Before I even do the laundry from my most recent trip, I want to get memories onto paper!
I’d told you, dear readers, over the past five years, about special trips with each of my three kids. Well I told you about two. I’m just back from finishing the third trip with my youngest, Keri!
Keri is the hardest to pin down for trips because she is a Florida teacher and works tons. She only has June and July off. She has two kids, two cats, five goats and a huge yard. I explained to her that if she wants to take advantage of the sweet deal I’m offering, she must do it soon as I’m now 81 and sick of trying to plan ANY travel online! It’s just too hard.
I found one perfect option for us and she jumped at the chance. Road Scholar, a not for profit organization, arranges travel opportunities for people age 50 and older. Keri just turned 50.
Our trip commenced in Quito, Ecuador, just after her last day of school. Quito is over 9,000 feet in elevation, so just this is quite a new experience. Get out your maps (as I so often suggest) AND, if you don’t like birds, you will not like this trip report! For a further treat, find the movie “Master and Commander: Far Side of the World” on Netflix or Prime. Filmed on-site, one can imagine Charles Darwin as he tramped and collected here so long ago. (Folks in Galapagos call him Chucky D. I’m not joking!)
Road Scholar titles the trip “The Galapagos: Natural and Cultural History.” We were excited and with good reason! Following a day of touring Quito and environs, we flew to the Galapagos. We went through special immigration and checking of documents and baggage. Galapagos is now strictly controlled in order to protect the water, flora and fauna found only there. We hopped on a bus and then a ferry to Santa Cruz Island for lunch at a farm in the highlands.
And that was just the morning. In the afternoon we went to Mosquera Islet, between the islands of Baltra and North Seymour. On with the sandals or water shoes for a wet landing on a white sand beach where we saw our first sea lions, incredible coral-colored Sally Lightfoot crabs and a zillion coastal birds. Then we boarded our yacht, the Tip Top IV. Only 14 of us in this group! There were four rooms on the lower deck with no real view (less expensive and where Keri and I stayed). And four on the upper deck, where most of the married couples stayed (and with views). Much roomier than I expected.
Each evening of the trip we met for an orientation on the next day’s activities. The yacht would sail at night, changing destinations.
Day 2: in the Galapagos: We landed at Punta Suarez for a two-hour hike to see the blow holes and nesting boobies. The Galapagos has blue-footed, red-footed and Nasca boobies. They are unique: CRAZY looking. I found myself howling at the way they walk with the huge colorful feet. Here we also saw the Galapagos hawk and the red form of the marine iguana. Iguanas are so strange-looking. I hesitate to say ugly because they are camouflaged so well. On Española, I was ecstatic to see a waved albatross!
And again, that was just the morning! Back into the pangas (large steady inflatable boats with big motors) that take us to lunch on the boat.
Back to Gardner Bay (Espanola) for swimming and snorkeling and watching sea lions with young and also sea turtles! Then we continued further around Gardner Bay on the pangas to Osborn and Gardner Islets. SO much to see.
Day 3: From the pangas we land at the northeast end of San Cristobal Island at Punta Pitt. Our group leader was from Galapagos. Young and well informed, Joel built on what we had learned each day before.
Here we become acquainted with frigate birds. They have flown over our yacht — low and in formation. The males have a huge red “bladder” hanging from the neck, similar to our turkey “waddles.” The abundant supply of food here makes it unnecessary for the birds to compete, leading to more peaceful coexistence among the species. Blue-footed boobies nest in the interior, red-footed nest on bushes, and masked boobies nest along the cliffs. There is an amazing array of plant life: Palo Santo trees, small cacti, saltbush and red Vesuvius. (This trail was said to be challenging, steep and slippery, though it was fine when we were there — or perhaps it was fine when compared to our Catskill trails! Ha!)
In the afternoon, we were off to Leon Dormido (Kicker Rock) that rises 500 feet from the ocean. Then to Cerro Bruno. The female sea lions enjoy the beach unless and until their young bother them to nurse. As long as there is no male around, all is peaceful. The mothers sometimes waddle into the surf to escape the babies who whine and await their return.
Back to the yacht. This is a good time to say that the group members are now very engaged with one another. Each dinner we eat with someone different and the chatting is lively. The stars from the deck are clear and plentiful.
Day 4: The day many have been waiting for: Santa Cruz Highlands, wild tortoises, Charles Darwin Station:
A walking field trip on a local trail took us to view Los Gemelos (the twins): pit craters with surrounding Scalesia forest. The flowers and small trees here are unique. Our search for giant tortoises was not difficult as there were even a few up on the road! The Charles Darwin Station is overseen by the Charles Darwin Foundation. Their mission is conservation of species, which involves education and research. Their staff is from throughout the world. The tortoise breeding project strives to keep this species alive — especially by protecting eggs.
In addition to the giant tortoises, Santa Cruz is home to several species of Darwin’s finches as well as yellow warblers (yes, just like we have here!), Galapagos rails and paint-billed crakes. This was an amazing day!
Day 5: Santa Fe Island — South Plaza.
Without giving you a play-by-play itinerary, suffice to say — we did it all: Santa Fe opuntia cactus; Galapagos hawks, red-billed tropicbirds, frigate birds, pelicans, swallow-tailed gulls and more baby sea lions! Plus, we swam and snorkeled. Keri and others listed fish seen: trumpet fish, angel fish, parrot fish, beak-fish, hawk-fish, puffer, blue-gold snapper, on and on, incredible colors. And, after dinner we gathered outside, on the deck, and watched sharks whip around the yacht, waiting for one of us to fall in! Frigatebirds glided over our heads, close to the boat and seemingly in formation.
Day 6: Bartolome Island, Santiago Island and Sullivan Bay.
Glad we had another delicious breakfast. I want to have a fresh fruit provider in my home: arranging it in a beautiful way and cut in just right size pieces! Yum!
This day kicks off with real exercise! We hop off the panga and immediately go up 380 steps to the top of Escalera Hill. Great views as there are no trees. Strange volcanic formations such as lava bombs, spatter, cinder cones. And from the summit we can see Pinnacle Rock’s eroded tuff cone. Lava lizards blend into their surroundings well. Then we went to Sullivan Bay where there had been an eruption in the early 1900s that formed huge lava flows into the ocean. The pahoehoe lava is rope-like and pitch black, forming some amazing patterns. There were very few plants here at all.
We got to snorkel and swim here in hopes of seeing the Galapagos penguin.
Day 7: Rabida Island, Flamingo Lagoon, Chinese Hat.
From the moment we landed on this island, our eyes were popping with wonder! The beach is dark red in color and is covered with sea lions and some nesting pelicans. A short walk inland there is a salt-water lagoon that hosts flamingoes! Our guide pointed out how white one was and indicated that it was a Chilean flamingo. The incredible flamingo color is from eating shrimp. In addition to the white-cheeked pintail, some of the islands’ rarest species of birds gather here in abundance: large-billed flycatchers, Galapagos hawk, and nine of the 13 varieties of finches.
By navigating around Sombrero Chino, we also saw American oystercatchers, brown noddys, brown pelicans, spotted eagle rays (very interesting!), whitecap reef sharks, and — at last — the Galapagos penguins! Small, very fast swimmers, we were so delighted to spot this species both in the water and along the rocky cliffs by the ocean.
We walked three or more hours that day, observing plant and marine life. Altogether, by my unofficial count, we saw 30 species of birds. Add to that the reptiles, fish, plants… this was a spellbinding experience.
By our final dinner, I was beat and happy.