One Year Away

Penny

Please see the Galapagos album… Enjoy!

This time around Joseph and I did a little more trip pre-planning. With only three weeks we wanted to ensure that we were being efficient and limited the amount of time we spent planning while in Ecuador. Therefore, for the first time, we booked a GAP Adventures tour from Toronto. The tour consisted of a 3 night 4 day stay onboard a boat that sailed to different islands in the Galapagos.

The tour began in Quito where a GAP representative picked us and 14 other travelers up at our hotel. We were driven to the airport where we boarded a flight to the Galapagos via Guayaquil. After a few hours, we arrived in the Galapgos where our guide Luis met us at the airport. The first thing that struck us was the sweet smell of the air in the Galapagos. It was fresh, sweet and invigorating. We got our bags and headed to the port town of Puerto Ayoro where we boarded the 16 person boat – GAP Adventurer III and enjoyed lunch.

We and the other travelers were cared for by a crew of 7 and 1 naturalist guide. We all had double rooms which consisted of bunk beds with a small private bathroom – I got the top bunk. The accommodations were comfortable considering that we were on a boat.

For the next few days we took in all that the Galapagos had to offer. We visited the Darwin Research Centre were we came really close to giant tortoises that were being raised in captivity. The centre focuses on managing the hatching and raising of baby tortoises of all varieties that are found in the different islands. Baby tortoises are held at the centre for about 4 years at which time their shell is strong enough to protect them from predators and are released on their respective islands.

The highlight at the centre was seeing Lonesome George – an approximately 100 year old tortoise that is the last of its subspecies. After being discovered, George was brought to the centre while researchers searched for a lady friend for him. Alas, George is still waiting for a girlfriend of the same subspecies… During our visit, care takers at the centre went into Goerge's pen to give it a scrub. From the looks of it George was not very happy with this and constantly snapped at them. He would extend his incredibly long neck and open his mouth wide trying to get a piece of them… Fortunately for the care giver, George is very slow!

After an overnight five hour cruise, we reached the island of Floriana where we experienced a chance of a lifetime – snorkeling with sea lions. We suited up with our snorkel gear and jumped into the water. The water was clear and we had great visibility. We first spotted some beautiful tropical fish and a graceful sea turtle. As Joe and I swam hand in hand, out of nowhere a young sea lion came within inches of my snorkel mask. I let out a scream! And then again, the sea lion was back and swimming circles around us. I once again let out a scream but this time a scream of joy… For about 5 minutes, we were surrounded by three sea lions. They were incredibly playful and curious. During our trip in the Galapagos we had the chance to swim with sea lions, sea turtles, white tip sharks and many other species of marine animals.

The nights on board were not always easy. The water was choppy and we traveled at relatively high speeds. After dinner, we usually spent some time at the upper deck bar enjoying a beer with the rest of the travelers. We shared travel stories and talked about home. Most people were shocked to hear that we were married on Saturday. As we shared stories one night, Luis our guide drew our attention to the back deck of the boat. On the edge of the deck, a young sea lion was perched and started scratching himself on the rough surface. It seemed so natural for him!

Our favorite island on the trip was Espanola. The island was what I imagined the Galapagos to be or at least what I had seen on the National Geographic Channel. Most of the perimeter of the island is sheer vertical cliffs where albatross and blue footed boobies nest while the remainder of the island consists of white, green, red and black sandy beaches. We enjoyed watching the water hit the rocks and spew up in the air as the albatross and other birds jumped off the cliffs (or as Luis called it “the albatross runway”) and circled around to spot their next meal.

What made the Galapagos a unique experience for me is the relationship that exists between human and nature. It is a relationship of mutual respect and of trust that cannot be experienced anywhere else. I hope that the national park will be successful in all its efforts to preserve this experience.