I remember learning about the Galapagos Islands in freshman biology class, way back in 2003. We looked at pictures of little birds, big tortoises, and a bearded old man. Since then I dreamed of visiting, as I’m sure all life science students do. Over the years, studying evolution in college, reading non-fiction texts, and teaching about the area I have grown more and more infatuated with the place. Though, funny story, when planning this trip to South America, I forgot that they were here. In the spring when I was giving a lesson on Darwin and finches, a student raised their hand asking, “Ms. Fuller, are you going to visit the Galapagos on your trip?” Since that helpful reminder from a lovely freshman in my biology class, my fervor was reinvigorated. In the days leading up to the trip, I grew more and more excited. I was finally going to the place that, in part, spurred my love of biology. The Galapagos are an archipelago of volcanic islands, 560 miles west of Ecuador, in the Pacific Ocean. Though most of us know the islands as a biological mecca, made famous because of a visit by Charles Darwin in 1835, there is much more to their history. Since their formation some 8 million years ago, the islands have served as a respite for whalers, a pirate’s hideout, a prison for Ecuador’s most notorious criminals, a refuge for Europeans seeking a simpler life, and a WWII military base. However, since 1959, the entire area has been declared a national park and marine reserve to preserve the unique flora and fauna found only here. As such there are many hoops to jump through to be allowed to visit this fragile ecosystem. At the airport, we had to register for a tourist card, have our bags searched (to prevent bringing in any foreign biological materials or seeds), and all of our bags were sprayed with insecticide on the plane. Once on the islands we had to walk across a mat to cleanse our shoes, pay a $100 park entrance fee – to be used for conservation efforts, and allow a dog to crawl across all our luggage in search of contraband. Though this was a bit of a headache (especially since we got up at 3AM for our flight), it is reassuring to know that these measures are in place to protect this special place. To get everything we possibly could out of our time on the islands, Eric and I opted to take a cruise. Albeit this is the most expensive way to see everything (versus self-organized or land based tours), it allowed us the opportunity to meet amazing people and see places only accessible by cruise. The adventure started with us somehow flying first class across the Pacific, to be greeted by our amazing guide Juan at the airport. From there our group of 6 set off to the highlands of Santa Cruz to see the giant tortoises in their native habitat. Along the way we were anticipating seeing a handful of these large creatures. When our bus passed one next to the road, everyone in the group ran to the window, squealing in glee, taking dozens of photos. Upon arrival, we were stunned to see upwards of 60 of these majestic, dinosaur-esque behemoths wandering through the fields and lounging in muddy ponds. Eric and I were squelching around in our rain boots from one tortoise to the other, grinning from ear to ear. It was quite a sight. Afterwards we went to the Charles Darwin Research Center to see hundreds more tortoises, of seemingly every age and species. Throughout the islands there are two main body types of tortoise, saddle and dome, with ten unique species. At the center we saw some of each type, including the remains of Lonesome George – the last of his species. From here we had some free time in town before going to the M/S Cachalote, where we would spend the next seven nights. The Cachalote is a two-mast, wood-paneled, 83-foot sailboat, with room for sixteen passengers and seven crew members. As it was low season, we started with six passengers, adding two more on the third day. Having this size group was ideal as we could move to and from the ship in only one panga (dingy/small rubber boat) allowing for more time for our activities, and were always in the boat with our guide. Each day the itinerary included one to two new islands, at least one snorkeling experience, two hikes, and three family-style meals, plus snacks. The crew was phenomenal, friendly, and hilarious. Over the course of eight days we snorkeled 7 times, took 13 hikes, visited 9 islands, saw over 100 species, and probably gained a few pounds. Here are the highlights:
