The Galápagos Islands are one of those places that you dream of going, but you never actually think you'll make it. Although we planned to go to Ecuador, our decision to go to the Galápagos Islands was last minute (by Lynda's standards). It was similar to the time we arrived in the Whitsundays in Australia. How can we be there and not see it?
Here are the highlights:
Land Encounters: Every day our agenda involved a hike of some kind. We experienced both wet and dry landings. On Isla Fernandina we made a dry landing onto a dock covered with spitting, marine iguanas. They were basking in the sun and not so happy to see us. We had to slowly pick our way through the maze, hoping that no one made a misstep. On Isla Isabela, Craig was down on the ground photographing a land turtle when it decided to get a little closer. Although our naturalist insisted we keep 2 metres between us and the animals, this turtle must have missed the memo. It came right up to Craig, touched its nose to his leg, then laid its chin on his leg. Craig said it had a cold, wet nose, but a warm chin. Everyone enjoyed our experience with the Galapagos fur seals on Isla Santiago. We found a mother and its baby basking on the hot lava. After awhile the mother dove into a surge channel worn into the lava. Her baby was left on the rocks, fifteen feet above her. We watched the baby's distress as it built up its courage and dove in after her. They played in the water for awhile, then the mother used an incoming wave to lift her high onto the rocks. The baby missed its opportunity and was left behind. It called repeatedly to her, but she stayed put. Eventually, the baby found a way out of the water and flopped its way up and over the rocks to its mother's location. We were all touched by the happy reunion.
There are so many options for touring around the Galapagos. It is overwhelming and at times, you feel like you will never be able to make a decision. We knew that we wanted to go on a boat, but which one? Lucky for us our German friends, Sandra und Andreas, were in the Galapagos in December and went on a 68 foot catamaran called Nemo II. They were happy with their choice, although they did caution us that a lot of it depends on the guide and the other passengers. The research began. We read a lot of positive reviews of the boat, we really liked the idea of being on a smaller vessel, and the dates worked with our time frame, so we took a chance and booked it.
Here are the highlights:
Nemo II : we were really happy with our choice. We had cabin # 1 which was on the main deck, off the lounge area. Our cabin had a matrimonial bed with its own bathroom. There was always hot water and we had some storage space. The food was unbelievable. Thanks to our chef, Fabricio, we were always full. We never expected to eat "cruise ship style" and at times, there was too much. Due to the warm, dry weather we were able to eat comfortably on the back deck. We also enjoyed the lounge chairs and seats on the upper deck and at the front of the boat. There was lots of space for everyone. The crew (Captain Antonio, Carlos, Robert, Raoul, and Jimmy) were friendly and helpful. Our guide, Graciela, was passionate and knowledgeable (Vamos, Vamos. Amigos, vamos!)
The Other Guests: we were lucky enough to only have 11 people on board. This included Jennifer and Erik from Sweden, Scott and Emily from Australia, Natascha from Germany, Jenny from England, and Elizabeth, and her children Anna and Paul from New York. There were a few bad cases of sunburn and a short bout with the flu for a few people, but overall, we were a fun, lively group.
The Snorkelling: Most days there were two opportunities for snorkelling and honestly, some of them were better than others. It depended on the clarity of the water. On the first day on Isla Seymour, we saw an array of tropical fish in beautiful, clear water. On day three, off Isla Isabela, we snorkelled with penguins, sea turtles (both the Green and the Hawksbills) and sea lions. It was amazing to be so close to these creatures in their natural environment. Each animal has its own style and personality. The zippy, little penguins, the slow, lumbering turtles and the playful sea lions. Off Isla Santiago, we swam with Galapagos sharks who preferred to sit on the ocean bottom rather than interact with us. We also saw many white tipped sharks and one black tipped shark. On Isla Genovesa, many of us (sorry Craig, Erik and Scott) were swimming very close to some Hammerhead sharks.
Land Encounters: Every day our agenda involved a hike of some kind. We experienced both wet and dry landings. On Isla Fernandina we made a dry landing onto a dock covered with spitting, marine iguanas. They were basking in the sun and not so happy to see us. We had to slowly pick our way through the maze, hoping that no one made a misstep. On Isla Isabela, Craig was down on the ground photographing a land turtle when it decided to get a little closer. Although our naturalist insisted we keep 2 metres between us and the animals, this turtle must have missed the memo. It came right up to Craig, touched its nose to his leg, then laid its chin on his leg. Craig said it had a cold, wet nose, but a warm chin. Everyone enjoyed our experience with the Galapagos fur seals on Isla Santiago. We found a mother and its baby basking on the hot lava. After awhile the mother dove into a surge channel worn into the lava. Her baby was left on the rocks, fifteen feet above her. We watched the baby's distress as it built up its courage and dove in after her. They played in the water for awhile, then the mother used an incoming wave to lift her high onto the rocks. The baby missed its opportunity and was left behind. It called repeatedly to her, but she stayed put. Eventually, the baby found a way out of the water and flopped its way up and over the rocks to its mother's location. We were all touched by the happy reunion.
Birds: there are lots of birds in the Galapagos, but for us, the bigger birds were much more interesting. On the first day on Isla Seymour we were surrounded by frigate birds. The males inflate a big, red pouch when they are searching for a female to mate with. They are very grand looking. We also met a few blue footed boobies. Graciela said they don't normally appear until June, but we saw a couple of them doing a mating dance. Later in the trip, on Isla Genovesa, we saw more frigate birds, some Nazca boobies and some red footed boobies. It was interesting to watch the constant interaction between the boobies, who plummeted into the water like bullets to catch fish, and the frigates who would swoop in and try and steal their catch.
Crossing the Equator: In all, we crossed the equator four times. The first occurrence involved great fanfare. Jimmy made a mysterious cocktail that was supposed to represent the blood of the iguana. The ritual involved uttering a complicated toast and doing the limbo under a streamer which was supposed to represent the equator. On the second northbound crossing, It was less dramatic, although Craig created a frenzy by taking a picture of the GPS. Everyone else joined in the process. For both of the southbound crossings, we were asleep.
Overall, this was an amazing trip. We have made some lifelong memories, and we have Craig's wonderful photos to remind us of this experience. We are definitely going to have to turn some of these memories into print and display them on the barren walls of our home. Our advice...if you are thinking about visiting the Galápagos Islands, don't wait. We are so glad we went!
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