9 minute read
THE GREENEST
INTERVIEW ENTREVUE
Leon Dormido (Kicker Rock)
MUSIC MUSIQUE
RECIPE RECETTE
Two juvenile sea lions frolic underwater in a sea lion nursery cove at San Cristobal Island
Land iguanas resting on a rock, Española Island ©Silversea
COCKTAIL COCKTAIL Nothing gets me out of bed at 5:00 a.m. Nothing
other than a sunrise expedition in the inimitable Galápagos Islands. The archipelago of tiny islands, located 605 miles west of continental Ecuador
BOOK LIVRE and draped so elegantly across the equator, is
eye-opening in every sense of the word.
Gratitude in the Galápagos
Contemplating class and distinction in Las Islas Galápagos
by LIZ FLEMING
There were plenty of reasons to stay put. Though technically an expedition vessel, my 100-passenger ship offered every luxury imaginable. In addition to an elegant suite with "don't leave me" bed linens, the food was positively gourmet and my butler (my butler!) seemed to have a sixth sense that anticipated my every need.
At the end of each day, when I returned to my suite, a silver tray of hors d’oeuvres and icy beverages awaited. While immersed in a briefing over mouth-watering Ecuadorian cuisine, my gear was quietly laundered and returned to my closet as if by magic. It was bliss. But arise from bed each morning I did – Charles Darwin didn't sweat over the verbiage in On the Origin of Species for me to loll about – and found myself richer for the effort.
Cactus on a bed of red Sesuvium (ice plant) The Marina on Silver Origin ©Silversea Kayaking in Bahía Gardner, Española Island ©Silversea
Bartilome Island
The Galápagos Islands, including the Marine Reserve, are a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site. Galapagos National Park has been designated a Biosphere Reserve. As a result, visits are limited and there are rules in place. Though adherence to the six-foot gap between viewers and wildlife can be challenging at times.
One day, as I marveled at centenarian tortoises lumbering over the volcanic landscape, an albatross strolled casually across my feet and my heart skipped a beat, partly because of the rule, but mostly because it boggled my mind.
On one rocky island, a flock of male frigates puffed out their red chests as a single, unimpressed female looked on. On another jagged shoreline, a shimmering "rock" suddenly opened its eyes and revealed itself to be an enormous marine lizard. Elsewhere, blue-footed, redfooted, and Nazca boobies preened and called to me from the trees.
While snorkeling with my group in the clear Pacific Ocean water, I spotted rainbow wrasse, triggerfish, and surgeon fish with bright yellow tails. Perhaps the most enchantment came from the sea lions who decided to join our swim party. As we pulled ourselves out of the water and onto the sand, they did the same, lying beside us like a gang of teenagers soaking up the sun's rays.
Back on my ship, soundly stunned by the rugged majesty and resilience of nature – not to mention the discreet luxuries of my aircooled suite – I fell into bed each night feeling intensely grateful. Amblyrhynchus Cristatus Galapagos marine iguanas, the only sea-going lizards in the world, dive into the cold sea water to feed but return to land to mate and nest.
Chelonoidis Niger Two main morphological forms of Galapagos giant tortoise exist—the domed carapace (similar to their ancestral form) and the saddle-backed carapace.
Spheniscus Mendiculus The Galapagos penguin, is the only penguin found north of the equator. Thermoregulation adaptations include panting and shading their feet with their wings.
Fregata Magnificens The Galapagos Magnificent is an endemic subspecies of frigate bird that lacks the white auxiliary spur and exhibits a purple sheen on its scapular feathers.
Zalophus Wollebaeki Galapagos sea lions are the smallest sea lion species in the world, with a thicker neck, chest, and shoulders and a smaller sagittal crest and shorter muzzle.
A Really Big Deal In May 2021, genetic tests confirmed that a single female tortoise discovered in 2019 on Fernandina Island is from the apparently not extinct species Chelonoidis phantasticus.
The New Silver Origin One of the most elegant ships to sail the Galápagos, Silver Origin protects the archipelago's delicate ecosystem while it turns a natural wonderland into the ultimate luxury experience. Every suite comes with butler service and a glass-horizon balcony or private ocean-view shower.
Zodiac boats depart from the ship's marina for thrilling excursions with certified guides. Back on board, guests dine on gourmet cuisine, revel in wide-open views, and acquire new insights in the interactive Basecamp lounge. Curious about nature and adaptation? Reach out to your travel advisor for expedition options.
Traveling Lightly
If the pandemic taught us anything, it’s that our world is much more fragile than we ever imagined. As heads of state battle over policy, we travelers can do our part by choosing trips and destinations with the planet in mind.
Those who like a dollop of green in their itineraries may have noticed the term “ecopositive” being embraced by marketers as much as baby Simba was in The Lion King. Some are using it to greenwash existing offerings. Others are printing the term on t-shirts to express innate environmental exuberance.
Yet eco-positive, in its intended form – describing something that doesn’t merely offset tourism’s impact but goes a step further to strengthen the environment – is actually quite useful. In fact, more and more operators are finding ecorejuvenation makes a great differentiator in the travel world.