The last day took us on a quick panga ride through Black Turtle Cove on Santa Cruz, a mangrove forest that serves as a nursery for many sea creatures. From the boat, we saw sharks, rays, fish, turtles, and birds. It was a wonderful way to finish the journey. After our cruise ended and we said our goodbyes to the crew and our new friends, we continued on to Isabela to spend a few days before returning to the mainland. Unfortunately, this was a mostly sour experience for us. We were not able to get on a boat to the island that afternoon, even though we had paid for one. This meant we had to cancel reservations and make new ones, spending an afternoon/night in Puerto Ayora using the slow internet and catching up on some sleep. The next morning at 6 AM, we went through another boat hiccup, but finally made it to Isabela. We were so exhausted from an early wakeup and a rough journey that we ended up sleeping most of the day. In the afternoon, we rode bikes to a few more sites, viewing a couple of flamingos and tortoises and the ever present marina iguanas along the way. As the next day was our last in the islands we decided we would go on two tours, one at 6:45 AM to see the nearby Sierra Negra volcano, to be immediately followed by a snorkeling trip. After booking these and cooking dinner, we went to bed, only to be woken up at 1:15 AM for an unexpected surprise. The following is my internal monologue/narration from the event: Bang. What was that? Bang bang bang. Are those alarms? What’s happening? The door opens to a cacophony of sirens and a man yelling in Spanish. We leave the room, seeing fire trucks, hearing screaming alarms, ringing church bells, pots and pans clanging. Is the hotel on fire? Others join us in the street, standing around in pajamas with confused looks on our faces. Warm clothes they say. Two blocks away. We need to get higher. Frantically pulling on jackets and pants. Grabbing passports and a bottle of water as we run out the door. What’s happening? A passing bus stops, yelling for us to jump on. We drive past a huge group of people standing in the road, wrapped in blankets, carrying suitcases. I sit, literally shaking with fear, terror coursing through my veins. What the hell is happening? Minutes later, still driving, we finally hear the word: tsunami. The bus leaves us at a restaurant with dozens of people, more coming every second. A woman who speaks English told us the situation. An earthquake hit Mexico and all of the Pacific is under a tsunami watch, with a high likelihood of our area being hit. So, we sit, and we wait. And we wait. No wi-fi, no cell service, no English, no news. So, we wait. After a few hours, and several different stories, we are finally cleared to return to the hotel. We load this time into the back of a cattle car, standing room only, to be dropped off back where we started. Stumbling, bleary eyed into bed, we set the alarm for 65 minutes. We’ve got a tour starting soon. As of now, after 10 days in the Galapagos the most memorable experience was our tsunami evacuation. For what felt like a long time, all I knew was that there was some emergency and I was being impacted by it. I was terrified, literally shaking with adrenalin, trying to think of a time when I had been more scared. Thankfully, the residents of Isabela Island are used to this, and there was some sort of procedure in place to get everyone to high ground, gringos included. It was also amazing to see so many people come together to make sure everyone got to safety. The evacuation vehicles included school busses, pickup trucks, motorcycles, cattle cars, and dump trucks. In times of need, you gotta use what you have. Though this was a scary way to spend the night, and there was no impact on any of the Galapagos Islands, it was better than the alternative. In short, the Galapagos (with the exception of about 5 hours) was simply amazing. As a biology student and teacher, it felt like walking through a textbook, to a mythical land I had only ever read about. All week we were graced with the presence of stunning vistas, dozens of different species of plant and animals, and the feeling of literally witnessing evolution take place. The second we stepped off the plane in Baltra, I saw a finch. In this moment my heart swelled, knowing that I would finally get to see those funny little birds that changed the face of science and set me on my course of study. Species Seen:
4 Comments
Pat Hazlett
9/12/2017 09:07:41 am
WOW, what a wonderful, amazing post...pictures and narrative! Made me remember learning of the Galapagos in high school biology in 1966! Thanks so much for your dedicated blogging, love YOU!
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Stephanie Fuller
9/12/2017 11:19:05 am
Wow, just Wow! Just a fantastic post, and filled in all the words I couldn't hear on the less than ideal phone connections. Love you and keep on blogging.
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Sydney Turner
9/12/2017 12:46:29 pm
Love reading all about your travels Kathleen but especially the Galapagos. I have always wanted to go there as well, and you have written so that I really feel like I can see everything! Keep posting - lots of love
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Mike Hazlett
9/13/2017 12:36:08 pm
Wonderful! The Galápagos has it all, wildlife, scenic beauty and even some tsunami excitement. Love reading the details of your experience. Thanks for sharing.
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