Galapagos Cruise Onboard Lammer Law
The Galapagos Islands have been called “Las Encantadas�, The Enchanted Isles in the past by sailors, for reasons no one can understand. We have just been in Galapagos for a 7 night cruise onboard the Lammer Law and we think we might have figured out this enigma (at least in a way that gladdens our heart).
Galapagos consists of 13 major islands, 6 smaller ones and countless islets and rocks. To be able to see a good variety of wildlife and different landscapes in Galapagos requires at least a seven day cruise. We took a 7 day journey onboard the Lammer Law and by the end we only wanted to see more! There is so much to see in this fascinating spot that we would have definitely considered 2 back-to-back cruises if we would have been able to afford it. Let it be said, though, that the Lammer Law Galapagos cruise was a great value for the money we paid.
One hour after we had a delicious light lunch onboard, our adventure began as we boarded inflatable boats (locally called pangas) and made our first landfall on North Seymour Island. 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. Inattentive of our presence 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. 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. We even had a chance to see a couple of marine iguanas – perhaps the strangest creatures on the Galapagos Islands – feeding underwater!
From the time we embarked the Lammer Law Galapagos cruise 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 does, the Pinta Island species of tortoise will become extinct.
Our Galapagos Islands expedition 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.
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