Welcome to Ecuador and The Galapagos Islands

Measuring the Earth

... Did you know ...

In 1936, on the 200th anniversary of the French Academy of Sciences two expeditions to Ecuador to determine the true shape of the earth the Ecuadorian government built a stone pyramid on the equator in honor of the explorers who risked their lives - and sanity - for science.

600 miles off the western coast of Ecuador lies a group of islands so isolated that many of its creatures cannot be found anywhere else on earth.

The Galapagos Islands - The Adventure of a Lifetime

The Galapagos Islands are a rarefied, exotic destination few have had the privilege of seeing.  The islands of the Galapagos archipelago rose from the sea from erupting volcanoes, and have never been connected to the mainland - they are truly a world apart.

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There are 19 islands and 42 islets and this region is still considered one of the most volcanically active places in the world.  The archipelago stretches 174 miles and sits on a 'hot spot' in the earth's crust, where hot volcanic magma is always in motion.

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The islands are believed to have formed from east to west; the oldest is between 3 and 4 million years old.

The Climate

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The archipelago's subtropical climate is almost completely determined by sea currents, whose varying temperatures bring seasons that differ only in cloud cover and the amount and type of precipitation.  Smack  on the equator, the islands enjoy 12 hours of sunlight throughout the year

The Seasons

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The hot or rainy season (late November - June) arrives when the Panama Current warms the nearby waters to 26 degrees C.

The dry season (June - November) arrives with the colder (20 degrees C) waters from the Peru Current

Flora and Fauna

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Life in the Galapagos is a study in extremes

Parched, rocky islands spread under the equatorial sun are surprisingly rich in life

In contrast, the fragility of the Galapagos ecosystem shows itself in a low level of diversity - there aren't as many different species as one would expect

This is my favorite photo

Sea Lions and Fur Seals

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Sea Lions of the Galapagos Islands gather in colonies on the sands and rocks

They feed primarily on sardines and can dive as deep as 100 meters

Sea lions feed during the day and spend hours sleeping on the beach

Life span is up to 20 years

... Did you know ...

Fur Seals are smaller than sea lions and are distinguised by their pointed noses and big, round eyes

Unlike sea lions, they feed at night (mostly on squid and small fish)

Visitors often mistake fur seals for seals

Seals do not appear anywhere in the Galapagos

Relaxing on the beach and enjoying the warm sun

Baby Boobies

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We took this picture without a zoom lens!

Darwin's Finche

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The Galapagos' 13 species of finches, made famous by Charles Darwin's work, all look more or less alike

The difference Darwin quickly noticed was the beak

Nesting on eggs

Not to worry ... you just step over these guys!

Celebrity Xpedition

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Life on board starts before 7am with breakfast

There are three levels of tours you can pick from per island

Morning tours take between 2 and 3 hours

Lunch is served at the hottest part of the day while sailing to another island

Dinner is the most important meal of the day (when you need that martini most)

A day in the equatorial sun takes a lot out of you

We visited two different islands per day

... Did you know ...

That walking on wet lava rocks can be slippery

That it's best to be on a ship with a doctor and hosptial

A relaxing tour on the zodiac

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The Galapagos are every bit as spectular beneth the water's surface as above it

A staggering diversity of life inhabits a wide range of marine habitats, from mangrove estuaries to lava-rocky tide pools

Blue-footed Boobie

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With no fear of humans photo's can be taken very close

The Xpedition  took us to two islands per day

Most visits were made by zodiac's which meant a 'wet landing'

Sally Lightfoot Crab

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They are named for their ability to skip across water for short distances

The crabs' brilliant reds and yellows stand out perfectly against dark volcanic rocks

The Greater Flamingos

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Flamingos are actually white but turn pink from the carotene pigments in the shrimp they eat

Galapagos Sea Lion

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The Galapagos sea lion is a smaller cousin of the California sea lion

Some 50,000 sea lions sprawl over beaches and rocks throughout the islands

Lava Lizard

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Seven species of the ubiquitour lava lizard scurry over sand and rock on almost every island