Page 129 - Montecito Journal Glossy Edition Summer Fall 2013

Basic HTML Version

FAR
-
FLUNG
TRAVEL
breeding colony of Galápagos penguins. They are frequently seen there. Sure enough,
I swam along the base of the impressive spire and was fortunate to share a rock (and
a moment) with a pair of these inquisitive seafaring birds.
On land I quickly learned that I had to watch my every step while walking on
any of the islands. Most of the species endemic to the Galápagos have no known
predators and living in harmony is a way of life. So, when I jumped off the skiff
at South Plaza Island, I literally had to step over snoozing sea lions. They never
even flinched. On any island that had large colonies of nesting seabirds I had to
walk slowly and step around active nests, an impressive cacophony of squawking,
whistles and honks.
Known for its unique wildlife in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, the archipelago
straddles the equator 600 miles off Ecuador. The Galápagos Islands are famed for their
vast number of endemic species. Studied and explored by Charles Darwin in 1831,
during the voyage of the Beagle, his keen observations and meticulous collections
contributed to the inception of Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection.
Consisting of 18 main islands, three smaller islands and over 100 exposed
rocks and tiny islets, the Galápagos Islands are still on the move. The remote
archipelago is situated on the Nazca Plate, which is moving east/southeast diving
beneath the South American Plate at about 2.5 inches per year. The islands also sit
atop the Galápagos Hotspot, a volatile locale where the Earth’s crust is being melted
far below by a mantle plume, which creates volcanoes.
summer
|
fal l
129