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WHAT'S NEW
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The Galapagos Islands: A nature-lover's dream come true
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Cruise the Galapagos Islands and get up close and personal with sea lions, iguanas, sea turtles, frigate birds and more.
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By Kevin Revolinski
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What can I do in the Galapagos?
Wake-up call is as early as 6 a.m. as tourists prepare for shore excursions to various islands and islets on meandering paths through the archipelago. Daily activities invariably include some hiking, and often offer options for snorkelling, swimming, kayaking or drifting along on a glass-bottomed boat. But at the end of a long day of exploring, the comforts of the yacht are welcome. The upper deck jacuzzi and sun decks are great spots to unwind, the dining room serves quality meals, and a small library offers an assortment of guidebooks, novels and even a complimentary Internet connection.
Our tour guides give nightly presentations about Charles Darwin, who studied and developed his theory of evolution here; evolution; the various species of animals and plants; and even a tour through the constellations from the aft deck while sea lions feed in the roiling waters of the ship's wake below.
When should I go?
What you see depends on when you go. Blue-footed boobies begin courting in May, sea lions start giving birth in August, and giant tortoise eggs begin hatching in December. April and May offer good visibility for snorkellers and the best weather. And the Galapagos penguins -- the only species of penguin found at the equator -- are most active from May to September.
On my first shore excursion I board a Zodiac -- that rubber launch made famous by Jacques Cousteau -- and I land on North Seymour Island, an area with one of the largest populations of frigate birds. Our naturalist shows me 15 animal species in the first 10 minutes. "It's too much," I mutter in disbelief, rapidly filling the memory card on my camera. "Don't use your whole card on the first sea lion you find," warns Pancho. "There will be plenty more over the next few days."
Take it all in
On Floreana Island, one of the southernmost islands in the Galapagos archipelago, I opt for a sea kayak to explore the coastline. I sit alone for a moment to take it all in. Sharp black rock breaks the surface of the sea, and beyond, the mountains begin to turn gold as the sun begins to set.
Something in my view seems out of place and then I realize I am not the only one staring. Around me I count six sea turtles, bobbing at the surface, and they wait there an unusually long time. I lift my paddle and they are gone. I spend the next 45 minutes with a sea lion in a nearby cove. She lets me come close as she searches the shallows for food and it is almost a game of tag as I switch back and forth with her movements.
In the evening, I am the last passenger to step back onto the Zodiac to return to the ship. As the naturalist offers a hand to guide me, I pause to look back at the darkening landscape and realize that I am the last human on the island. I step aboard and the menagerie of Galapagos is once again left to itself.
Click here to see photos from this trip.
For information on expedition cruises aboard Isabella II visit www.avalonwaterways.com.
Kevin Revolinski is a travel writer and photographer. He is also the author of The Yogurt Man Cometh: Tales of an American Teacher in Turkey (Citlembik Publications, 2006) and The Wisconsin Beer Guide: A Travel Companion (Tynans Independent Media, 2006). You can visit his website at www.revtravel.com.
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