Caldera and finches

 Tuesday February 24

We traveled overnight to Puerta Villamil, a small resort town on the south shore of Isabela and at the foot of the Sierra Negra volcano. The harbor was full of large sailings ships. A round-the-world sailing group is in Puerta Villamil as the last provisioning spot before they head west to the Marquesas and French Polynesia. 

We rode in pickups to the park headquarters at the beginning of the caldera trail. It was nice to ride for the first 3000 feet of elevation change! Then we hiked for two miles and an additional 900 feet to the rim of the caldera, stopping to see a number of new bird species along the way. The Galapagos archipelago is famous for Darwin’s observations about the finches on different islands. It is believed that from a single original species that came from South America, over time the populations on the different islands evolved into 16 different ones: they differ by size, by coloring, by beak shape, by diet, by habitat and by island. Today we saw four new examples. 

The caldera is huge: 5 miles across in one direction and 4 miles across in the other. The sides of the caldera rise 500 feet from the floor. These are “effusive” rather than explosive volcanos; you can see the different ages of lava at different points in the caldera floor. The most recent event was in 2022, but most of the floor dates to 2006. The volcano itself is thought to be 150,000 years old.  Seismologists monitor the caldera floor, as it will start to rise from magma movement in advance of an eruption. 

Thus afternoon’s activities were to go snorkeling at a public swimming lagoon  near the town beach, or to walk along the shoreline from the lighthouse to the town.  As with many of the previous days, a beautiful morning gave way to a misty or rainy afternoon. Kevin and a few other hardy souls went snorkeling in the rain, while the rest of us took the opportunity to nap or read or catch up on work (not all of our colleagues are retired). The boardwalk to access the lagoon was a tunnel cut through the mangroves. As has become typical of our snorkeling outings, a sea lion zoom around the snorkelers, coming straight at them then veering off at the last moment. By dinner time the foothills had reappeared but the volcano was still covered in dense clouds. 

Tonight we transition to Santa Cruz, and tomorrow will be “all about tortoises” including an overnight in tents in the highlands. The blog may not get posted till Thursday. 

Pictured: sea lions dominating the harbor pavilion, Brujo flycatcher (endemic version of a Vermilion Flycatcher), woodpecker finch, warbler finch, Kevin with a snorkeling companion (courtesy of Steve Gardiner)

Western Isabela

Monday February 23

We anchored in Elizabeth Bay, located at the west side of the narrow isthmus that separates Northern and Southern Isabela. Its position and westward orientation means that all the Cromwell Current (which flows west to east across the pacific at the equator) dumps its nutrients into the bay. There are mangrove lined lagoons at the eastern side of the bay, interspersed with lava rocks and cactus. It is the only place in the world that you can see penguins in mangroves— and we did!

We went on a 90 minute zodiac ride into the lagoons. There were immense pelican nurseries and a large number of flightless cormorants. We were amazed by the number of penguins— several flocks of a dozen members each, fishing in the shallow water and swimming around and under our zodiac. We also found sea lions sleeping up on mangrove branches. The mangroves also serve as a nursery for black tip sharks; we saw several young ones as well as golden rays and a few sea turtles. As we returned to deeper water we watched a “feeding frenzy” of Frigatebirds trying to snatch jumping fish from the surface of the water. A Frigatebird cannot get its feathers wet or it will be too heavy to take off again. Then in the midst of the excitement came a full grown black tip shark entered the scene.

The Galapagos are famous for the adaptations of the local species, prompted by the harsh conditions and isolation of the islands. One aspect of those adaptations is for creatures to either become smaller or larger than the original colonizing species. The penguins are an example of the first and the tortoises of the second. 

During lunch we transitioned two hours south to Punta Moreno, located between the Sierra Negra and Cerro Azul volcanos. We had a wonderful snorkeling outing full of sea lions, turtles, diamond stingrays, penguins and beautiful fish. The Galapagos subspecies of Pacific Green Sea Turtles are so dark they are sometimes called Black. After a quick change of clothes we went for a zodiac ride in a nearby mangrove cove that was home to baby black tip sharks, spotted eagle rays and many golden cowrays. Our last stop in the zodiacs was a lava-rock cove which is home to some of the largest marine iguanas as well as penguins. To see penguins, marine iguanas, sea lions and cormorants all crowded together on a single shelf was amazing. 

Pictured: Green (or Black) Sea Turtle,

Hawksbill Turtle, penguins with marine iguanas, golden cowrays, black tip sharks, Galapagos penguins in the mangroves.  

