We had been aboard the Explorer II for 4 days and had visited several of the islands that are part of the Galapagos Archipelago. The photographers among us were going crazy; they were definitely not used to animals and birds “staying put” and not flying or running off. They soon realized that they really didn’t need their telephoto lenses and could get within a foot of their subjects --Marine Iguanas, Blue-footed, Red- footed and Masked Boobies, sea lions, Frigate Birds, Galapagos Hawks, mockingbirds, finches-- they all seem to want their pictures taken!!! The biggest “hams” were the sea lions--they waddled out of the water and sat on the beach or on rocks and posed for the camera, or so it appeared. They really were wonderful subjects.
We disembarked on Bartholome Island and started the morning with a geology lecture and a hike, followed by a climb (360 steps) to the summit of a once active volcano, with a spectacular view of Sullivan Bay and Pinnacle Rock, a landmark in the islands and a perfect example of a tuff cone (a vertical rock formation of hardened ash.) On the climb up, Walter, our guide, pointed out the different types of lava and explained that the type of lava flow depends on the temperature of the molten lava and the gas content. The type of lava most prevalent on Bartholome Island is Aa lava; it has a lower temperature and less gas content, which makes for a slower flow that causes broken flows and sharp edges.Once back in the zodiac, we took a tour of the bay and saw our first Galapagos Penguins, one of the few warm climate penguins and also one of the smallest. We also spotted some Brown Pelicans, lava herons, frigate birds and my favorite, some Blue-footed Boobies that were demonstrating their diving skills and their ability to find breakfast.
Each day took on a new sense of excitement and adventure. As we disembarked on Fernandina Island, I could swear the ground was moving until I realized we were seeing hundreds of Marine Iguanas basking in the afternoon sun. The iguanas were literally piled on one another, and because of their dark color, it was difficult to see them against the black lava terrain.
As we followed the trail inland, we spotted our first flightless Cormorants. Endemic to the Galapagos Islands, these birds are flightless because on the islands they had no predators and it was easier to find food in the ocean than on land. Overtime, they progressively evolved into swimmers, rather than fliers. This is a story right out of the pages of Darwin’s Origin of the Species, where evolution and survival go hand in hand.As we were approaching North Seymour Island, a male Frigate Bird flew overhead with his red pouch extended to the size of a small balloon. The photographers went wild. During courtship, male Frigate Birds sit on trees or shrubs with their sacs inflated. When a female flies overhead, they turn skyward, shake, and loudly call attention to themselves. Not very subtle, but an effective technique. When the female is ready to “accept” the offer, she lands next to her chosen mate. Once the male finds his mate, and feels secure, the sac deflates. As I said earlier, the males have a very effective technique, since we saw lots of occupied nests along the trail inland.
On our last night aboard ship, a sense of sadness prevailed; no one wanted to leave. It had been a wonderful trip, even if we did have to get up at 6:30 every morning. The Galapagos Islands are incredible: it’s the only place I know where people can get so close to the wildlife in their natural environment, where they are not frightened.
We flew back to Quito the following morning. The trip was not over yet, we still had one more day, and the shoppers in the group were excited--we were going to the Otavalo Indian Market, the largest Indian market in Ecuador, famous for its textiles and handcrafted goods. Once again, we were up early, as Otavalo is located an hour and a half north of Quito.
Otavalo really is a shopper’s paradise. The streets are jammed with stalls selling ponchos, sweaters, tablecloths, textiles, purses, musical instruments and jewelry, among other goods. Judging by the shopping bags brought back to the bus, I can honestly say, everyone had a great time. Tom Kennedy and this indigenous grannie had quite a chat!
We flew back to California the next morning. As I dozed on the plane, I kept having visions of baby sea lions playing in the water, iguanas basking in the sun, Red- and Blue-footed Boobys and Magnificent Frigate birds soaring through the cloudless sky. Wonderful memories of a fabulous trip to an incredible destination. Definitely one of my favorite places!!!
Comments are welcome! Just click on "comment" below.
No comments:
Post a Comment