Terra Nova Travel

Professional trip designing for the inquisitive, independent and intrepid

Galapagos Islands 2013

“Las Encantadas” by Herman Melville
Description of the Galapagos Islands according to Melville:

“Take five-and-twenty heaps of cinders dumped here and there in an outside city lot, imagine some of them magnified into mountains, and the vacant lot the sea, and you will have a fit idea of the general aspect of the Encantadas , or Enchanted Isles. A group rather of extinct volcanoes than of isles, looking much as the world at large might after a penal conflagration”

Herman Melville’s quote offers a stark and quasi-accurate description of the Galapagos Archipelago located about 600 hundred miles off the coast of Ecuador. The Spanish name, Las Encantadas, conjures up the surreal aspect that in contemporary times translates to the conservation and preservation of the gigantic tortoise, the blue footed booby, and the marine iguana who all reside in the backdrop of bizarrely adapted flora, such as the candelabra cactus, Darwin’s cotton and Palo Santo trees.

In my opinion the only way to truly capture the Galapagos’ magic is aboard a small cruise ship. I had the good fortune to have a “"Master and Commander"experience (minus the bloody battles) aboard the 16 passenger 172 ft square rigger, the Mary Anne. I and my fellow thirteen guests were an international set. Amongst the four French, one German, two Swiss Germans, an Italian and a Brit plus our two naturalist guides ( Galapagiana and Swiss) and our Ecuadorian crew, I was the only American.. I was particularly grateful that they indulged me in my romantic notion of the Mary Anne as the modern day equivalent of the HMS Surprise as we pulled into Tagus Cove shrouded in fog (garhua). To continue the pretend play, I imagined myself as Dr. Maturin as we explored each island. However, I did have to content myself to gathering through my digital photos the specimens which he and his assistants intended to transport in wicker baskets back to their ship.

While on my one week cruise, every “port of call” offered new discoveries, I agree with a fellow passenger that our best day ever was our penultimate day in Puerto Egas on Santiago or James Island, depending upon your allegiance. I invite you to view my little slideshow which commences with my visit to Floreana Island and ends with our afternoon shore excursion in Puerto Egas. This final excursion rivaled any National Geographic special television program from encountering the curious the baby seals to witnessing the Galapagos hawks feasting on the fresh afterbirth/placenta of the new born baby sea lion Some experiences eluded my photographic lens such a snorkeling foray where we intruded upon the sea turtle feasting on undulating seaweed that resembled high back dining room chairs a la Frank Lloyd Wright. A cornucopia of aquatic and terrestrial delights await all who are privileged to make such a journey. I count myself as one of those privileged few… .

 
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