This year is the bicentennial of Charles Darwin’s birth and the 150th anniversary of “On the Origin of Species” — a perfect reason to visit the Galapagos Islands.
It’s an adventure and an education disguised as a cruise. My husband and I recently sailed the Galapagos Islands, where humans and nature coexist, at least during visiting hours. The tiniest bird just stood and stared back as we approached; the iguanas and tortoises were content to be observed at close range; and the sea lions barely looked up, let alone moved out of the way, when we landed on their beach. If you’re in the water snorkeling, however, they will nuzzle you.
The Galapagos Islands are like no other place on Earth. The 13 main islands and six smaller islands straddle the equator 600 miles out in the Pacific Ocean west of Ecuador, to which they belong in all their glorious isolation. The Eclipse cruises to seven, most an easy trip but with the longest stretch between locations going overnight.
We saw black, red and white sand beaches, tide pools and saltwater lagoons, sheer cliffs and sloping meadows. Even at close proximity, each island is different, from an overgrown jungle to stark volcanic rock-strewn fields and spectacular rock formations.
Even we city folks were thrilled to observe, close up, the blue-footed booby, the magnificent red-pouched frigate bird, the Galapagos sea lion, various lizards, sharks, penguins and a host of other species. We loved watching the varied birds’ mating rituals, males puffing their chests or flapping their wings and dancing. There were plenty of nests, too, with both eggs and newly hatched “babies.”
The first thing I noticed when I reviewed the brochure about the 48-passenger Eclipse was the weight limit. On the flight from the mainland to the islands, each person is limited to 42 pounds of luggage (one decent-size suitcase). Packing for the Galapagos would be a challenge.
Still, the ship’s dress code is extremely casual: shorts and swimwear for the island excursions and jeans or slacks for dinner. So one suitcase was sufficient.
The 210-foot Eclipse spends most of the year making seven-night cruises around the Galapagos Islands. Passengers embark from Baltra, on one of the main islands, early Saturday afternoon and, after a brief orientation and a short sail, take the first shore excursion of the week. For the next seven days, passengers are offered two and sometimes three excursions a day to hike, stroll, snorkel, swim or just sit on a beach and observe.
Passengers are carried to and from shore on pangas — small, motorized vessels that accommodate as many as 15 people. One guide accompanies each panga, and there are never more than 12 passengers in any tour group.
The excursions vary by type and intensity. Some are leisurely strolls along sea lion-filled white beaches; others are hikes up the sides of dormant volcanoes; still others involve deep-water snorkeling and kayaking. Guides lead every excursion and ensure the quality of the visit and the protection of the wildlife and the islands.
Every shore excursion is an opportunity to observe the wildlife; the snorkeling trips provide outstanding encounters with everything from sea lions to moray eels and Galapagos sharks.
A word about Galapagos guides: No one is allowed on any of the islands without one. The guides are licensed by Ecuador and must possess specific education and experience to achieve and increase their certification levels. The Eclipse prides itself on the quality of its guides, choosing carefully from the available pool. The four guides on our sailing were informed, patient, flexible and friendly. They knew the answer to every question thrown at them and provided distinct perspectives on the islands and the wildlife.
The singular attraction of the Galapagos is, of course, wildlife in its natural habitat. Amazingly, the animals on each island are different, which is what captured Darwin’s attention in 1835. From his experience, he would go on to devise his theory of evolution and natural selection, presented in “On the Origin of Species.”
Species evolve differently among the islands because of type and quantity of food supply, presence or absence of predators, vegetation and impact of introduced species. Each excursion is different as the seasons change and the life cycle moves on. Each guide carries a personal camera — testimony to the new and unexpected that they discover even after all of their visits.
The onboard experience is commodious without being luxurious. The cabins are relatively large, with lots of storage and a roomy shower, and with either portholes or windows. With only 48 onboard, it is easy to get to know each passenger and the friendly staff. Our marvelous group included adventurers from Perth, Australia, and Edinburgh, Scotland; from McLean, Va., and Surrey, England; from Auckland, New Zealand, and Tiburon, Calif.
All meals are buffet-style, with lots of casseroles, local fish, stews, fruits and salads, served in the dining room or alfresco on the pool deck. Wines are included.
There are two bars, a small dip pool, a library/video room and a comfortable upper deck that is partly covered, giving both sun worshipers and the sun-shy outdoor options. A small gift shop, open on demand, stocks toiletries, books, souvenirs, T-shirts and voyage-appropriate clothing. During the prime season of December through April, after-dinner stargazing is accompanied by heavenward lectures from one of the guides.
It was an expedition, not a cruise; not about massages and gourmet meals, but about flora and fauna and our greater world. The Galapagos Islands are not a theme park; they are a special place that we were thrilled to glimpse — even with only 42 pounds of luggage!
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IF YOU GO
GETTING THERE
The ship maintains a low passenger-to-guide ratio and has pangas to disembark passengers quickly.
Rates start at $4,800 per person, per week; there are special family rates as well as high- and low-season rates; information is available at oceanadventures.com.ec.
Quoted rates do not include airfare, overnight hotel accommodations on the mainland or the $100 per person entrance tariff to Galapagos National Park and Marine Reserve.
The ship sails from Baltra Island every Saturday; passengers travel to either Quito or Guayaquil to connect to a flight to Baltra and will need to stay one night in either city on each end of the cruise; air and hotel packages are available on the Ocean Adventures Web site, but travelers should investigate pricing on their own before booking.
International travelers departing Ecuador are required to pay a $44.30 departure tax in cash at the airport.
ISLAND TOUR
Cruisers visit six or seven islands (depending on surf conditions and local re- strictions), with two or three stops on each.
A camera is de rigueur, and you may wish to pack a light camcorder; light be- cause it’s no fun hauling bulky photography equipment on the uphill hikes. Binoculars (particularly for bird watchers), backpacks, insect repellent (needed on two excursions), and a hat that shades the ears are also musts.
SHOPPING
Ecuador is an inexpensive place to visit. Even high-end restaurants charge less than $15 for entrees. Good buys include pewter, jewelry and locally made clothing. Many vendors do not add the national sales tax of 12 percent to the price of merchandise and souvenirs if customers pay with cash. Ecuador’s national currency is the American dollar.
–Maria Smith