Home to the second-largest barrier reef on the planet, Belize has perhaps one of the most compelling reasons to give back to nature. There, Hamanasi Adventure & Dive Resort is leading the way with initiatives that “regenerate our environment while increasing awareness and appreciation for nature and diverse cultures.” They pull it off beautifully, while thrilling guests with jaguar preserve night hikes, snorkeling and dive trips, cave adventures, and jungle birding. Elsewhere, eco-positive activities include replanting rain forests, re-populating bird habitats, regenerating reefs, hosting research initiatives and survey dives, cultivating organic vegetable gardens, and building water and waste management systems. Australia’s Thala Beach Lodge has had a dramatic impact on vegetation and biodiversity. At North Island, in the Seychelles, a Noah’s Ark project nurtures endemic flora and fauna.
Finca Luna Nueva, in Costa Rica, operates an organic, biodynamic farm, while Ecuador’s Mashpi Lodge hosts “science and magic” in a forest reserve. Extreme greenies love the solarpowered Treehouse Lodge in the Peruvian Amazon and Mumbo Island, in Malawi, which operates with no electricity or running water.
Luxury lovers fear not, as nature nurturing and ultra-luxury amenities coexist in “eco-chic” spots like Six Senses Yao Noi in Thailand, Song Saa in Cambodia, and Misool Eco Resort in Indonesia.
Finca Luna Nueva, Costa Rica
Misool Eco Resort, Indonesia
Let There be Light
Light Therapy
Light, the main source of energy for all living organisms, is being harnessed to help save the planet’s resources while lightweight boats are less taxing on the environment. Either way, go for the light.
by ROBIN CHERRY
Celebrities from Emma Stone to Lena Dunham swear by light therapy and now at Celebrity’s The Spa and Carnival’s Cloud 9 Spa, you can too. Elemis BIOTEC facials use oxygen and LED light therapy to increase the skin’s natural cellular energy. Red light stimulates microcirculation and collagen production while blue light reduces inflammation VIDEO and breakout-causing bacteria. VIDÉO
INTERVIEW ENTREVUE
Clean Coating
As COVID disrupted the cruise industry, Lindblad Expeditions announced that it has "the first self-disenfecting fleet in the cruise industry.” The company uses a disinfectant coating solution that converts H2O to OH-ions when exposed to light. OH-ions break down bacteria, viruses, mold, airborne allergens, and volatile organic compounds. The coating can be applied to all surfaces including those that come in contact with food and purifies and deodorizes the air for up to a year. In their initial test of the program, Lindblad reduced guest reported illness by 50 percent; eliminated over 1,000 plastic bottles of cleaning products; and reduced water usage by 1.1 million gallons per year.
Solstice Zambezi Queen
Solar Systems
Cebrity’s Solstice which calls on ports in Alaska, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, was the first cruise ship to use solar energy and is equipped with 216 solar panels that generate enough power to operate approximately 7,000 LED lights. AmaWaterways Zambezi Queen which offers boat safaris on the Chobe River in Africa uses a solar heating system.
MUSIC MUSIQUE
All Hail the Zodiac
Zodiac, the inventor of the lightweight inflatable boat, was founded as a RECIPE French aviation company in 1896. In RECETTE the 1930s, engineer Pierre Debroutelle invented the now iconic inflatable boat for Aeronavale, the aviation arm of the French Navy. Today, cruise companies COCKTAIL use Zodiacs to visit remote and isolated COCKTAIL sites that are otherwise unaccessible. Inside the Zodiac, passengers sit on inflatable pontoons that give the boat its buoyancy. The pontoons have separate BOOK air chambers so the Zodiac remains buoyant even when punctured. The flat LIVRE bottom allows the vessel to dock almost anywhere including the icy beaches of Antartica and the low horsepower engines keep carbon emissions and noise pollution to a minimum. Without Zodiacs, expedition cruises would be much less exciting and not as green.
VIDEO VIDÉO
24.58° N, 112.00° W
INTERVIEW ENTREVUE WILD BAJA ESCAPE: MUSIC MUSIQUE THE WHALES OF MAGDALENA BAY
RECIPE RECETTE THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO GO WHALE-WATCHING; BUT ONLY ONE WAY TO GO whale-dwelling: on a 5-day expedition among the gray whales in Mexico’s Bahía Magdalena. Anchored in the Bay, we have thrilling, friendly encounters with the gray COCKTAIL COCKTAIL whale mother and curious calves that approach the ship, or our Zodiacs. At night, we can step outside our cabins, stand at the deck rail under stars, and hear them breathing round the ship. And there’s more: kayaking through mangrove forests, hiking desert islands, watching pelicans and ospreys soar overhead, and soaking up BOOK LIVRE the sun on fat-bikes or strolls along the Pacific’s most pristine, sand-dollar studded beaches. Desert ecosystems, seabird migrations, and whale behavior—experienced naturalists bring it all into focus for you.
