A Traveler, not a Tourist, in Gorgeous Galapagos

16 Ways to Discover the Real Galapagos

Story and Photos by Vivienne Mackie

PART 1: INTRODUCTION

Once you’ve visited the Galapagos Islands, you never forget them. The spare, dramatic landscapes formed by volcanic peaks…Galapagos penguins and blue-footed boobies…giant tortoises that move with ponderous grace…tropical birds and exotic creatures…world-class diving…pirate stories…Charles Darwin and his theory of evolution. So much to see and do in these remarkable islands. Everyone has a list of favorites.

My favorites: A café with a view over the small harbor, sealions basking and barking on the rocks in the sun below. A walk over a rocky path up a steep hill overlooking a cove, frigate birds wheeling in the bright blue sky. Snorkeling in the surprisingly cold water with sea turtles, a baby sealion and countless bright-colored fish, and surfacing to feel the sun warm on your face.

Want to truly experience magic and beauty on the Galapagos Islands, also known as the “Enchanted Isles”? Then, forget the cruise ships, for you need to stay a while, to feel the rhythm of life here.

Some of the most unusual and fascinating species in the world, both terrestrial and marine, are found in the Galapagos. Here most of the surface area (96%) is a National Park, surrounded by a protected Marine Reserve, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The archipelago is made up of 13 main volcanic islands, 6 smaller islands and 107 rocks and islets. The first island was formed between 5-10 million years ago as a result of tectonic activity. The youngest islands, Isabela and Fernandina, are still being formed, with the most recent volcanic eruption in 2005.

The Galapagos Islands straddle the equator in the Pacific Ocean, 625 miles off the coast of Ecuador. The islands are known for their unique plants and animals, such as the giant Galapagos tortoise, which lives at least 150 years. The island chain’s name is tied to these creatures: ‘Galapago’ means ‘Giant Tortoise’ in Spanish. These islands are also known for Charles Darwin’s famous visit to them in 1835. He formed his theory of evolution after studying the islands’ wildlife. This theory, which he writes about in The Origin of Species, says that all plants and animals evolved from simple life forms over millions of years. The Galapagos holds the key to evolutionary puzzles, some of which we have yet to fully understand.

The islands were undisturbed by humans for thousands of years, but after the discovery of the Americas in 1492, trips beyond the Atlantic became popular. In March 1535, Fray Tomas de Berlanga, archbishop of Panama, was given a mission by King Charles V of Spain to check on the situation in Peru. His vessel drifted 800 km west and he officially discovered the Galapagos Islands. After that, various other renegades accidentally drifted to the islands, and during the 17th century many pirates used them as a hideout. Unfortunately they also collected hundreds of giant tortoises, which they loaded alive in their boats as useful food on long sea voyages. Between 1780 and 1860, the waters of the Galapagos became a favored place for British and American whalers, who butchered thousands of sealions and took thousands of tortoises. They also brought domesticated animals and invasive species to this vulnerable ecosystem.

Many colonies were established on the islands over the years but nearly all collapsed. Then in WW2 the American Air Force built a base on Baltra Island, just north of Santa Cruz Island, a strategic place to defend the Panama Canal. Nowadays, Floreana and Isabela are inhabited, and Santa Cruz and San Cristobel have bigger communities and developing agriculture in the areas that are not part of the Galapagos National Park.

Having evolved in isolation for thousands of years, many of the endemic plants and animals on Galapagos have no natural defenses against some of the non-native plants, animals and insects now threatening to over-run them. But, there is hope, as the islands still retain more than 95% of their original biodiversity, far more than any other island ecosystem in the world. Conservation efforts are becoming more successful and special interest groups are more aware of the conservation issues involved.

(Part 2 to follow)