LOCALadk Magazine

LOCALadk 22 The re-entry back into reality after a trip of a life- time can be challenging. Weeks after my return from guiding a tour in the Galapagos, I can still easily pic- ture sea lions dancing around me beneath the waters of the Eastern Pacific, 80 -year old tortoises munching on grass but not winning the race and not really car- ing, Blue Footed Boobies soaring through the air and then diving into the azure blue water, marine iguanas doing their slow crawl across hot sandy beaches. I have been lucky to travel to the Galapagos both in the fall of 2023 and 2024 working as a guide for a company called Adventures in Good Company. This is a women owned adventure travel company founded in 1999 and serves travelers whose average age is over sixty years-old. Each of my experiences in the Galapa- gos were stunning in their own way. Just as with my first trip, my most recent Galapagos adventure will leave its own wonderfully unique place in my heart. The Galapagos Islands are an archipelago of volcanic islands located near the equator in the Eastern Pacific. A province of Ecuador, the Galapagos is made of 18 islands with the three most populated being San Cris- tobal, Santa Cruz and Isabela. Overall, the population is around 33,000, and that is just for the people. The flora and fauna far outnumber the people with nearly 9,000 different species inhabiting this beautiful re- gion. Famously, many of the species in the Galapagos are endemic — especially its animal species — mean- ing these species are not only native to the Galapagos but are found nowhere else on earth. The Galapagos is also famously known for being the location where Charles Darwin came up with his theory of evolution through natural selection. With so much uniqueness to its ecosystem, this collection of islands is thankfully protected, ranking as one of the most protected archipelagos in the world with 97% of the park protected through various measures from various groups working alongside the Ecuadorian government. The Galapagos National Park Directorate of Ecuador is the primary protector of the islands with massive assistance from organizations such as the Charles Darwin Foundation and the Galapagos Conser- vancy to preserve the unique ecosystems. Because of this, visitors must work with licensed local guides to experience certain areas. A popular option is to explore the islands on a "live aboard" boat which gives you a greater ability to explore some of the smaller islands. However, on this particular trip, I helped to guide a group of twelve women adventurers who opted to stay a few nights on each of the three larger islands, each of our days spent alongside our wonderful local guide, Karla. Day 1 was a "bus, plane, bus, boat, bus, boat, boat, bus" kind of day. We flew to Baltra and we met Karla. The first of many animal sightings was what I can only call a "showdown" in the road between two iguanas. They met in the road, had a staredown, and just be- gan aggressively biting one another. It was a typical interaction for them, but to have that moment be our first up-close interaction with wildlife was the perfect reminder that we were the visitors on their land. Our driver followed protective protocols, waiting for the iguana battle to finish without any honking or ap- proaching with our vehicle to interfere; simply wait- ing. This provided plenty of entertainment. It was the waits for the less-than-speedy tortoises that made us laugh and exercise patience. But rather than wishing they would hurry, we were just left in awe. We hopped on a short ferry ride over to the island of Santa Cruz. After lunch we boarded the speed boat that would take us to Isabella, a laidback island with a population of around 2,000 permanent residents. It is the largest island in the Galapagos and was formed by the joining of 5 young volcanoes. Rockin' and rollin' for three hours was not fun for everyone, but we made it. Up next…another boat ride, but thankfully this one was nice and calm. We got to see our first sea lions up close. In some spots, there are over 50 sea lions laying on the beaches, barking and soaking up the warm sun. On the boat ride we spotted a penguin, blue footed boobies, and a few sea turtles. We then went to a small island called Islote Tintore- ras for a walking tour to see marine iguanas, shark alley, and the unique volcano-inspired geology called a caldera – a crater-like volcanic formation with an incredibly dynamic landscape that was different than any landscape we had seen so far during this particular trip. There were plenty of trees until we reached the rim, and then you're looking down into this environ- ment that's mostly lava with some vegetation. It was truly beautiful. Next up was snorkeling. The underwater world was pure magic. We got to see our first sea turtle swim- ming under us as well as many tropical fish and the narrow lava crack. Now, anyone who knows me knows my deep affection for turtles. But these turtles simply blew my mind. These creatures have been wandering around for over 100 years, eating grass, propagating… Reflections From the Galapagos Story and Photos By Anne Brewer

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