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29 May 2000

What a great way to celebrate a birthday – heading south on my second trip to Ecuador.  This time the primary destination is the Galapagos Islands.  Lifting off from Houston in the evening, I’ve been lucky enough to get bulkhead seating with me the only person on the row – luxury indeed.  Smooth flight, edible meal, and peace and quiet for reading and writing.  All goes exceedingly well even to an early arrival at Quito; then the trip falls right off a cliff.  We circle the city twice, and I look down at the brightly lit runway below with excitement and anticipation.  Suddenly we are gaining altitude again and heading away from the Andes while the announcement comes from the cockpit; volcanic ash in the area makes a Quito landing too dangerous and we will be flown to Quayaquil on the coast.  I am anxious, but not yet alarmed.  I am certain that the tour representative who was to meet me at the airport is aware of the situation and that instructions will somehow await me in Quayaquil.  They do not.  In the small grimy airport there, which seems to hold no official employees, I skulk along behind those of my fellow passengers who remain in a loose group.  I follow them - all more aware, more relaxed, and more Spanish-speaking than I - through customs and into a little waiting area packed with tired-looking people where everyone sits down.  Now and then, a group will rise and move purposefully off in response to some signal I can’t apprehend.  Is their flight leaving?  Has there been a bomb threat?  Missiles incoming?  Eventually, my group receives one of these signals, and I trail them outside where several men are grabbing bags and heaving them into a van.  I have no idea what’s going on.  Are these luggage hijackers?  Someone takes pity on me and explains in halting English, far less halting than my Spanish, that we are being taken to a hotel for the night.  An extremely nice hotel, too, but still no word from my Galapagos Travel contact person.  I make several desperate and unsuccessful attempts to telephone her.  Panic has set in in a big way now; my tour group is to fly out of Quito in the morning and, immediately upon arrival in the Galapagos, will board the yacht that is to be our home in the islands and set sail.  If I miss that flight, I miss the trip. 

30 May 2000

of small groups are permitted on a given island at any one time and must be accompanied by an official Park representative who will ensure our adherence to park rules in order to minimize human impact to the ecosystems.  My tour group consists of only 15 people and we can all disembark together; on the larger tour vessels, a lot of time is spent awaiting your turn.  On our way to the San José, a nicely appointed 92’ yacht with 8 passenger cabins with private baths, I see my first new life species, a Lava Heron on the rocky shore.  This is not a bird-oriented tour, but rather a natural and cultural history trip with an emphasis on photography; so I know that I will not see all indigenous avian species, but will savor each one that turns up.

I am one of only three participants traveling solo and am in high hopes of drawing the lucky straw that will give me a private room.  Fortune does not smile on me, and it is with some apprehension that I receive my below-deck room assignment with a stolid Danish woman as my roommate.  My fears prove unfounded, as Ellen turns out to be the perfect traveling companion – quiet and pleasant with a delightfully dry sense of humor.  We agree on cabin   temperature, bathroom usage, and level of neatness!  Both of us like to read in bed.  As the trip progresses, this latter fact proves irrelevant, as Ellen is sleeping soundly by the time I descend from the comfortable lounge where the small contingent of note-takers, list compilers, and journal-ers labor into the night. 

We navigate the short distance to North Seymour Island where we anchor and take the small pangas ashore to see colonies of Blue-footed Boobies and Magnificent Frigatebirds, some engaged in courtship displays, others on nests with chicks.   There is a whole array of fascinating courtship behaviors to observe among the boobies, including several instances of a single female being courted by several males.  Here, too, I have my first of “Darwin’s finches”; Barry helps me to identify it as a Small Ground-finch.  Brilliantly colored Sally Lightfoot crabs glow against the lava, both marine and land iguanas loll about within arm’s reach, and as we depart, two sea lion pups approach me, one confidently nuzzling my foot with its velvety nose.  This fearless behavior is characteristic of the islands’ animals and one of the premier attractions of the place.  Dinner aboard the San José is preceded by a natural history or cultural history lecture and followed by Ron’s excellent and detailed briefing on the next day’s itinerary.  These will both be a nightly ritual.  Everyone is happy to turn in early and be lulled to sleep by the engines as we set our course for San Cristobal.  Most sailing will be done at night, leaving our days free for exploration. 

31 May 2002

Wake-up bell at 6:00 AM, breakfast, and a 7:00 panga ride to Cerro Brujo to explore the beach, the rocky tidal pools, and the lagoon.  Here we see the first of three indigenous mimids, Chatham Mockingbird, and have the opportunity to compare SMALL and Medium Ground-finches, which have dramatically different bill sizes when viewed side by side.  In the lagoon area are BLACK-NECKED STILT, White-cheeked Pintail, Striated Heron; on the beach, American Oystercatcher and Whimbrel. Yellow Warblers are everywhere.

