Santiago Island
The most famous visitor ever to reach the Galapagos Islands was without any doubt the renowned naturalist Charles Darwin. He spent a relatively short period of time in the archipelago, just five weeks to be exact. On land Darwin just spent 19 days out of the five weeks! Santiago Island was one of the few islands he had the chance to visit. On this island he spent nine of these days. It is fascinating both to follow in Charles Darwin’s footsteps and to know that many of his observations and collections were probably made around the same places we all visited today. Darwin’s contributions to our understanding of the natural world are enormous.
Puerto Egas on James Bay, with its beautiful and unusual black lava beach, is the place we disembarked today in the afternoon. The black beach was packed with joyful sea lions and a trail led us along the coastline. Interesting volcanic tuff formations are everywhere. Terrestrial and marine bird species, both small and big, were the delight of their observers. Marine iguanas were basking motionless under the equatorial sun. Sea lion pups, just days old, were as cute and adorable as you can imagine. Many of us were exploring the intertidal zone as well. This zone is filled with marine life. In addition, by the grottos there is a small colony of fur seals. Some of these endemic marine mammals were resting, some young ones were playing and swimming absolutely unconcerned about our presence.
We all came back on board with the undeniable feeling that we had made an expedition to a unique place, where one of the best known men in science had trodden before us. This latter fact, regardless even of all the wonderful sightings we have had, is by itself way beyond great!
The most famous visitor ever to reach the Galapagos Islands was without any doubt the renowned naturalist Charles Darwin. He spent a relatively short period of time in the archipelago, just five weeks to be exact. On land Darwin just spent 19 days out of the five weeks! Santiago Island was one of the few islands he had the chance to visit. On this island he spent nine of these days. It is fascinating both to follow in Charles Darwin’s footsteps and to know that many of his observations and collections were probably made around the same places we all visited today. Darwin’s contributions to our understanding of the natural world are enormous.
Puerto Egas on James Bay, with its beautiful and unusual black lava beach, is the place we disembarked today in the afternoon. The black beach was packed with joyful sea lions and a trail led us along the coastline. Interesting volcanic tuff formations are everywhere. Terrestrial and marine bird species, both small and big, were the delight of their observers. Marine iguanas were basking motionless under the equatorial sun. Sea lion pups, just days old, were as cute and adorable as you can imagine. Many of us were exploring the intertidal zone as well. This zone is filled with marine life. In addition, by the grottos there is a small colony of fur seals. Some of these endemic marine mammals were resting, some young ones were playing and swimming absolutely unconcerned about our presence.
We all came back on board with the undeniable feeling that we had made an expedition to a unique place, where one of the best known men in science had trodden before us. This latter fact, regardless even of all the wonderful sightings we have had, is by itself way beyond great!
