Addendum: Notes on Wildlife

The Galapagos is a unique and fascinating place, although there is not the diversity of wildlife that one might expect, partly because of the long distance from the mainland. The islands were originally formed from volcanoes, rather than having broken off from a larger continent, in contrast to many other islands around the world.There are few mammals endemic to the islands (2 bats and rice rats, none of which we saw) other than marine mammals, while reptiles can travel long distances without food and water, which is why they dominate today. Much of the islands are National Park lands, and inaccessible to visitors, except for researchers (which is as it should be!). Thus we were privileged to visit only limited areas. Nevertheless, we enjoyed the opportunity to see what we could. There were Galapagos sea lions everywhere, sunning on the black rocks, lounging on piers and abandoned (and unabandoned) boats moored in the water, frolicking in the water, and, most delightful, we observed a mother teaching her pups to swim, by pushing them off the rocks into shallow water, which they resist, and herding them out through the water until they must swim their way back to the rocks, where she starts again. She keeps a close eye on them to keep them from drowning, we’re told. We also saw marine iguanas everywhere, in many sizes. There are two major groups of giant tortoises, defined by their shell shape, dome or saddleback, based on whether they eat from the ground (the former) or have to reach up for vegetation (the latter). We saw 3 or 4 of the 16 varieties of finches, which of course, along with the tortoises, served as Darwin’s inspiration for the theory of evolution, as they started from a common ancestor but adapted to the islands’ varying environments. We also saw brown pelicans, petrels, royal terns, black-winged stilts, American oystercatchers, Galapagos mockingbirds, familiar herons and egrets, and smooth-billed anis. We saw flamingos, which have a breeding population on the islands. Sadly, on our bike trip we passed a frigate bird with a broken wing, struggling on the side of the path, probably eventually to become food for fish, raptors, reptiles, and/or insects. We saw a variety of cacti, which again vary not only from island to island but also in different zones on the same island. One interesting feature of island flora is that most endemic flowering plants have yellow flowers – this is thought to be connected to pollinators who are attracted to yellow.

Darwin Station - May 15

Almost time to fly back to the mainland. However, we are chagrined to find that first we are scheduled to visit the Charles Darwin Research Station at 6am, before breakfast. Grumbling ensues. However, our intrepid guide arranges for coffee in the hotel bar, and one of our new friends generously shares his stash of protein bars, as he has throughout the trip. Fortunately it is a short walk to the Station, which is in reality a breeding center for tortoises and land iguanas, which are much scarcer than the marine iguanas we have seen everywhere. It is already extremely humid, but an otherwise pleasant outdoor park. We see several types and sizes/ages of tortoises, including Super Diego, who has replaced Lonesome George as the star of the park, because he is the father of many other tortoises. We start nudging Luis (Lucho), our gentle and laconic National Park naturalist, back toward the hotel and finally get some breakfast, soon followed by the same transportation sequence from yesterday in reverse. We are expertly herded by Tavo and Lucho into jockeying for position on the various buses and boats to make our flight to the mainland in time. We arrive back in Guayaquil, to stay at the same upscale Hotel Oro Verde (“Green Gold”) from the beginning of the trip, with A/C, bellpersons to bring up our bags, great wi-fi and comfortable chairs in the lobby, a fitness center and big swimming pool (which several of us enjoyed), to relax and enjoy our last afternoon in Equador.

Kayak Adventure - May 14 Part II

Next stop is a National Park beach for kayaking. Some of us have to scramble to drag out various kayaking accoutrements such as bathing suits, from our packed bags in the rear of the bus, and in the rush I forget my kayak booties. Then we line up for the single bathroom stall in the small Park building, for peeing and changing (the other one is being fixed). Finally we lay out towels under some trees and eat a picnic lunch of chicken/bacon sandwiches, swatting the occasional biting horsefly. Then it is time to kayak. Ben and I look doubtfully at the breakers out past the calmer cove. Ben decides he prefers a siesta, but I don’t want to just sit around while everyone else paddles, so Tavo, our intrepid guide, agrees I can paddle with him. Neither of us has our glasses on (my contacts which I would have normally put in for this were back on the bus), but he seems unperturbed. I get some welcome vigorous exercise and things go well until we start in toward the far beach. We are heading perpendicular to the wave that catches us from behind, but the nose of the kayak goes down and then we are in the water. I blow water out my nose, pop to the surface, and actually remember to hang on to my paddle, although the badly fitting life-jacket pushes up against my neck. Tavo sees that I am OK and not panicking. He retrieves his paddle and turns over the boat, and hops on. With gentle coaching I am able to pull myself up, chest down across the back of the kayak, then twist my legs around so I am face down facing forward, then manage to get to my knees and finally sit back up in the seat. Yay! Instead of being bummed, I find myself elated that I was able to recover and I am glad we dumped (it was also nice to cool off!). But I decide that I had had enough for the day, so we turn around and paddle back to our launching point. It turns out one of the other couples also fell in before we did, although they were able to quickly recover, having had experience in surf (unlike me). Everyone else gets back in short order, and all are ready to head to the hotel. I feel quite elated the rest of the day, and Ben and I enjoy a complementary drink at the hotel bar before dinner, where we watch 2 waitresses folding napkins into penguins. I try too and succeed and we all laugh. Sadly, dinner out is the least interesting meal we have had, in a touristy restaurant and bar, with a really bad singer guitarist who unsuccessfully solicits tips from our table. We realize that we are gradually returning to civilization.