A 10:00 break, followed by snorkel “practice” in the quiet lagoon; snorkeling will play a big role on each of our action-packed days and it’s important to get our equipment squared away. On my first trial run, I am joined by a curious sea lion who zips past, then does a U-turn to circle, then glide directly under me.  An incredible experience! After lunch and a short semi-siesta topside on an afternoon of perfect weather and gentle breezes, we traverse Wreck Bay and circumnavigate Kicker Rock before going ashore at the tiny town of Punto Baquerizo Moreno for a visit to their tiny new natural history interpretive center and a postcard-shopping trip.  Ecuador has recently adopted the US dollar as its official currency, but some of the locals are having a bit of trouble with the transition and are simply not dealing with coins at all – the price of almost all small items seems rounded up to a dollar.  However, I did find bottled water for .20 and generously left a nickel tip!  Nice trails behind the center reveal many small birds, primarily finches and warblers, which respond readily to pishing giving yet more photo ops.  

Evening has already fallen comfortably into the lecture, dinner, briefing routine.  The food is delicious and well-prepared and the crew of nine, outstanding.  Nightime navigation to Hood (Española).

1 June 2000

Out early to Punta Suarez where we have a dry landing and our first, and fortunately only, instance of waiting for groups from other vessels to get the required distance ahead of us, sort of like golfing, I guess.  Barry and Ron do a very good job of coordinating our arrivals and departures so that we seldom encounter others either at dock in a bay or on an island.   The lag time, combined with a long walk keeps us on the island for over four hours and does away with our morning snorkel.  Usually there will be two such opportunities each day.  There are sea lions frolicking in the surf, lolling on the rocks, barking and belching and nursing young.  Piles of marine iguanas appear here and there among the rocks thermoregulating in the sun.  We are greeted by curious and friendly (hungry?) HOOD MOCKINGBIRDS.  Most are in mid-molt and looking pretty scruffy, but their long, heavy, decurved beaks help to distinguish them from the Chathams seen earlier.  GALAPAGOS HAWK and GALAPAGOS DOVE are much in evidence.  (In the evenings, those of us who are keeping records sometimes come up short when searching for the name of something seen that day.  We’ve found that if we insert “Galapagos”, “lava”, or “Darwin’s” in front of the name of an animal, we have a very good chance of being right!)  Two new Darwin’s finches to add to the current total of only two out of a possible 13: WARBLER FINCH and LARGE CACTUS-FINCH.  It’s almost like watching evolution in progress, and in fact, Rosemary and Peter Grant’s studies on Daphne  Major have done just that….  Here we also find a breeding colony of WAVED ALBATROSS , almost the entire world population; a few pairs can be found off the coast of Guayaquil.  Many are on the ground, many gliding overhead; to get airborne, they waddle to the edge of the cliff and sort of fall off.  At the cliffs we see a breeding colony of MASKED BOOBIES, more Magnificent Frigatebirds, and a large number of stunning SWALLOW-TAILED GULLS.  Beautiful views of RED-BILLED TROPICBIRD overhead.  And spectacular blow-holes erupting periodically like geysers among the rocks.

The afternoon snorkel in Gardner Bay started well, but ended badly for me.  Gorgeous fish, YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT HERON observing us from the shore, three sea lions swimming among us, giant starfish, white-tipped sharks sleeping as we swim above them.  Gaining the far side of Turtle Rock, we encounter a stiff chop with heavy swells, and I’m soon feeling seasick.  A desperate signal from me brings the panga over and I spend the rest of snorkel time trying to keep my lunch down.   A late afternoon shore walk improves things considerably; we note an abundance of skeletal remains of fish and birds littering the shore and are told these were victims of the recent El Niño conditions. 

As is true on any occasion when a group of previous strangers are thrown together for an extended period, we humans generally prove to be an interesting species for study as well.  I am watching the group dynamics – as yet there is no dramatic split into sub-groups, but there are hints of things to come.

2 June 2000

Early morning visit to Punta Cormoran on Floreana Island, also known as Charles or Santa Maria Island, where we find over 50 GREATER FLAMINGOES in the lagoon; they are only recently returned following a departure during El Niño.  Passerines include the “usual” Yellow Warblers, Small and Medium Ground Finches, and a new species, GALAPAGOS FLYCATCHER .  I can see two woven cup nests with an adult flycatcher entering one carrying food.  And soon I spot my first GALAPAGOS PENGUIN floating and diving near shore.  Think of it.  A penguin on the equator!  More White-cheeked Pintail in the lagoon and some distant unidentifiable shorebirds, plus SMOOTH-BILLED ANIS, which are an introduced species here.  I opt out of the morning snorkel, advertised to be quite rough, for a little postcard and field guide time.  A good choice for me, but the last one I plan to miss.  Yet another outstanding lunch – the first course soups are superb and the fish, fresh and toothsome, as might be expected.   

The afternoon snorkel provides more great “swimming with sea lions” photo ops.  And we follow that up with a late afternoon panga ride through a sea lion “rookery”??? where a big bull is patrolling his stretch of beach, back and forth, back and forth, with many an impressive bellow.  Next we navigate to Post Office Bay seeing WEDGE-RUMPED STORM-PETRELS en route.  We go ashore and up to the observation platform, after stopping by the post barrel where ships picked up and dropped off mail whenever they passed in earlier times.  Now it is tradition to drop your own unstamped mail in and pick up something you might be able to hand deliver or stamp and mail from home – I find a postcard addressed to someone in Atlanta and take it away. 

