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Published: February 5th 2006
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Land Iguana
This handsome fellow was completely unfazed by having his picture taken. Dick did all the work while he just sat there and enjoyed himself. Next stop on our cruise down the west coast of South America was Ecuador, which lies south of the Panama Canal from Guatemala. Dick and I are learning a lot about geography on this trip. My hazy guess as to how to get to Ecuador from the US was to go to Los Angeles and turn left. But it turns out, to our surprise that Ecuador is in the same time zone as South Carolina, and the shortest route between the two goes over Miami! As with any area in the southern hemisphere, now is the height of the summer season which will last through about April. Generally speaking, it is warm most of the year in this whole area.
GALAPAGOS (See route map above.) At the port of Guayaquil in Ecuador we headed straight for the airport to begin our three-day land tour of the Galapagos Islands, an hour and a half from the Pacific coast on a charter flight. This area has been an Ecuador National Park since 1936. It was a trip both of us really looked forward to. Our guide said the Galapagos Islands are a group of twelve volcanic islands and numerous rocks. The islands
Galapalos Tortoise
This big guy seemed a bit irritated at our interruption of his morning medications. He was free to roam wherever he pleased on the island, but preferred to stay near his source of free handouts and a cool muddy pool to slither into. are hilly, rising to a height of 5,000 feet, and there are several active volcanoes. Only two of the islands are inhabited, and there is only one town, with a population of about 10,000. The Galapagos Islands lie squarely atop the equator, but with surprisingly moderate temperatures, thanks to the Humboldt Current that cools the area somewhat. In what seems to me a reversal of common sense, the islands are very dry and arid along the coastline, where nothing grows but cactuses and sparse ground cover. At the higher elevations in the volcanic mountains it is cooler and much wetter, with jungle-like growth appearing as if by magic after a few miles of travel. The soil is volcanic and very rocky.
Most of the islands are devoted to wildlife and research. The Galapagos are famous for their unique fauna and flora, which include species not found elsewhere. Best known are the huge tortoise (galapago in Spanish) and some species of lizards. Charles Darwin visited the islands in 1830. It was here that he made the major portion of his observation that led to his theories on evolution and the Origin of the Species.
Efforts are being made now
Iguanas
Little ones enjoying the sun on the dock. They didn't move a muscle when we gathered around them. on the islands to protect and restore the native species. The giant tortoises, in particular, were almost decimated by whalers and pirate ships in past centuries who hauled the huge vulnerable creatures aboard for provisions, since they could live up to a year without food or water. Others were killed for their thick beautiful shells. But now the eggs are collected and carefully incubated. (At one time solar heaters were used to warm the incubators, but the staff says hair dryers work better.) After hatching, the young are kept in protected enclosures according to size for up to five years until they are ready to be released in their natural habitat and live on their own. Iguana eggs are similarly collected and hatched.
I was fascinated by the birds on the islands. The most spectacular were the large black and white lava gulls that skimmed around our small sightseeing boat at lunchtime while the cook filleted a large red snapper for lunch, and threw scraps up to them. (Not a morsel hit the water.) There were also pelicans and seagulls and many others only an expert would know.
The most appealing to me were the tiny Darwin’s finches
Sally Lightfoot Crabs
We saw hundreds of these colorful red crabs perched on the black lava rocks along the water. They scavenge anything they can get their claws into, but are harmless to humans. that were everywhere, even on our table at lunchtime pecking at crumbs. (Our hotel had dining tables in an open-air lobby near the swimming pool.) Seeing them brought back the memory of reading Jonathan Weiner’s “The Beak of the Finch,” a fascinating book that Kathy told me about years ago. These birds have been exhaustively studied for the same reason as gnats - because they are so small and breed so frequently, making them perfect subjects for evolutionary research. And besides, they are cute as a bug’s ear.
One of the islands featured the famous Galapagos sea lions that sunned themselves along the rocky shore without paying much attention to curious tourists. It was the breeding season, so the big bull sea lions werre guarding their harems with ferocious roars while the pups tumbled among their mothers' flippers. The small island was completely covered with rocks from the size of boulders to small ankle-twisters. I tried to walk the half mile to the end of the island and back, but chickened out and took a shortcut after the obligatory tour of the iguanas feeding and sunning among the cactus. Because of their isolation and their protected status, the wildlife
Iguana
When Charles Darwin came to these islands, he wrote that the iguanas were so thick the crew had trouble pitching a tent. Their worst predators have been the dogs and cats that proliferated after being brought on the islands from ships. They are no danger to mature iguanas, but prey on their eggs and hatchlings. here more or less ignores humans and goes about its merry way unafraid. The iguanas certainly did. I was admiring the landscape and looked down to find one about two feet long strolling by within an inch of my shoe.
We also saw a small area on another island where there were the huge tortoises, up to 300 lbs each. Mostly they are in very protected areas off limits to tourists, or in the breeding corrals. Certainly we’d love to see more of them, but not at the expense of endangering the existence of such magnificent animals.
The centerpiece of our last day on the Galapagos Islands was a visit to the extinct volcano on Bartolome Island, said to be the highlight of all visits to the islands because of the spectacular view from the top. Unfortunately the top is reached by a flight of 349 wooden steps. Dick challenged these steps successfully and lived to tell the story, but I prudently had a day of leisure at our lovely Finch Bay Eco Hotel with the Darwin’s finches and wild ducks bobbing in the swimming pool, since I didn’t want to have to be carried down 349 steps.
Finch Bay Eco Hotel
Our hotel while we were in the Galapagos. On the right is the office, to the left is the pool bar, and in between the patio opening into the open-air dining area. The small hotel faced on Finch Bay and the open ocean. The only acess to the hotel was along the boardwalk in the foreground. Bicycle and foot traffic was heavy. Food and supplies were brought in, and luggage taken out, on a small 3-wheeled tractor with attached trailer. The nearest dock was 10 minutes away by boardwalk, and the small town nearby an additional 10 minutes by boat. A lovely day was had by all.
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Maxine
non-member comment
Great Photography
Did not receive notice about your first journal but I am now caught up with you trip from LA to the Galapagos. Sounds like all is going well and that you both are having a great time. Dick has really done a great job in photographing the sights. Is this the new camera? I thoroughly enjoyed your journal so far and think that you are not missing anythiung here at home except the craziest winter ever. We have record highs in the 60's and then lots of rain. Continue writing, we look forward to hearing about your travels.