Another National Park: Galápagos, Part II

At Isla Isabela's Punta Moreno we saw our first tiny Galpagos penguins (below left) and the flightless cormorants (below right) found only on Isabela and Fernandina. This silly bird spreads its bedraggled wings to dry after diving for fish, even though it can't fly.

My favorite spot on the whole trip was at Elizabeth Bay on Isabela: the mangrove lagoon (right). Red and white mangroves that can utilize salt water grow at the edge of the dark, still water, creating a special ecosystem. What I loved most was the quality of the stillness—away from the surging ocean, we turned off the dinghy's engine, and Galo paddled us around. When people were quiet there was no sound at all (reminiscent of backcountry Yellowstone) and heavy, humid air (not reminiscent!). We watched green turtles, a warbler, a pelican sitting high in a mangrove, but the being there trumped the seeing.

Also on Isabela we visited Urbina Bay for its land iguanas (below), bigger and much more colorful than the marine ones but apparently not as prolific.

A brief visit to Punta Espinosa on Isla Fernandina showed us masses of marine iguanas happily coexisting with cormorants, sea lions, and lava lizards. Many females were digging nests in the forbidding volcanic sand (above right).

At the northwest point of seahorse-shaped Isabela, Punta Vicente Roca, we saw the most striking geological formations of the trip, including a volcanic sea cave (at left). Unfortunately, neither our guide Galo nor our resident geologist (Bruno) could explain the geology thoroughly. A thick layer of golden volcanic tuff is piled on top of black basalt lava flows, all at rakish angles. The tuff erodes in interesting little shelves and protrusions. At sea level is a spectacular cave that was fun to enter in our panga (dinghy), and some enjoyed snorkeling with the giant tortoises.

The next day we anchored off Isla Bartolomé to climb the hill that is one of the most popular stops for its beautiful view (below). We went very early to beat the crowds. The prevalent plant (and almost the only one) is tequilia, gray and spindly here (though sometimes green), reminding me of our western sagebrush for the way it grows in desolate places.

We next sailed past Daphne Major, where Peter and Rosemary Grant have been studying Darwin's finches since 1973, written about at length in Jonathan Weiner's book The Beak of the Finch.

Our guides had stressed how none of the animals in these islands is dangerous, but on the little island called Plazas Sur, an alpha male sea lion was reluctant to move off the cement jetty for us to go on land. There was a toreador-like scene as Galo shook a towel at him, held us off with one hand, and made lots of noise. Our sea lion threatened Galo but did eventually slide into the water and let us pass. On Plazas Sur we saw giant prickly pear (Opuntia—same genus as the little ones in western North America) marching up the slope (below left), both land and marine iguanas, hermit crabs, sea lions, blue-footed boobies, and red-footed swallow-tailed gulls (below right).

Overall, this was a kind of dream vacation, full of memorable sights and experiences, making the week similar to what many visitors say about that other national park, Yellowstone. Of course, the terrain and climate are totally dissimilar, but there are quite a few similarities as well. Both parks consist of volcanic terrain located above hot spots, where the earth's crust passes on tectonic plates above a stationary plume of extremely hot magma relatively close to the surface. Visitors to both see only a few sites (strictly regulated in the Galápagos), but scientists may obtain permission to carry on research in otherwise unvisited areas. Dedicated ranger-naturalists care deeply about the place and are committed to enhancing people's visits and educating them about their surroundings. And the double commitment of America's park service, to preserve and at the same time allow for enjoyment, is equally obvious in Ecuador's management of the Galápagos.

Lounge area in the catamaran with Bruno
and Ari, one of the Israeli passengers

Back to Part I of Another National Park: Galápagos

CREDITS: All photos on this page are by Janet Chapple and Bruno Giletti.

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