OK.  There will be some shifting around from time to time, but dinner has basically split into the rowdy bunch and the mature sensible group.  Tonight there is a hilarious discussion at the former table about the best way to view oceanic bioluminescence that night.  Flushing the salt water toilet is finally deemed the most reliable; it takes me four flushes to accomplish this feat.  I rise at midnight to make an attempt at a more natural viewing of the phenomenon – no bioluminescence, but seeing the ghostly and spectacularly beautiful Swallow-tailed Gulls gliding silently by is worth the lost sleep.  They are uniquely visually adapted among the gulls for detecting fish at night and also have a white bill tip that enables their chicks to easily recognize an incoming meal.

3 June 2000

Early ashore on Isabela Island at the town of Villamil; we head straight for the tortoise center where the National Park Service does captive breeding of the giant Galapagos tortoises.  A check of the lagoon behind the center turns up a few COMMON MOORHEN, and we go inside to view a video of the most recent volcanic eruptions in the islands. The plan for the day is a horseback ride up to the caldera of the Sierra Negra Volcano followed by a walk to the steam vent.  A 45- minute ride on a rickety bus through largely agricultural land takes us to the horse pickup point. Three of us, feeling the need of a little additional exercise have opted to hike to the top, and a survey of the horseflesh awaiting our group does nothing to change our minds; in fact, two more decide to join us.  We are lost for a while on the way to the summit in the garúa, or mist, surrounding the mountain and have to do a little bushwhacking and crawling under barb wire fences, but eventually we relocate the horse trail and soon arrive cold, wet, and muddy at the soap tree rendezvous point.  There we enjoy sack lunches, one of those perfectly ordinary meals lent a gourmet cachet by one’s voracious hunger.  Two of the horseback group have suffered falls along the way, including the oldest female member of the bunch, Luella, near 80 and requiring a cane in order to walk, but trooper that she is, she’s right back on without a word.  She participates in every activity but the snorkeling, and her husband, Keith, whose hearing aid has long since shorted out in the salt air, goes along on each of those.  They are, in fact, more active than some of our 30-somethings. 

The wind has picked up and we have an uncomfortable mile’s hike across the lava to Volcan Chico.  We are, however, rewarded for our efforts with spectacular views once there.  On the way back down, Keith’s horse throws him – he’s right back on.  Scott’s horse then dumps him and runs into Shirley’s horse, who then gallops away leaving Shirley in her wake, in pain, and with a probable broken rib.  At this point, Ellen, feeling that her horse is far too interested in the fracas, dismounts and joins the hikers for the remainder of the journey.  We are a sorry-looking group as we straggle back into the research center, but I have spotted COMMON CACTUS FINCH nearby, and LAVA GULLS on the shore and am happy.  There were many VERMILION FLYCATCHERS in the highlands, but not one of the hoped-for Galapagos Martins, nor a single Dark-billed Cuckoo.

On the panga ride back to the boat, our driver spots a distant cormorant, but no one hears or cares except me.  Arriving onboard, we turn our soggy boots and socks over to the crew for a thorough scrubbing; this is done scrupulously following every landing to avoid transporting organisms from one island to another.  Our wonderful crew has hot chocolate, tea, coffee and savory comestibles all ready for the weary, ravenous travelers.

4 June 2000

We do not start our 8-hour navigation to Elizabeth Bay until 4:00 AM and are allowed a sleep-in until 7:00!  A lovely, leisurely morning sail along breathtaking volcanic coastlines with extensive sea creature viewing opportunities - starting with a leap from the breakfast table to see my first ever whale spout.  Soon the entire beast heaves into view, a small one, probably Minke or Bryde’s with a calf.  Soon another much larger whale approaches quite closely – a thrilling sight.  There are many seabirds, and I am able to study them at leisure, feeling confident about my identifications of WEDGE-RUMPED STORM-PETREL, DARK-RUMPED (HAWAIIAN) PETREL, and ELLIOT’S (WHITE-VENTED) PETREL.  I take advantage of a lull  to do a bucketload of laundry in the shower and hang it to dry on the sunny open upper deck.  The lower deck has a delightful breezy covered area with hammocks and chairs along with four cabins.  The main deck holds kitchen, dining, lounge, and bar areas.  Below decks are the remaining four passenger cabins and crew’s quarters.  Everyone appreciates the break, some to recover from the previous days traumas – seems, for instance, that Keith’s horse stepped on his foot leaving him understandably sore; Shirley made it through the night with pain-killers and alcohol; a couple of people are suffering from sea stomach; and the rest of us welcome a little down time for a variety of other reasons.

After lunch, a 45-minute snorkel in Derrick’s Cove – very cold; Jefferson measures water temp at 20°.  I am glad of the wet suit I brought and astonished to encounter a solitary male snorkler in a thong.  The fish are wonderful, but the real highlight is the presence of (Pacific) Green Sea Turtles, at least 20 of whom are resting in the cove.  We take care not to disturb them and to hug the channel walls to allow them an escape route should they feel threatened.  I am thrilled to have one approach me closely face to face.

