A
| GARMANY
t first I was reluctant. This was a cruise, and a cruiser I’m not. I cringe at the thought of prescribed mealtimes, lounge acts and forced fun, and I also tend toward motion sickness. So a proposed journey to the Galápagos Islands in the Pacific didn’t immediately float my boat. But reports of that destination’s stunning beauty and unrivaled glimpses of nature—going all the way back to 19th-century English naturalist Charles Darwin— were so persuasive, you could say my thinking evolved. I convinced myself that this once-in-alifetime journey would be worth it. Nature is indeed the Galápagos’ raison d’être. So it stands to reason that there are strict environmental regulations here and that there’s nary a golf course or chain restaurant to be found. Never mind. You can golf again when you’re back in an ordinary place. Named Las Islas Encantadas—the Enchanted Islands—by the first explorers to arrive in the 16th century, the Galápagos provides an otherworldly experience. For one thing, it’s remote: This archipelago of 19 islands (not to mention some 100-plus islets and rocks) straddles the equator more than 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador. Volcanic eruptions formed these parts between 3 million and 5 million years ago, making conditions quite harsh. Still, you’d have to say indigenous life adapted resourcefully; roughly 2,000 plant and animal species found here exist nowhere else in the world. This is a wildlife-watching destination on steroids, where humans play second fiddle to the all-star animal cast. Where else besides a zoo can you see penguins and tortoises on the same trip? My cruise-phobia quickly waned. It helped that we set sail on the MV Origin, a 20-passenger yacht launched last year that is part of the Ecoventura fleet. (The company has been in the expedition cruising business some 20 years and knows these islands.) Plus, we didn’t exactly have to rough it: Our stateroom was spacious and featured panoramic windows perfect for spying the area’s unique topography. And there’s a roomy Jacuzzi and fitness center on board and a library. Add to that twice-daily excursions led by certified naturalists (10 passengers per guide to ensure an intimate experience), nightly briefings and the use of wet suits (you’ll need them as the water is cold several months of the year), snorkel equip-
From top, the blue-footed booby lives mostly on water but uses land to breed and rear young. Nearly one-half of the world’s breeding pairs nest on Galápagos Islands and islets like Punta Pitt. Tourists can take a wooden staircase to the summit of a dormant volcano on Bartolomé Island, a small isle off the tip of Santiago. The Galápagos giant tortoise, which can weigh up to 920 pounds, is native to seven of the Galápagos Islands and can readily be seen in their natural habitat at Rancho El Manzanillo on Santa Cruz.
90
GAR.fw17.travel.indd 90
9/10/17 11:22 AM