Besides the LAMMER LAW, four other Quasar Expeditions boats were awaiting passengers, including the ECLIPSE. We later had the opportunity to briefly visit this vessel and we were certainly impressed with its casual elegance. One of the advantages of a small vessel, which requires only one naturalist guide, is that you function as a group, both on the boat and ashore. Of course you can always find some spot on the deck for a bit of quiet time. Of our 14 fellow passengers, 4 were from England, 4 from Canada (Toronto) and 4 from the U.S. (Colorado and Florida). After unpacking, which was easily accomplished as the attire was always casual, we assembled in the lounge and were introduced to the boat’s captain and staff. When we completed a round of self-introductions and a safety drill, we proceeded to a delicious light meal.
One hour later our adventure began as we boarded inflatable boats (locally called pangas) and made our first landfall on North Seymour Island. Walking along the trails we gazed in wonder at the blue-footed boobies, swallow-tailed gulls and frigate birds. We watched the blue-footed booties doing their foot stomping mating dance but it was the male frigate birds that put forth the most elaborate display. Sitting on shrubs or low-growing trees, they inflated the huge red pouches on their chests, flapped their wings and plaintively called to any female flying overhead. Paying us no mind were the marine iguanas warming themselves in the sun. Sea lions bounded in and out of the water and slept soundly on the shore.
Upon returning to our landing site we found a young sea lion asleep in our pile of life jackets. The wildlife on the Galapagos Islands, so long undisturbed by humans, has no inherent fear and is easily approached. But one hard rule is no touching. Our perplexed guide finally decided to try removing the life jackets one by one from the bottom of the pile. As the pile kept decreasing the obviously disgruntled youngster wallowed off grunting his displeasure at being disturbed. Every day brought more excitement as we trekked the different islands and encountered giant tortoises, land iguanas, lava lizards, red-footed boobies and flightless cormorants. Most afternoons we went on snorkeling excursions. Curious sea lions came eyeball-eyeball before dashing away. Galapagos penguins – who in the distant past rode the cold Humboldt Current north from Antarctica – sped by like little torpedoes. Turtles glided beneath us and in some locations we spied the occasional shark and manta ray.
From the time we embarked the LAMMER LAW and disembarked seven days later, we made only one visit to an inhabited destination, the town of Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island. This is an important place because it is the location of the Charles Darwin Research Station. Here we listened to the work being done to preserve, restore and protect the Galapagos Islands. We saw the breeding pens for the giant tortoises, each pen dedicated to the particular type of tortoise that evolved on specific islands. Researchers are also beginning to breed marine iguanas. The greatest threat to the indigenous plants and animals is that of human-introduced species. For example, goats – originally released by the early sailors who wanted to ensure a future food source – can strip an area of its vegetation. Cats and dogs that have become wild are also enemies of the native wildlife. Many efforts are underway to control, and possibly even to eradicate, these destructive threats. The giant tortoise, Lonesome George, is housed at the Charles Darwin Research Station. He is the last male of his species from the island of Pinta. Unfortunately no female survives so, when Lonesome George expires, the Pinta Island species of tortoise will become extinct.
Our Galapagos Islands cruise with Quasar Expeditions came to an end too quickly. However, we took away many rolls of film to be developed and invites from our sailing companions to come visit. Unquestionably, the time we took in the Galapagos Islands and in exploring the mainland of Ecuador has merely wetted our ecotourism appetite to return. (Quasar Expeditions' website: galapagosexpeditions.com.