Tagus Cove and Bahia Urbina

Sunday February 22

We spent today at two locations on the central west coast of Isabela. While some of our shipmates went for a brisk hike before breakfast, we opted for a two-hour zodiac ride along the cliffs of Tagus Cove. The hikers went up to the crater lake of the Darwin Volcano, so named because The Darwin visited this spot. The hikers said the views were amazing. On our zodiac cruise we were rewarded with two new bird species, penguins, turtles and cormorants. The first section of cliffs we visited were lined with Brown Pelican nests; we watched a pair of chicks reaching into a parent’s throat pouch to fetch breakfast. 

After our own breakfast we kayaked along the opposite wall of the cove for an hour. And after that we went snorkeling for an hour, joined by sea lions, rays, penguins, turtles, barracudas, and flightless cormorants. It was particularly fun to watch a cormorant scatter a large school of sardine as it chased down a snack. 

Yes—  zodiac ride, kayaking and snorkeling all before noon! 

After a barbecue lunch served on the top deck, we transitioned three hours south to Bahia Urbina. Bahia Urbina lies at the base of the Alcedo volcano. It is one of the parts of Isabela that was filled in by a great uplifting action in 1954. We walked first on sandy trails (courtesy of the uplift) and back on trails with rounded ocean-tumbled rocks, part of the previous shoreline. It was raining as we left the ship, and after yesterday’s deluge we decided to leave the long lenses and binoculars on board. By the time we had disembarked on the beach, the skies were clearing and our hike was in warm sunshine. Fortunately all the species were close enough that our lack of “normal equipment” did not keep us from seeing and enjoying the wildlife. In fact being there right after a rain may account for the high activity level we witnessed. 

Bahia Urbina is home to the largest of the subspecies of Galapagos giant tortoises (the Alcedo tortoise), which can weigh up to 700 pounds. During our short walk we saw 27 tortoises of various sizes; most were females who have come down from the highlands to lay their eggs in the warmer soil at lower elevation. Tortoises do not hear or see all that well but they have excellent senses of smell, and are very sensitive to vibration. If we stood still, in most cases they walked right past us, but if we needed to pass them, they would exhale (to make room inside their carapace) and pull in their head, limbs, and tail. 

One of the most common small tree species is known as “poison apples” with the Latin name “hippomania” or “ crazy horse”. It is poisonous for mammals but not for reptiles. We saw several endemic birds. One little flycatcher was so curious that it nearly landed on the end of Kevin’s camera. We also saw an amazing pollinating moth with a proboscis that was more than twice its body length, and a bright yellow male land iguana. 

We were just getting ready for our pre-dinner briefing when our trip leader came on the PA to say “we have dolphins, come to the stern deck”. Probably a dozen bottlenose dolphins put on a real show for us, and then the sunset took over. Spectacular! 

Pictured: Land Iguana, Bottlenose Dolphin, Alcedo Giant Tortoise, Galapagos Flycatcher, Galapagos Penguin and Marine Iguana, baby Brown Pelicans having breakfast 

A busy wonderful day

Saturday February 21 

Today’s planned activities included: a zodiac ride at Punta Vincente Roca at the NW corner of Isabela; an hour’s snorkeling at the same location; an hour’s snorkeling at Fernandina; and a 1.5 hour hike at Fernandina.

Punta Vincente Roca is the site of Volcan Ecuador one of the string of six volcanos that make up Isabela. In this case half of the crater collapsed into the ocean, creating a bowl of shallow water and a steep cliff to the deeps. Fernandina is the newest (200,000 years old) and westernmost island in the Galapagos. Its volcano, La Cumbra, last erupted in January 2025, creating 15 acres of new land from the lava flow into the ocean. It is also the most pristine, with no human introduced species. 

The morning zodiac ride introduced us to Flightless Cormorants, marine iguanas, Galapagos Penguins, and Galapagos Green Sea Turtles, including a mating pair. Our first snorkeling excursion was described as “just for practice to be sure your equipment works”—- but we saw all of the above species swimming around us. We also saw a ray almost as soon as we got into the water. Seeing a sea turtle up close rather than from the surface was amazing. We watched King Angelfish nibbling little critters off of a turtle’s shell at a  pair of “cleaning station”. 

And the sea lions! Many people talk about how curious and friendly the sea lions are here, but it has to be experienced to be believed. We were warned not to get too close, but the sea lions didn’t get that memo. We each had sea lions bump into us, or surprise us by how close they were. 

The afternoon snorkeling suffered from  reduced visibility due to a lot of phytoplankton in the water. As we returned to the ship, it started to rain. An hour later the rain stopped so we went ashore for a nature walk—- good thing we brought our ponchos as it proceeded to rain (and then pour) throughout the walk. The wildlife didn’t seem to mind. Fernandina is a nesting spot for marine iguanas, and in this season the central sandy plateau is pockmarked with the holes they dig for their eggs. There were iguanas everywhere! We also saw a number of sea lions, shorebirds and a Galapagos Hawk, the only endemic raptor in the archipelago. 