Planes, Buses, Boats, Oh, My! - May 14 Part 1

Because of the rough water, we are all thrilled when Tavo tells us that our travel company has organized an island hopper plane to take us from Isabela back to Santa Cruz Island, in place of another 2-3 hr boat ride, as we take the first step towards heading home. The small, empty concrete airport is surrounded by vegetation, which we all have to use to answer nature’s call since no one can find the key to the restroom. We crowd in close quarters into the tiny 9-person plane. After a smooth but loud 30 minutes or so, we arrive again on Baltra Island. We have the same sequence of deplane, get bags, get on public bus to cross island (including bags on board), get water shuttle to Santa Cruz Island, then finally get on our own small coach (with A/C!) to cross the island toward the tourist town of Puerto Ayora. Once again, I am dismayed that we will have multiple activities before even checking into the hotel later in the afternoon. First we stop at a coffee farm that cooperates with the National Park to allow tortoises to roam freely back and forth between the Park land and the farm. Everyone changes into wellie-like rubber boots for a short tourist walk through the farm, where we see several free-range tortoises of varied ages and sizes. The highlands are very humid, although overcast, with occasional breezes. At one point, we come upon a tortoise that apparently poses for pictures with tourists. We are instructed that he will feel the vibrations of our feet, to stay some distance from his head, but to circle around behind (not too close) and crouch down for a picture. Ben and I are doubtful, but the tortoise doesn’t seem disturbed, so we agree, along with the others. The tour ends with a cup of delicious free organic coffee grown on the farm, then back to the lovely A/C on the bus, where our local guide Yogo, who also arranged the box lunches we'll eat later, passes around a basket of hard candies and mints as a nice treat. .

Biking, Hiking, and Tears – May 13

I slept long and hard, and actually felt ready for the next adventure (for a change). Today the water is too rough for our scheduled morning kayaking, so we go pick up rented mountain bikes, rusting and creaky, with intermittent gear slippages and iffy brakes, and bike along a path next to the rocky shore with crashing waves, into the National Park. It is a bit challenging biking through sand of varying firmness, and later black gravel, with some small hills toward the end. At one point the biggest guy on the trip crashes over when he is powering up a hill, up on his feet, and his bike couldn’t handle it, slipping a gear and throwing off the chain. I just walk my bike when needed, rather than trusting to its heavily-used mechanisms (or to my legs). Parking our bikes, we take a short hike up some steep steps, arriving at the Wall of Tears, built from lava rocks after WWII by prisoners from the island penal colony. The Wall had no purpose except to make them suffer, and many died during its construction, and the prison was later closed. On the bike ride back we splash through some patches of water across the path, as the tide has risen. After a late and delicious lunch, we have a rare afternoon off to once again enjoy the hotel, with actual time for an afternoon siesta, and then take advantage of the “drying” room (the open flat top of the hotel with several clothes lines strung across for our wet stuff) and also the free wi-fi available in the hotel lobby, with a wonderful view of the turbulent sky and pounding surf across the street on the beach.

