

It’s the end of the dry season and the island contains very little green vegetation, just a few succulents near the shore. Most of the plants and trees are void of leaves and bare as a baby’s bottom. It's hard to believe that such a seemingly desolate island contains such an abundance of life. Most of the animals that have survived have adapted to live off the bounties of the sea or are able to go for many months without food. Giant tortoises can go for over a year without eating or drinking. This is truly and interesting place, where the peculiar has survived and flourished and I feel immensely privileged to be able to experience these magical islands.

Floreana



Roana woke up feeling quite sick and at one point said she felt like she was going to die. She decided to stay in the cabin all day and rest, hopefully recuperating enough to enjoy the rest of the trip. The only time she emerged during the day was to eat a little chicken broth and rice for lunch. I tried to enjoy the day, but it was hard knowing how miserable Roana was.

We got up early for a 6am hike. Landing on a green sand beach, we hiked a short distance inland to a large salt lagoon where a population of greater flamingos resides. Another type of strangely colorful animal endemic to the Galapagos, the greater flamingo supposedly gets its pink color from the shrimp it eats. Casually sifting though the muddy sand with their beaks, they spend most of their day dining on fresh, delicious shrimp. We hiked a little father to a very picturesque white and beach. The white sand is made from broken seashells, coral and bones, while the green sand is made from decomposed volcanic rock. Both are beautiful in their own way but the white sand is more of a stereotypical tropical paradise. At this beach we were able to see some green rays in the shallow receding waves. I also enjoyed watching the gliding sea turtles, silhouetted in the rising waves.

Back to the boat for breakfast, then off to Corona del Diablo (the Devil's Crown). This rugged offshore ring of porous rock is the remains of a volcanic crater sunk into the sea and boasts some great snorkeling, but beware of strong currents and sharp coral. I cut the back of my calf a little while swimming through a small underwater tunnel. This was some of the best snorkeling so far of the trip, with clear visibility and large schools of fish, rays and sharks. We were not fortunate enough to see the elusive hammerhead shark who can occasionally be seen patrolling these waters, but the school of sixty or so rays we saw flying through the water was awesome.

At post office bay we participated in a primitive postal system that dates back to the age when pirates and whalers roamed these waters. In this system you deposit your letters in the barrel and take any that are addressed to where you're going. Sometimes it takes weeks, months or even years to deliver the letter, but that makes it ever more special when it gets there. After depositing a post card, I participated in a game of futbol (soccer) against a rival crew. It was a close game, but we emerged victorious, with little help from me. I’m pretty sure every guy in Latin America is a better futbol player than I. We went snorkeling again in this bay seeing more fish, turtles and sea lions. I followed this particularly large sea turtle as he glided through the water. He seemed not to mind my presence and let me hover just a few inches above him. Fighting off the childish urge to grab hold of his shell and ride him through the water, I just watched him as he very calmly munched on seaweed. I also met up with a couple sea lions and tried to imitate and follow their movements through the water, diving, doing flips, sharp turns and barrel rolls. This was fun, but made me realize just how clumsy and awkward we are compared to these aquatic acrobats.

After lunch, I took a few hour nap with Roana while we sailed from Floreana to Santa Cruz. Apparently we missed sightings of whales, dolphins and a huge manta ray. We docked in Porta Ayora on the island of Santa Cruz for the night, where we could easily travel to shore to pick up supplies and check our emails.

Santa Cruz



Santa Cruz is the tourist capital of the Galapagos, housing 70%!o(MISSING)f the human population on the islands. In the morning we checked out the Charles Darwin Research Center, where they raise baby tortoises in captivity until they're large enough to resist introduced predators such as cats, pigs and dogs. Each island has a unique species of tortoise and special care must be taken to make sure the right tortoises are reintroduced to the right islands. During the beginning of the captive breeding/raising program, they forgot to label which tortoises came from which island and this first generation of tortoises still reside at the Charles Darwin research center where tourists can get close and take pictures with these gentle giants. The Charles Darwin Research Center is also home to Lonesome George, the last living tortoise from Isla Pinta. The rest of his species was killed by sailors who took tortoises by the hundreds onto their boat as a source of food. Because giant tortoises can survive for over a year without food or water, they were an ideal supply of fresh meet while at sea. They've tried to get lonesome George to mate with females of a similar species from Isla Isabella, but with no success. He's 90, so still has plenty of years left, but as a last resort they may try to clone him.

Later in the day we took a bus ride to Los Gemelos (the twins), which are two very large crater like sink holes. Then we headed to a large lava tube, big enough to drive a car through. Lava tubes are formed when flowing, molten lava cools and solidifies on the outside, but still flows on the inside. Eventually the liquid lava flows out and a tube remains.