Late in the afternoon, we have a panga ride through quiet channels threading among huge mangroves.  The feeling is a little like being in the Florida Everglades.  Suddenly, I see a pale long-tailed bird fly silently into a tree and soon another follows.  I am able to locate the second bird, DARK-BILLED CUCKOO!  I jump up in the boat, shouting, “Cuckoo, cuckoo!”, and am suddenly acutely aware that my companions are not birders.  Most are tolerant, some are likely convinced that I am only just now introducing myself by name.  As I am reseating myself, wonder of wonders, two GALAPAGOS MARTINS fly over chittering madly.  In the space of minutes, my two missed birds from yesterday’s highlands trip have materialized.  We continue our voyage observing numerous sea turtles, penguins feeding in the surf with BROWN PELICANS -  what a sight - and BROWN NODDIES landing on pelican heads trying for a portion of the take.  A lovely peaceful place.

5 June 2000

A pre-breakfast visit to Urbina (Urvina) Bay allows us first access of the day to Isabela Island.  It is cool and pleasant – heat has not really been a problem on the trip.  Highlights are several Galapagos Tortoises of the Alcedo race, the endemic Galapagos cotton, and an opportunity to study the marine uplift of 1954 which raised the shoreline almost 15 feet.  Back to a typical delectable morning meal of fresh fruit juice du jour, thick toast with butter and jam, cheese, and today’s main course, cheese and onion omelet wedges; this is followed by a two-hour navigation to Fernandina.  I forego the morning snorkel in favor of postcard writing and laundry. 

Early afternoon finds us on Punta Espinosa where we immediately encounter a pair of mating Galapagos Hawks, large numbers of Marine Iguanas , and many Lava Lizards – on the, yes, lava – two males bobbing and doing push-ups at one another as a bemused female pays minimal attention from atop a nearby rock.  Today we have one of our rare encounters with groups from other small boats and the large 100-passenger Explorer II.  In the surf we spot at least two Spotted Eagle Rays, and on the point itself are FLIGHTLESS CORMORANTS, some on messy nests of seaweed, skeletal animal remains, and all manner of detritus.  We watch one male waddle indefatigably back and forth fetching strands of fresh seaweed to his mate, who then busies herself arranging them, though it’s hard to tell afterward any such effort was invested.  The Flightless Cormorant has stunning turquoise eyes.  Also at the point are Lava/Striated Heron and assorted shorebirds.  We watch a GREEN HERON stalking amongst the tangle of iguanas that contains a multitude of young.  The babies scuttle into crevices as their pursuer approaches, re-emerging as the bird passes.

Back on board we wait a bit for a generator repair, but are soon able to make the crossing to Tagus Cove on Fernandina Island, hoping for porpoises along the way.  Some of us claim a “green flash” at sunset; the unlucky ones scoff.  The evening talk is Whales – part two.

6 June 2000

Early panga ride in the cove to view the interesting tuff formations and the almost as interesting graffiti – a popular place for the latter with big white words, initials, and dates high on the cliff walls at places seemingly inaccessible to even a goat, though we do see a couple of them nearby. Feral cats and goats are a serious problem here.  Much fascinating vegetation and dozens of Galapagos Martins swooping overhead. 

Navigation to Punta Vicente Roca, crossing the equator en route, in sunny weather produces a whole host of sightings: whales of at least three species – Minke (cow/calf), Bryde’s, and a distant view of Sperm; very large pod of Common Dolphin feeding and jumping excitedly, moving away as we approach; Hammerhead Shark; Golden Ray; small group of Bottle-nosed Dolphin, much less shy than the Commons, approaching us and passing beside and under the San José.

The seabird colony at Round Rock is simply astonishing – thousands upon thousands of birds on, over, near the cliffs, and on the water: Masked Booby,  Red-billed Tropicbird, Wedge-rumped Storm-Petrel, AUDUBON’S SHEARWATER, Swallow-tailed Gull, GREAT and Magnificent FRIGATEBIRDS.  Sea Lions floating flippers-up in the sea.  The Tropicbirds drifting overhead in ones, twos, threes – long streamers trailing behind and many in the water with tails held daintily above the surf.  From here we set off for a long navigation to Punta Albemarle. 

The whistle has blown three times this afternoon to indicate fish on the line – first a Mahi-Mahi, then two Skipjack Tuna.  While I don’t enjoy watching fish struggling in their death throes on deck, I will hypocritically and certainly eat what’s served me tonight.  In fact, one of the crew soon arrives with pre-dinner sushini, a little too fresh for me.  When we come on board from any late afternoon excursion, Jefferson is waiting with appetizers and beverages for us.  He is ever smiling, courteous, and handy!  He has already unstopped my toilet on the first day when I unknowingly violated the paper ban, repaired my non-functioning reading light, and retrieved my contact case which vanished down a crevice in the cabin.  In fact, the entire crew of nine is outstanding.  Our captain is courtly Angel.  Panga drivers are Kevin (also first mate), Luna, Paolo, Javier.  The chef is Luis and Marío is chef’s assistant. Jefferson is the “butler” and Leonardo works the engine room.  He has only one leg and gets around on crutches – a most impressive achievement on a small boat. 