The Volcano - May 12

Today is the big 10 mile death march to see the active volcano, which we have been warned will be hot, long, and grueling. Although it turns out I could probably have gone the whole way after all, I decide in advance I will go part way, then return early for some long overdue downtime. Slathered with sunscreen, armored with sunhats, hiking boots, bandanas, and a liter of water each, we set off. We opt not to bring the camera or binocs, only essentials like water and sunscreen. Ben and I hold back a bit to form the slower group with our intrepid leader Tavo (we are now on nickname terms with him). It turns out to be overcast, cooler, and flatter than anticipated, and the mists come and go, sometimes obscuring the view, but on the way back lifting to show a spectacular panorama of the caldera. I still drip with sweat but hike steadily. Instead of going straight up, the trail circles quite pleasantly through vegetation around the huge caldera, 5x6 miles in size (and still increasing, as cracks in the solidified magma continue to appear, giving in to the pressure below). About 3 miles in, we rest and eat our box lunches on some benches under dense trees providing lovely shade. Tavo and I turn back, while the rest of the group, led by Luis (nicknamed Lucho), continues on a steep downhill to the solidified magma field, where it is black, rocky, and hot (from the lava as well as the weather) and there is a view of active magma. My hike back with Tavo gives me a chance to learn a lot more about Tavo and about Ecuador, which was quite interesting and inspires me to want to someday make a return trip to the mainland. I get back to the hotel after a solitary taxi ride with young taxi driver Steven, with whom I exchange some limited Spanish, then we listen to some traditional Equadorian music on the radio. Finally I get some downtime, first lolling in the lovely little atrium pool, cooling off, then shower, nap, writing, and relaxing in the lovely hotel. After everyone gets back later, we talk Tavo into an earlier dinner, traipsing in ponchos through the rain, for another wonderful dinner, spaghetti and risotto (for us veggies).

Best Day So Far - May 11

Today we transferred to Puerto Villamil on Isabela Island, again via 2-hr water taxi but much smoother water, and arrived at the lovely Hotel Albemarle. A great breeze blew through the small open hotel lobby, which opened to an atrium inside. The sandy ocean beach just across the street was filled with palm trees waving fronds and framed with black rocks extending into the beautiful blue water, waves noisily crashing over them. A small cruise ship, a couple of large catamarans, and a cargo ship were anchored out in the bay. However, no time to enjoy it (yet). After checking in, we walked through town to a forested outdoor tortoise breeding center, and saw tortoises of all shapes, ages, and sizes, where the National Park works to repopulate the islands to make up for the damage caused by humans bringing dogs, cats, goats, donkeys, and pigs to the islands, some of which have become feral, and are periodically subject to humane eradication programs, to save the endemic species of birds and reptiles. After another delicious lunch (most meals included an interesting soup, fresh fruit and vegetables, rice, beans, and seafood), we joined a National Park tour of Tintorella (named after the Reef Shark). The tight camaraderie we had developed within our small group was somewhat disrupted by having to share the tour with others (a combination of English and Spanish speaking tourists). We first enjoyed a “power” snorkel through big swells of ocean water out to several islets, where we each had to struggle to see and follow the person in front of us, especially difficult toward the end with the sun in our eyes. At one point, I was lucky enough to pop up just as the our young female Park Guide pointed out a sea turtle underneath the water, which swam to the surface, breathed, and then dove again. Ben saw a big starfish. Next we walked along the black lava shoreline and took a boat ride around the islets, where, for all the photo takers, we stalked the small Galapagos penguins, sea lions, blue-footed boobies, marine iguanas, frigate birds, and more. Finally back at the hotel, our room was heavenly, on the second floor, with large stone tile floors, open stairways of bricks and wood, high ceilings, 2 modern sinks made of large bowls sitting on top, walk-in shower with glass door, firm comfortable beds with sheets (vs. useless duvets), many good pillows, and very welcome A/C, quiet, over the door, operated by remote. Two glass doors opened to the balcony looking out on the ocean. The experience in the Lava Lodge helped me appreciate the amenities we were now enjoying. I faced the fact that I'm just not as tough as I used to be. We slept well. (These pics was generously shared by our wonderful guide, Gustavo, since I was too busy surviving to take pictures.)