After walking through the lava tube, we checked out some giant tortoises in the wild. These slow moving giants were much more timid than the ones we saw at the Research Center, and while they couldn't run away, if you got too close, they would retreat into their shell. It was really fun just to watch these colossal reptiles meander through the fields, feeding on the grass. Their appearance and demeanor reminded me of a prehistoric giant. The male tortoises can grow to be several hundred pounds and live over two hundred years.

Rabida and Chinese hat



We landed on the beautiful red sand shores of Rabida, eager to take a tour of the island. The stunning red sand on this beach is a product of decomposition of the volcanic rock that makes up this island. Immediately we saw a pelican nesting site, dive-bombing boobies and sea lions basking on the beach. A short walk inland and we arrived at a yellowish, stinky salt lagoon. It used to be a flamingo hangout but has recently been taken over by the sea lions who have turned it a yellowish color from their excrement and pee. On the other side of the lagoon we saw two Galapagos hawks perched in some trees. It was exciting to observe these impressive raptors. They didn't appear to be scared of us, but if you ventured to close they would give you a piercing stare that seemed to say "Any closer and I'll use these talons on you." Birds of prey are my favorite type of aviator and a Galapagos Hawk is my new answer to that question “if you could be any animal, what would you be?” Living in a tropical paradise, soaring through the sky, dining on young iguanas and baby birds is the life for me. We proceeded to hike up a hillside that offered spectacular views of the lagoon, red cliffs and turquoise coves. On our hike we saw cacti, palo santas, morning glories, swimming iguanas, colorful crabs, more boobies and pelicans.

After hanging around Rabida for a couple of hours, we took a short boat ride to Chinese Hat, a small, volcanic island off the coast of Santiago. First we went snorkeling in the warm crystal blue waters. Having just purchased a disposable underwater camera in Santa Cruz, I took pictures of some reef sharks, rays, sea lions and fish. The water was a little rough as waves crashed into the rocky shore, but it was still safe and fun. After snorkeling we took the panga to a small white sand beach where we unloaded and got ready for a hike. A large bull sea lion was unhappy we were sitting on his beach an aggressively charged and barked at us. Eventually he realized we weren't going to be scared away and calmed down a little. This island was relatively young, with very little vegetation and lava fields covering the majority of the land. I noticed a small lava tube that I though would make a nice shelter and upon closer inspection realized a sea lion was already napping inside. This lava landscape, with waves crashing on the rocks and marine iguanas basking in the sun was very picturesque.

Bartalome and Santiago



On the island of Bartalome I had my first encounter with wild penguins. These funny little birds who waddled among the rocks and darted through the water were quite amusing to watch. We took a hike to the top of a volcanic cone to gain a view of the area. The relatively young, harsh, rocky, red volcanic soil had only a few scattered plants living in it. The landscape here was compared to that of mars with volcanic craters and cones sprinkled about. After climbing a few hundred stairs, we marveled in the breathtaking view from the top. The vast diversity of landscapes here in the Galapagos is simply amazing.

After hiking down, we walked over to a beach were 30-40 small white tipped reef sharks patrolled the shallow waters. Wading into the water, large schools of these sharks swam mere inches from our feet. Awesome. We saw a great blue heron perched on a rock near the shore, apparently searching for a meal. Hiking a short distance to the beach where we landed, we went snorkeling again taking a few more underwater photographs.

We headed back to the boat for lunch and a short ride to the larger island of Santiago. There we took a walk through a vast lava field. The various patterns and shapes in volcanic rock were very fascinating. At some places in the cracked rock, you could see the various layers of lava flow from different eruptions. Eventually we made our way to another beach where we hung out and went snorkeling for the last time. It was a little sad knowing that our trip was almost over.

North Seymore



The last stop on our trip,
CactusCactusCactus

One of the plants able to grow in this harsh lava soil
North Seymore, an island just north of Baltran. On the makeshift rock dock, a sea lion was there to greet us to shore. We saw some nesting frigate birds in the bushes and trees. They were no longer mating, so we didn’t get to see any of the males display their inflatable, vibrantly red throat pouches. Near the trail we saw a young sea lion who had recently been attacked by a shark. He was missing his back flipper and flies swarmed to his open wound. It was apparent that he would die soon and was a very sad sight to say the least. Further along we saw some more blue footed boobies courting. The males whistling at passing females, doing a little dance, they seem like little cartoon characters. Near the end of the hike we saw an adorable baby sea lion who was only a few days old. Roana wanted to take it home with her and give it a hug.


The Galapagos is truly one of the most extraordinary places I’ve ever been. Full of beauty, excitement and the most peculiar inhabitants, these islands leave a lasting impression on all who are so fortunate to visit. In the eight days I spent on these islands I accumulated a vast supply of wonderful memories and pictures I will cherish for the rest of my life.



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14th December 2007

sweet entries!
I'm so glad that you documented our trip so well, down to me wanting to hug the baby sea lions! You write so well! Me gane la loteria!

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