Galapagos
As most of you know, I've managed to escape the real world again, but only for a short time. I've just returned from a spectacular 5 days sailing around the Galapagos islands. The famous inspiration for Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection. And an absolute treasure of nature. So much unique life and so many strange animals. Amazing to stand face to face with a 100 year old giant tortoise. And yes, I did get to see Lonesome George and unfortunately he's still not interested in his female companions. But we all gave him our best and suggested to the ladies that they get him drunk ...
I didn't have many preconceptions about what I would see. I prefer to avoid that in order to avoid the inevitable disapointment that comes with it. But still, you can't help to have a picture in your minds eye. I was hoping to see some of the special endemic species of the islands, but I imagined that they'd be pretty far off the trail and I'd need to be using my zoom lens to it's full extent. Not quite.
Our first real morning, after the roller coaster night ride across to Floriana island (sleepless for most), went like this:
6:45 - Wake up to the sound of my fellow passengers admiring the giant pod of dolphins surrounding our boat.
7:45 - Hop in a dingy and head for shore. Pass several galapagos penguins on the way. Land on shore to find a pile of sea lions lounging on the beach, not overly concerned with our presence. Walk up the trail past a lagoon full of flamingos. Trail leads onto a gorgeous white sand beach covered in turtle tracks. Wading into the surf, you can stand and watch as sting rays glide through the murky water in front of you, sometimes passing behind you and right past your feet.
10:30 - Back on the boat, we hop back in the dingies and head off to Champion Rock for some snorkelling. Immediately met by hords of colourful fish, beyond words to describe in their colour, shape, and variety. Passing around the point, I spot a sea turtle down below and swim with him for a while. Getting back close to shore, we run into a group of around a dozen sea lions. We spend the next 45 minutes or so swimming with these startlingly graceful animals as they check us out. One nips my finger, but not too hard. Eventually a large male shows up, at which point most of us back off. Dave goes in for a closer look and I'm thinking "here we go". But the big guys doesn't actually mind too much.
12:00 - Back on the boat for a big lunch followed by the soon to be common siesta.
And the rest of the trip was more of the same. Just magnificent. Walking on Española, we were literally tripping over Blue-Footed Boobies, marine, iguanas, and albatross. The blue footed boobie has to be one of the goofiest creatures I've ever laid eyes on. From the striking colour of their feet, to the vacant look in their eyes, to the odd little dance they do as they court, they're just funny. We were lucky enough to see the full process of reproduction in these guys, right in front of us. From courting, through a blue-boobie porn show, to incubation, to actually seeing a chick being born, and the young ones squacking and badgering their parents for food. Gives better understanding of what a unique natural laboratory this place is and why it has been such an inspiration to mankind.
But alas, I'm back in Quito tonight. Heading down to Peru tomorrow to start my trek on the "Inca Trail" to the ancient Inca city of Machu Picchu. I hope all is well with everyone and I'll talk to you soon.
Cheers,
Justin
I didn't have many preconceptions about what I would see. I prefer to avoid that in order to avoid the inevitable disapointment that comes with it. But still, you can't help to have a picture in your minds eye. I was hoping to see some of the special endemic species of the islands, but I imagined that they'd be pretty far off the trail and I'd need to be using my zoom lens to it's full extent. Not quite.
Our first real morning, after the roller coaster night ride across to Floriana island (sleepless for most), went like this:
6:45 - Wake up to the sound of my fellow passengers admiring the giant pod of dolphins surrounding our boat.
7:45 - Hop in a dingy and head for shore. Pass several galapagos penguins on the way. Land on shore to find a pile of sea lions lounging on the beach, not overly concerned with our presence. Walk up the trail past a lagoon full of flamingos. Trail leads onto a gorgeous white sand beach covered in turtle tracks. Wading into the surf, you can stand and watch as sting rays glide through the murky water in front of you, sometimes passing behind you and right past your feet.
10:30 - Back on the boat, we hop back in the dingies and head off to Champion Rock for some snorkelling. Immediately met by hords of colourful fish, beyond words to describe in their colour, shape, and variety. Passing around the point, I spot a sea turtle down below and swim with him for a while. Getting back close to shore, we run into a group of around a dozen sea lions. We spend the next 45 minutes or so swimming with these startlingly graceful animals as they check us out. One nips my finger, but not too hard. Eventually a large male shows up, at which point most of us back off. Dave goes in for a closer look and I'm thinking "here we go". But the big guys doesn't actually mind too much.
12:00 - Back on the boat for a big lunch followed by the soon to be common siesta.
And the rest of the trip was more of the same. Just magnificent. Walking on Española, we were literally tripping over Blue-Footed Boobies, marine, iguanas, and albatross. The blue footed boobie has to be one of the goofiest creatures I've ever laid eyes on. From the striking colour of their feet, to the vacant look in their eyes, to the odd little dance they do as they court, they're just funny. We were lucky enough to see the full process of reproduction in these guys, right in front of us. From courting, through a blue-boobie porn show, to incubation, to actually seeing a chick being born, and the young ones squacking and badgering their parents for food. Gives better understanding of what a unique natural laboratory this place is and why it has been such an inspiration to mankind.
But alas, I'm back in Quito tonight. Heading down to Peru tomorrow to start my trek on the "Inca Trail" to the ancient Inca city of Machu Picchu. I hope all is well with everyone and I'll talk to you soon.
Cheers,
Justin
posted by Justin Callison at 4:51 PM
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