Floreana, Farms, and Finches - May 9-10

Every morning at Lava Lodge we were awakened by a flycatcher calling into our window, and while waiting for breakfast we observed a small ground finch building a nest in a large nearby cactus. Another full day ensued. Several of us were a little disappointed that the scheduled "hikes" in the highlands consisted mainly of standing around in the heat, sometimes viewing a plant or tree, or hearing yet another detail about the eccentric people who had populated the island during the early part of the century. The handsome mustachioed farmer, Claudio, who owned our huts and the farm and the outdoor restaurant where we ate meals, spoke in Spanish while our National Park Guide, Luis, translated. Our delightful young Ecuadorian Road Scholar guide Gustavo pointed out birds (mostly finches and yellow warblers) and took photos, seemingly oblivious to our discomfort. Still not fully recovered from sleep deprivation and seasickness, my patience wore thin. Finally, after returning, we cooled off a bit by following a path from our huts down to a small patch of sand between the lava rocks that lined the beach, and snorkeled, seeing our first green sea turtle, and getting some needed exercise. Thankfully, the weather cooled slightly during the night, breezes flowed through the open windows, and I had my first decent night's sleep. The next day we went back to the farm, passed by cows, pigs and piglets, chickens and roosters all running around free range, and watched Claudio wield his machete cutting bananas in his organic orchard and collecting other fruits and vegetables (watermelon, papaya, pumpkin, yucca, tomatoes, and more), some of which we were later served at a delicious farm-to-table open air BBQ lunch. We then walked to a pond and watched frigate birds fly in to feed. Later another opportunity to kayak or snorkel, the latter of which we both chose, to cool off again. A highlight tonight was stargazing (after a dinner which included our 1st beers, popcorn, and videos) on the Equator: saw the Milky Way, the Big Dipper, Gemini, the Southern Cross, and Jupiter, all in the same sky, and brilliantly.

It Can Only Go Up from Here - May 8

The next morning we took our 4th plane ride, from the mainland to the tiny island of Baltra, which has an old air strip previously owned by the U.S. military. That flight was delayed 1.5 hrs. Upon arrival we took ourselves and our bags to a public bus, crowded with tourists and locals, which took us to a small public boat that ferried us across the water to Santa Cruz Island, which took us to another bus which went north to south to the other end of the island, to the pier where a fast water taxi took 2.5hrs to cross to Floreana Island, over quite rough water. Even though I had taken a Dramamine and stared doggedly at the horizon, I finally succumbed to the bumps. along with the stuffy heat inside the boat and sleep deprivation, lost my very delicious lunch of shrimp and wahoo into the engine well and the water at the rear of the boat. Ben was grabbing me from behind so I didn’t fall out. I was mortified, the only one who got sick, and I imagined the other folks on the trip were thinking “weak link” and planning to vote me off the islands. However, after we arrived, one Kathy said it was the worst boat ride she had ever had, and everyone else was kind and supportive. Arriving on Floreana Island, we took an open air wooden bus through lush green vegetation to the Lava Lodge, a seemingly idyllic row of wooden huts connected by a boardwalk and overlooking the waves crashing on the black lava rocks which characterize all the islands. Because of the delay, however, we arrived just as dusk was falling - no see-ums and mosquitoes were swarming, as we struggled to get indoors. Darkness fell very quickly and the one light in our cabin didn’t work, nor did the small air conditioner, due to limited electricity. At dinner I ate some delicious spinach soup but my stomach wasn’t up to any more. Our beds were very comfortable fortunately and we managed to get a little sleep in spite of the heat, humidity, and itching.

An Inauspicious Start? May 6-7

The name of this trip is “Survival of the Fittest: Hiking, Biking & Water Sports on the Galápagos Islands.” It turned out to be a bit more literal than I expected. We wanted an active trip, and we got one. There was little time for writing, reflecting, and blogging, resulting in this delayed series of posts. Our first mistake was to take a flight with 3 legs: Salisbury-Charlotte-Miami-Guayaquil, Ecuador. The 2d flight was delayed just long enough for us to miss the Miami flight, and we spent 5 long hours in the Miami airport waiting for the next flight which left at midnight and arrived in Guayaquil about 4am. I was never more glad to see a stranger than the one holding up the sign “Road Scholar” after we disembarked and made it through customs. Fernando was our local guide for the next 2 days. After 3 hours of sleep, we immediately jumped into activities, starting with the orientation session, which revealed there were 6 people total on the trip, 2 other couples (one from San Diego and another from Montgomery County right here in Maryland, and all of them younger and fitter than us). All 3 of us women were named Cathy/Kathy, so that made it really easy to learn names. After a walking tour of Guayaquil that included a lovely botanical garden,lunch, and then kayaking and paddleboarding at a private park where we saw our first shorebirds, Ben and I were dragging and ready to go back to the hotel.

Galapagos!

Day 0 - Travel Day. Leaving shortly. Almost packed. Anxiety knot in stomach. What did I forget? Which of our 3 flights will be delayed? Will I survive the adventure? But, I am so lucky to be able to take this trip - it will indeed be an adventure. More later ...