2/07/2019 – 9/07/2019 Baltra – Santa Cruz – Floreana – Espanola – San Cristobal – Santa Fe – Sombrero Chino – Bartolome – James (Santiago) – Rabida – Seymour Island – Baltra
Galapagos Islands, ECUADOR
Participants: Alfredo Banguera (Chef), Cifredo Banguera (Bartender), Enrique Briones (Engineer), Jose Caicedo (Captain), Anavi Chitnis, Jay Chitnis, Maritza Chitnis, Chitnis, Stephen Davies (Photos), Sue Davies (Report), Morris Garcia (Guide & Naturalist), Greg Kato, Jeremy Kato, Ryan Kato, Janet Lindsley, Melissa Mccarthy, Arnaldo Muñoz (First Mate), Roberto Pazmiño (Dingy Pilot), Charlie Vandel, Ellie Vandel, Stuart Vandel
The Galapagos Islands are a bucket list destination for many people, us included. These volcanic islands which are part of the Republic of Ecuador straddle the equator nearly 1,000km west of continental Ecuador. The convergence of three major oceanic currents brings an incredible mix of marine life to these islands. The islands are estimated to be between 3 to 10 million years old.
Access is by air from Quito via Guayaquil. The islands are known for their large number of endemic species that were studied by Charles Darwin and which led him to formulate his theory of evolution through natural selection, published in 1859.
The Galapagos National Park and the Galapagos Marine Reserve are carefully managed by the Ecuadorian Government, visitor numbers are limited and a $US100 entry fee applies. The only islands that can be visited without a guide are Santa Cruz, San Cristobal, Isabela and Floreana.
More than 25,000 people live on the islands. In 1959 the Government of Ecuador declared all uninhabited areas of Galapagos a national park. In 1978 UNESCO designated Galapagos the first World Heritage site and the Galapagos Marine Reserve received the same status in 1998.