7 June 2000

More pleasant weather and a nice hike on James Island (Santiago).  Our first Fur Seals, not so different in appearance from the Sea Lions, but habitat and behavior differ between the two.  The former are “fatter” and “furry-er” and are thus found tucked into the shade of rocks, not lolling on hot beaches.  No new birds, but excellent photo ops for some “old” ones.  Interesting creatures in small tidal pools.  Some evidence of old salt-mining operation which was apparently a front for an illegal exporting business. 

There are two snorkels scheduled for the day, and I decide against the morning run.  Ron has begun classifying them as “Rambo” and “Bambi” snorkels.  I participate in both types, but when I opt out, it’s usually on a Rambo after my early unfortunate experience.  Our afternoon snorkel goes really well until we encounter very poor visibility near the point and simply retrace our “steps” rather than rounding it.  I wish I could identify more of the underwater creatures I see.  Here’s what I think I see today: Chocolate-chip Starfish (What a great name!), Hieroglyphic Hawkfish, Dusky Chub, Yellow-tailed Surgeon Fish, Rainbow Wrasse, Cardinal Fish, Sergeant Major, Bicolor Parrotfish, Blue-and-yellow Snapper, King Angelfish….

We make a late afternoon visit to the beautiful red beach at Rabida (Jervis).  Lighting for photos is exquisite.  Sea Lions are our primary subject here with a lone Greater Flamingo and a White-cheeked Pintail in the lagoon.  I am still amazed that when we approach any vegetated area, there seems always to be a singing Yellow Warbler within. 

Tonight there’s ice cream for dessert; everyone has been secretly longing for something other than fruit!  Several people were seasick last night as we navigated through rough waters.  Not me. It’s the slow roll that gets me; I’m usually OK when there’s forward motion.  Ellen was one of the victims, but recovered quickly when we reached our destination at 9:30 and was very hungry.  Luckily, I was able to prepare for her a delightful repast of airline pretzels and dried fruit. 

8 June 2000

A very full day, beginning with a panga ride to the Galapagos Hotel on Santa Cruz Island at Puerto Ayora, a charming and bustling seaport and the largest population center in the islands with inhabitants numbering about 10,000.  Our first stop is the renowned Charles Darwin Research Station.  We all snap photo after photo of the tortoises, including Lonesome George, probably the last of his kind, the Pinta Island race of the Galapagos Tortoise. He has shown no interest in mating with females of closely-related races.  I alone agonize over identification of the various species of finches – certainly a SMALL TREE-FINCH, but what about the others? Large Tree-finch?  Vegetarian Finch?

I give in to temptation and purchase a ridiculously expensive art work, a mirrored triptych featuring Darwin and birds.  This seriously depletes my cash reserves, but what a memento for a trip of a lifetime.  After our shopping spree, we lunch with local scientists from the Station, one of whom is in charge of goat eradication/ecological restoration of one of the islands, the largest project of its kind anywhere.  Also present is Jacqueline de Roy, an early European settler and the mother of well-known nature photographer, Tui de Roy. 

A bus takes us to the highlands in the afternoon with stops along the way to view lava tunnels, pit craters filled with lush vegetation.  WARBLER FINCH and Vermillion Flycatcher are the highlight birds.  We dine at the Narwhal where the grounds are lovely, the food excellent, and the ambience superb.  I have overeaten for the entire trip, but outdo myself tonight.  A sleepy ride back down and out to the boat through the myriad boats bobbing in Academy Bay.

9 June 2000

Still at Santa Cruz, we return to the island to visit Jacqueline de Roy’s famous patio – it is a finch fest!  If you hold out a bread-crumb filled hand, you will quickly be inundated with Darwinia - Small and Medium Ground Finches and the occasional Cactus  Finch, and indescribable experience for a biologist.  The birds grow a bit restless toward the end of the crumb routine, but the addition of rice to the mix sets off a new feeding frenzy.  Inside the de Roy home, which has the feel and look of a Frank Lloyd Wright creation, we can view – and purchase – Jacqueline’s animal-inspired silver jewelry, and Tui soon arrives to personalize her Galapagos photo books for those who have purchased them.  Back across the harbor for a couple of free hours in the town.  Some shop, some sightsee, I return to the Research Station grounds for some intensive finch-watching. 

Much of the afternoon is spent on South Plazas Island, easily our most photogenic locale to date and with perfect lighting.  There is an astonishing prickly pear cactus forest and there are spectacular bird shots at every turn, some within touching distance.  Even though we see this behavior everywhere, it is hard not to be newly amazed each time you are able to approach a bird or other animal so closely.  There are many, many Land Iguanas, large and small, colorful and drab, some munching on portulacas, which they love, but which stain their teeth black – luckily for smile maintenance, they replace them regularly with new rows constantly forming behind the old.  An opuntia fruit fell as we watched, and one animal pounced on it (I guess “pounced” is a stretch!), rolled it around to remove the spines, and quickly disposed of it.  They are apparently fond of all things yellow; early tourists were allowed to feed them grapefruit rinds, and some older animals still seem to look at us longingly.  One iguana trailed us for quite a long distance.  Was it my yellow shirt?!