Tonight’s after-dinner visitors were two sea lions that jumped up onto the stern swim deck. 

Pictured:  Galapagos Penguin , Galapagos Hawk and Marine Iguanas in the pouring rain, Flightless Cormorant in a mating ritual, (Galapagos subspecies) Green Sea Turtles mating, tbd fish, and proof of how close the sea lions were 

Arrived in the Galapagos

 Friday February 20

The rules for visiting the Galapagos are strict: no fresh fruits vegetables or meat (and sometimes even processed foods or ground coffee). The bottoms of all shoes must be clean (it’s amazing what gets trapped in Vibram soles!). All checked bags are inspected before being loaded on the plane so our bags were collected at 10:00 pm yesterday. The plane is fumigated for insects before landing. 

The detailed itinerary for any ship is completely controlled by the National Park— where and when the boat can go, the group can snorkel, or the group can kayak. 

We left the hotel in Quito just after breakfast. We flew to Guayaquil and then on to Baltra without excitement. Upon arrival at Baltra (not a town but an airstrip from a WWII US air base) we boarded the Petrel, our 16-passenger catamaran to begin our exploration of the Galápagos Islands.

After lunch, some of the group went ashore on North Seymour to see Great Frigatebirds and Blue-footed Boobies. Most of us went on a zodiac ride to cover more distance and see more species. And we certainly did! Several new bird species, a land iguana, both types of seals/sea lions, cool fish and some great crabs. While we have seen blue-footed boobies in the past, these were by far the bluest feet we’ve ever seen, credited to their local diet of sardines. After dinner we went out onto the stern deck and watched black-tipped sharks and Galapagos sea lions chase flying fish in the lights from the boat. A bit later, we began a 11-hour transit to the NW corner of Isabela, the largest island (and one of the most westerly) of the Galapagos archipelago. 

Pictured: the Petrel, Great Frigatebird— make display being ignored by female, blue-footed booby, lava heron, enormous Sally Lightfoot crab 

Quito old city

 February 18 and 19

We arrived in Quito about noon on the 17th  with no flight issues. The drive into the city reminded us that Quito is built a long plateau surrounded by channels created by the surrounding volcanoes. Quito was founded in 1534 and sits at 9200 feet of elevation. It is 45 miles long but only 7 miles wide, with a population of 2.8 million. Our hotel, Patio Andaluz, is located just a few blocks from the central square in the old city of Quito. The hotel is in a restored 16th century mansion that was the home to major Spanish families during the colonial period. It is a good example of Spanish Colonial architecture, with balcony-lined courtyards as the major feature. When it was restored in the early 2000’s they put glass roofs over the courtyards to increase the utility of the building in this cool and wet climate. 

After a quick lunch, we walked to the archaeological museum, also housed in a 16th century mansion. Its collection of pre-Colombian art was organized by theme rather than chronologically. It was fascinating to see the similarities and differences over time and by region in the common concepts of the circle of life, the role of the shaman, the agricultural cycle and the bimodal nature of the world (light/dark, male/female, etc). We had dinner at a very nice restaurant on the central square that served local cuisine. 

Today we met the rest of our Galapagos travelers for a tour of the old city of Quito. UNESCO declared it a World Cultural Heritage site in 1978, which prompted the restoration of many colonial buildings. Quito has the largest (400 acres) colonial district in Latin America. 

Our first stop was the gigantic statue of the Virgin Mary atop a hill just south of the old city. It is a replica of the statue of Mary behind the altar of the San Francisco monastery church. The statue is actually taller than the famous statue of Jesus in Rio. She stands on a globe and holds a dragon by a chain leash, symbolizing protecting mankind from the devil. The spot also afforded a panoramic view of Quito and the surrounding hills and volcanos. 

Next we visited the San Francisco monastery, the largest and oldest in Ecuador. It was begun shortly after the Spanish took over the city in 1534 and stands on the spot of a former Inca palace. It is still in active use as a church and is the home of about 100 monks ( though the number varies depending on the number on assignment or in the seminary). The interior of the church, like many in Quito, is covered with gilded decorations. The decorative style is a mix of baroque and moorish elements, a combination common in Quito and one that works surprisingly well. 

We took a break to go to a local family-run chocolate factory where we learned about making chocolate. Many other countries in Central and South America grow the red variety of cacao. Ecuador only grows the yellow variety which is more aromatic but not as resistant to changes in humidity and temperature.  We did a tasting of nine different variations, plus a brownie, hot chocolate and an excellent chocolate stout.  The Ecuadorian chocolate is very good; even the 100% chocolate (no sugar) was not harsh. In Ecuador, they consider any chocolate under 60% as “fake chocolate”.