10 June 2000

7:00 AM visit to Tower (Genovesa) Island, a dry landing (Many are not!) followed by a climb up Prince Philip’s Steps.  These are steep and carved into the cliffside;  their namesake is a patron of the islands and has no doubt ascended these very steps himself. Within 10 paces of the top, we have all four of the hoped-for finches: Warbler, SHARP-BEAKED GROUND, LARGE CACTUS, and LARGE GROUND – awesome.  All the other expected birds eventually show up as well.  There are several seabird breeding colonies here, and we see many RED-FOOTED BOOBIES, some on eggs; all stages of young Swallow-tailed Gull, from eggs to downy young to big speckled begging oafs.  We alternate spotting SHORT-EARED OWLS, sitting in the open, but well-camouflaged on the lava fields.  They prey on the young of the Wedge-rumped Storm-Petrels we see swooping into their nests in the cracks and crevices of the lava. 

Our first snorkel site of the day is a bust – zero visibility – so we move to the other side of the bay and are able to see lots of fish if we hug the cliff walls.  Many species here and Moorish Idols are new for me. No sharks, though we did see a Manta Ray from the panga.

An afternoon panga ride at the cliffs revealed nesting Red-billed Tropicbirds in the walls; sometimes you can just see tail streamers protruding from the crevices. I find one of these birds beside the trail on the afternoon walk, and they are quite awkward on land due to the extreme posterior location of their feet.  Though it was late in the season, there are numerous puffed-up Great Frigatebirds in display as we walk through a nesting colony.  A family group of six Galapagos Mockingbirds entertain us; three of the four finches are again seen – apparently it is unusual to see all four on a single trip, so our morning was lucky in this respect; a couple of stunning Lava Gulls checking out a tidal pool – we had one on the boat this morning as well; and, of course, Yellow Warbler!  Some of us continue on the rough portion of the lava trail and are treated to the sight of a Great Frigatebird snatching a stick from Ron’s outstretched hand, then being beleaguered by others hoping for the prize.  Another harassed a nearby Red-footed Booby for its fish. Lovely deep tidal pools at trail’s end hold many little fishes that have drawn GREAT BLUE HERONS, Yellow-crowned Night Herons and Lava Herons to their perimeters.

Our usual evening talk and briefing. Tonight Barry shows a video of volcanic activity to accompany his talk on geology of the islands.  One of his tours happened to be at anchor beside Fernandina when it erupted in 1995.  No one slept that night, though I hear that the lone birder on board is tremendously disappointed to miss his opportunity for the endemic bird of the island!  Dinner has settled into a routine and we have the plate-cleaning down to a science; there is always someone who wants whatever someone else doesn’t. Ron’s briefing promises a very full day tomorrow. 

11 June 2000

On Bartolomé we start the day with an ascent of the 370 stair steps up Heartbreaker Hill with its interesting geologic formations; Pinnacle Rock, a  fantastical concoction of worn away tuff, is the most arresting sight. There is little plant and animal life, however, just scattered sea- and shorebirds.  The morning snorkel is quite good, though I see neither shark nor penguin, as do some members of the group.  The invertebrates are marvelous, all manner of starfish that I’ll have to look up later in the guide.  I am feeling very comfortable in the water now and am never ready to end a snorkel, though today the water is very cold and I know I’ll have some extensive warming up to do before lunch.

Despite my previous words, I opt out of the afternoon snorkel as I definitely plan on doing our first and only night trip tonight.  I blame it on the enormous, but not atypical mid-day meal; roast pork and gravy, marinated vegetable salad, hominy, that was awfully good, though far from my favorite food, fabulous potato cakes stuffed with cheese and onions and served with peanut sauce.  Oh, and ceviche as an appetizer.

A late afternoon hike on a relatively recent lava flow provides amazing shapes and forms for photographing.  I am glad I brought black-and-white film and wish that I knew how to take better advantage of the camera’s capabilities for these lifetime camera-friendly opportunities.

THE NIGHT SNORKEL!  This is a first for most of our group, and there is some trepidation amongst the troops.  We would make a great photographic subject huddled apprehensively in the panga clutching our multi-colored glow sticks against the dark – some orange, some green, me lavender.  Adding to the jitters is a little hostility toward one of our group, who, as usual, delays our departure by her tardiness.  In the water, it is a little spooky seeing only what your flashlight can reach.  Being something of a flashlight freak, I have splurged on this purchase and have far and away the best piece of equipment.  As a result, I am extremely popular and need never have worried about being left invisibly behind with an exhausted glow stick.  First sightings are of a pair of large Marbled Rays lying on the bottom.  Wow!  Fascinating nocturnal invertebrates are scuttling about or just opening up to their full sedentary splendor.  We see both Spiny and Slipper Lobsters.  At one point, we turn off our lights, acclimate, and then wiggle our hands and feet to generate our own bioluminescent sparkles, much like the glowing dolphins off the bow before we departed.  It was an amazing experience, but the feelings of some were summed up by Jim on our return journey to the boat, “Now I don’t have to do that again.”  (Actually, I MIGHT do that again.)

At last a light meal, in every sense of the word.  We dine on arroz con pollo by the light of our fading glow sticks and watch a video afterwards, “What Darwin Never Saw”.  It depicts some of the 20-year research of Rosemary and Peter Grant in the islands; this work formed the basis of the book “Beak of the Finch”, a must-read for anyone visiting the Galapagos or even remotely interested in evolution.  And our briefing promises another action-packed day tomorrow, sadly our last full day on board.

12 June 2000

Our navigation to Sombrero Chino begins at 5:30 AM.  I have awakened at 4:00 and, unable to return to a state of somnolence, have risen to try to catch the sunrise as we round the lava rocks.  There is only a glimpse of it between clouds, and we experience garúa early in our pre-breakfast walk.  Once the “storm” passes, however, we are treated to a rainbow which heralds the most glorious sun-filled day we’ve had yet.  Sticks are definitely the theme of the walk, as we watch a nesting GREAT BLUE HERON in a shrub meticulously picking up and rejecting twig after twig and later observe a Sea Lion pup cavorting joyfully on the beach with one, playing its own game of fetch.

We have a spectacular morning snorkel with excellent visibility and multitudes of small fish, including Frog Fish and Spotted Porcupinefish, plus White-tipped Reef Sharks drowsing on the sea floor.  Others lurking in caves or swimming past.  A big ray of some kind buried in the sand in a cave.  And at last, PENGUINS!  In the water with me!  My, they can move.  Right at you they speed until you are sure collision is manifest, but then at the last split-second off they veer.  I could not have ended my equatorial snorkeling career on a higher note.

We can peep into the lagoon at Bainbridge Rocks from the San José’s upper deck as we navigate to Daphne Major in late morning.  I count 7 Greater Flamingoes there. The trip around Daphne Major, the site of the Grants’ work is fascinating and emotional.  No amount of books and videos can bring home the reality of the place, its austere beauty and the difficulty of the field conditions, like actually seeing it.  What astonishing dedication they have brought to their research. 

After lunch, people choose from among swimming, snorkeling, siesta, and gear-cleaning options as we began to prepare ourselves psychologically for our departure for the mainland tomorrow.

In the late afternoon, we are permitted a free-form visit to Mosquera, a small totally open and seldom visited island.  We have all become such sheep, it is a challenge deciding which direction to go and how long to spend there!  There is great light for photos and lots of Lobos del Mar, aka Sea Lions, and a nice little assortment of shorebirds, including some we have seen, but I have not mentioned before: SEMI-PALMATED PLOVER, WANDERING TATTLER, SANDERLING.  And surprise, surprise – Yellow Warbler!  Also finches and gulls.

In the evening, the crew appears in sparkling whites for cocktails and photos.  There is a special farewell barbecue on the lounge deck with crew lined stiffly along one rail and we, equally ill-at-ease, on the other.  Some of us finally break the ice by approaching various of the crew to express our thanks, mostly with broken Spanish and heartfelt gestures, for this trip of a lifetime and for their part in it.  Angel is touched and teary and gives me a hug, and someone brings up a jam box – the salsa that Barry forbids onboard!  Soon even the more inhibited among us are dancing and proving that if white men can’t jump, they sure as heck can’t salsa either.  A birthday cake appears for Ellen; I start the trip with a birthday and my roommate finishes with one.  A memorable party that lasts into the night. 

13 June 2000

Our last half-day in the islands is a little anticlimactic, but as unforgettable as the others.  We take a long panga ride at Black Turtle Cove in and out of mangrove-lined passages where we watch abundant Green (sea) Turtles (Chelonia mydas) and Diamond Rays moving through the quiet waters and a lone Spotted Eagle Ray.  Back aboard we pack and putter until time to depart for our 2:30 flight to Quito via Guayaquil.  Uneventful flight, and we are met in Quito by Andrea of Galapagos Travel who whisks us away to our hotel – the first time I’ve actually seen a room there!  And a perfect room, really a suite, with every attention to comfort and beauty.  Bedroom, bath, foyer with bar and fridge and a sitting room and a balcony overlooking the downtown area.  All for me!  Such luxury.  A lavish dinner of regional foods at a local restaurant tops off the day. 

Upon our return to the hotel, Tania takes me aside to tell me that a nationwide strike of some kind is planned for two days hence with potential roadblocks at unpredictable places.  The area that I plan to visit for my 2-day Andean bird trip should not be impacted, but there is a small possibility that it will.  I am torn, but finally decide to cut the trip to one day, not daring to risk missing my night flight out of Quito.  No refund for the second day, but at least I’ll get to use my additional night at the Alameda and put in a little city time.  Receiving a bird list for the upcoming trip, I felt compelled to stay up and study birds that I’d not prepared to see while watching Jay Leno in English and the Weather Channel in Spanish.

14 June 2000

Up early to meet my guide, Francisco Espinoza.  I’ve never had a personal guide before and find it a little unnerving.   He is a natural historian with a particular interest in birds and is pleasant and knowledgable with a very quick eye for the objects of our interest.  It turns out that he knows Eduardo Asanza a former fellow graduate student of mine at the University of Georgia’s Institute of Ecology, a professor at a Quito university, and, along with his wife Ana Sosa, the host of my first trip to the country several years previously.  We see some excellent birds (list to follow), though not a huge variety, and I miss two that I particularly long for: Andean Condor and Torrent Duck.  It is a good day, though, in perhaps my favorite Ecuadorian habitat – the paramó – and we break it in the middle to consume a gigantic picnic lunch in this beautiful setting.  Took half a Diamox in the morning, but have no real difficulty with the altitude even though we are hiking at 13,000 feet.