Next we visited the “gold church”, the church of the Jesuit order in Quito. Again we saw a mix of baroque and moorish design elements— and so much gold! The gold is from Ecuadorian mines, and is all thin gold leaf. It is estimated that 150 pounds of gold (about 500,000 square feet when pounded into foil) is present in the church. There were also beautifully carved pews and confessionals.

Finally, we had a sumptuous buffet lunch in the Augustinian monastery. The chapter house there was the location for signing the first declaration of independence for Ecuador in August 1809, although final independence from Spain did not occur until 1822. All the food was traditional Ecuadorian and the dessert was a sampler made from Ecuadorian fruits.

Pictured: A pre-Colombian jug depicting a shaman who has transformed to a jaguar, Statue of Mary, main altar from the gold church, main altar from San Francisco during mass, native fruit dessert sampler at lunch? 

Kichwa Anangu

 Wednesday February 18

In order to make our 10:40 flight from Coca to Quito, we had to leave the lodge at 4:45 this morning. Sunrise is at 6:30, so the entire 4 mile canoe ride out to the welcome center was in the dark. The only illumination to guide navigation through the winding creek was a headlamp on the foremost paddler. It was an eerie experience! We transferred to a larger motorized skiff for the 2.5 hour ride upstream to Coca. 

There is so much to say about the Napo lodge and the Kitchwa Anangu community that manages the reserve and the lodge. Kitchwa is the local indigenous language; Anangu is the local name for leaf cutter ants. The village chose the name because “they are always working”. It is absolutely true. The sheer logistics of building and running an upscale ecolodge 4 miles from the last place you can take a motorized boat and 80 kms from the closest real town is impossibly impressive. 

The Kitchwa Anangu community began when five families from further north on the Napo River moved to the area in the 1960’s. In their previous home there was not enough land to grow their own food, so they moved in hopes of being more self-sufficient. While other indigenous communities along the Napo signed deals with oil companies, they did not, in order to preserve their farming and way of life. 

In the 1990’s, eight men in the community convinced the other members to try a new model that would bring in enough money to assure education and health care for the community: to create a nature preserve and an eco-tourism business. This included a commitment to cease subsistence hunting on their land. They attracted some outside investors, and in 2001  began construction of the lodge. In 2006 the community became the sole owners of the lodge and the reserve. 

In order to build the lodge, they had to create access: the four-mile creek was hand cleared with machetes and chain saws. These are waters where caiman and leeches thrive, not to mention other creatures. The lodge staff still go out (usually barefoot) to clear any trees that have fallen in the creek. 

Then they had to transport all the materials by canoe— larger items like floorboard and appliances were strapped across two canoes during high water conditions to be able to make it. For four years they labored before enough money came in to pay back the investors. Their earlier commitment to conservation means that their reserve has a higher density of animals, birds, and mature rainforest trees. They have increased the size and amenities of the lodge over time. 

The community now has 34 families (600 people), and the lodge we stayed in employs 60 people. The lodge offers employment to any community member that wants it. There is also a rustic lodge in the village center, a few miles upstream on the Napo from the welcome center of the reserve. Almost all the lodge employees are male. The women and children live in the village, which we visited on Monday.

The village has a modest health center that serves the whole region, a covered sports center, a soccer pitch, and a 10-room school. They are building a computer lab. The school is mandatory for all children and is bilingual in Kitchwa and Spanish. The women of the community created a “women’s center” 17 years ago. The center employs 24 women in two teams (10 days on, 10 days off). They host information sessions for tourists and sell traditional handcrafts as both a source of income and as an incentive to preserve traditional culture in the younger generation.

The women demonstrated traditional instruments, dances and songs, as well as kitchen utensils and cooking and food storage methods. They also explained the construction of the buildings. Both in the village and at the lodge, support pillars and crossbeams are made from re-purposed oil pumping pipes. Other structural members are from ironwood or other forest materials. 

Traditionally they used land snail shells as a kind of horn to call people from far away. One of the older women was much better at it than our young guides! The women also explained the construction and use of blowguns, the traditional silent hunting method for large birds and monkeys. One of our guides said that his father could shoot a poison dart 60 feet into the air with accuracy. Several of the folks in our group tried the blowgun (without poison and with a small hanging target) with mixed success. 

We sampled traditional foods: plantains, heart of palm, cacao beans, manioc and grilled grubs. There was a homemade hot sauce as some of the foods are a little bland. We also had some yuisa tea, made from leaves of the local plant and high in caffeine and antioxidants. 

Throughout our village visit, it was clear that while the traditional roles are quite gender-specific, that there is real admiration and respect for the women’s tasks. We were also impressed with how confident and comfortable the women were in hosting groups of tourists. 

Pictured: our hostess Maribel by the kitchen hearth, our traditional snack, Kevin with the blowgun (yes, he hit the target).