Arriving back at the hotel, I find a message from Andrea saying they had arranged replacement outings for me for the following day – a morning trip to the Equatorial Monument and an afternoon at the Cultural Museum.  Veto the first and bump the second up to morning to allow a free afternoon of wandering.  Too tired and too full for dinner, I dine at the mini-bar in my room and turn in early; wake at 2:00 and read for an hour before dozing again until 6:00. 

15 June 2000

I awake to cries in the street and am able to watch from my balcony a protest fire burning at the nearest intersection and with a number of protestors in attendance – this, I assume, is part of the strike.  I do not feel personally threatened and go down to a nice breakfast buffet in the hotel cafeteria, then off to the museum, again with a personal guide.  I guess I could never have dealt with having servants because all this individual attention and service makes me extremely uncomfortable!  Nonetheless, it goes well, and I actually learn some things I’d have missed on my own.  The museum itself is a bit dark, but nicely done and well worth the three hours.  Together we trace the art works of all the indigenous peoples through time from the very primitive pottery to elaborate religious paintings of the Spanish-influenced Quiteño school.   Outside the museum, we pass a second, larger demonstration, this one outside the U.S. Embassy.  People are here with placards objecting to the repayment rate of the debt owed the U.S. by Ecuador.  My guide tells me that they, as it is, are only repaying 54% of the amount owed, but many consider this too high.  A tank and a contingent of Ecuadorian military keep things under control, and I again feel no personal threat.  Both demonstrations I witness are quite mild, but Tania later tells me there has been more activity in other areas and that 50 have been arrested in Quito and five killed in Chimborazo Province. 

No visit to Quito would be complete without a visit to the celebrated Libri Mundi bookstore, and that’s my first destination of the afternoon.  Hard to leave with only a Galapagos map and an annotated checklist of birds for Ecuador, but I manage.  On to Galeria Latina for a little gift shopping, then just sightseeing and packing to fill the remainder of the daylight hours.  After dinner Tania arrives to help me settle a bill mixup at the front desk and get me to the airport for my evening flight home where she bids me a fond farewell and vanishes.  Check in twice; pay my departure tax; go through immigration, x-ray, metal detector and bag search; go through another metal detector and bag search at the gate to the waiting lounge and settle down to await my plane, congratulating myself on how smoothly everything is going.  Will I never learn?!  At 10:30 my 11:15 flight is cancelled.  Off the cliff again.  Back out to the Continental counter to wait in line for an hour – and I was one of the first in line.  They reserve a seat for me on the 6:45 AM American flight to Miami, or so I believe, with a fairly tight Delta connection to Atlanta.  Troops scatter over the airport seeking chairs and quiet.  No one seems to think it worthwhile to head to hotel, nor do I.  Soon the airport shuts down – lights out – and they turn on the music!   I lug my bags into the toilet with me, not daring to leave them unattended and then settle in a hard chair for an uncomfortable non-sleep.  Lights go on at the American counter at 3:30 and I dash over to be second in line when personnel actually arrive at 4:00.  Turns out we are all on standby – they will start calling names at 6:00.  During all this time, I am unable to get my prepaid phone card to work at either variety of public phone.  Finally, one of the ever present military personnel takes pity on me and conducts me through labyrinthine passages to a working telephone and I am able to call home to report my situation as I know it.

At 6:00 there are still a line of confirmed ticket holders checking in at the counter, but they do start calling standby names.  The first three are not me!  However, the fourth one is.  Back through immigration where I discover Continental has kept the half of my ticket that proves my departure tax was paid.  Aaaaarrrgh!  Straighten that out; unload the film one more time to pass it around x-ray; and arrive at the gate as they are boarding some distance away in the rain.  I, of course, have a center seat, but am grateful for it.  Suddenly, I realize my Darwin’s finch poster that I have lugged around excruciatingly for days has vanished between here and the terminal.  A flight attendant sends someone to look for it, though everyone is utterly perplexed about what they are looking for.  It never arrives and my heart is broken.  Nonetheless, I am safely on board – nothing else can go wrong now!  Suddenly, airport security personnel arrive en masse to remove a man and his daughter from somewhere behind me, saying the flight is full.  From that moment until takeoff, I panic as each new person comes down the aisle.  But I am not removed, we do take off, and the flight to Miami is uneventful.  No hitches until I arrive at the Delta desk and discover that the piece of paper I’ve received in Quito supposedly entitling me to a flight to Atlanta is meaningless.  This is straightened out fairly quickly, but now the problem is it’s Friday and all flights to Atlanta are packed!  I wait forlornly and exhaustedly through standby call after standby call as plane after plane takes off without me.  Eventually a tour group from Mexico misses their connection and many seats open up, including at last one for me.  The going and the coming are miserable bookends to this trip, but as with childbirth the bad memories soon fade, and I know that there will come a time when I can tell even these stories with laughter.

                                      For a complete list of bird species seen, click here  - Galapagos birds.

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