TEXT AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN FRINK
I learned one thing very quickly in the Galapagos Islands-it is best to have your camera ready the moment you hit the water because there is no telling what sort of marine wonder awaits just beneath the boat. This thought was reinforced on my first dive at Wolf Island in the north. As soon as I rolled over the side and cleared my mask I saw six Scalloped Hammerheads cruising along the drop-off. They came quite near and I took a few quick shots before the sound of my exhaust bubbles frightened them off. Later, I found that if I tucked into a crevice on the face of the drop-off, controlled my breathing and was patient, they would return. Several times they cruised within five feet, which is good shooting range for my Nikonos 20mm lens, resulting in some excellent images.
Visibility was probably 120 feet on this dive. As I reluctantly left the hammerheads floating gently along with the current I saw a dark mass in the distance. I thought it might be a submerged pinnacle, but as I drew closer I saw it was alive-an incredible congregate of fish. A school of more than 1,000 Pacific Crevalle Jack nearly obliterated the sunlight from above. As I ultimately passed through the school, an equally large cluster of Skipjack Tuna swirled, inviting me farther off into the blue. As I turned back toward the wall, a Pacific Green Sea Turtle swam into view, accompanied by a school of Steel Pompano. Then, a small pinnacle materialized, cloaked in barnacles and surrounded by Moorish Idols, Gray Snappers and Goatfish. The wide angle view commanded first attention but, upon closer inspection of the pinnacle, I saw countless blennies peering cautiously from the barnacles, a Scorpionfish camouflaged amid the pink-tinged mollusks and several varieties of Hawkfish surreptitiously hiding.
Above: A diver admires a school of silvery Steel Pompano. The waters surrounding the Galapagos Islands are filled with fish.
It was one of those magic moments underwater where, no matter which direction you point the camera, a potentially significant image awaits. This is typical of the best of the Galapagos underwater and ample justification for the trip. But, there is much more to the Galapagos than great diving. Having just come back from an 11 night cruise of the Galapagos islands aboard the Lammer Law, I'm still thrilled with the adventure. Each day was so eventful I've had to review my trip diary to separate one highlight from the next:
January 28: 1 Left Miami International Airport aboard a Saeta Airlines Airbus 300. They provided super service with every seat treated like first class. There was a menu for entrees, tablecloths, complimentary cocktails, free movies, etc. The flight to Guayaquil (on the coast of Ecuador) took only four hours; it was another 30 minutes to Quito, in the Andes Mountains at 9,000 feet. Part of the group overnighted in Quito but I stayed in Guayaquil before boarding the SAN Airlines 727 jet service into San Cristobal Island in the Galapagos.
January 29: Having traveled to Cocos Island off Costa Rica in the past, I found it was a real treat to actually fly into the Galapagos rather than cruising 38 hours on a boat to get there. The short (one and a half hour) flight gave me time to read the guidebook to find out more about the archipelago.
Geography: The Galapagos are directly on the equator, some 1,000 kilometers west of Ecuador, with a total land mass of 7,882 square kilometers, including 13 major islands and dozens of smaller islands spread over 50,000 square kilometers of Pacific Ocean. Five of the islands are inhabited, with a population of about 15,000 who make their living from farming, fishing and tourism.
Geology: The islands were formed only four to five million years ago by the eruption of underwater volcanos. The volcanos are still active, with more than 50 eruptions recorded since the islands' discovery in 1535. This makes these islands very young compared with much of the planet, which is more than four billion years old. Most of the archipelago is surrounded by deep ocean, with depths off the western islands to 3,000 meters. The largest islands represent only the top one third of a submarine mountain range. The best diving is in the waters surrounding not only the large islands but the numerous smaller islets and pinnacles.
Currents and climate: There is no one single current but the most important is the South Equatorial Current, with significant influence derived from the Humbolt Stream, Panama and Cromwell Currents. The upwelling from these streams provides the nutrient rich environment that encourages the stunning biodiversity of the Galapagos.
Water temperatures are much influenced by these currents. Even though the islands are on the equator with air temperatures in the 80s (F), the water can range from 84 to 56 degrees F. (During my trip I experienced water temperatures from 68 to 82 degrees F. I found that a three-sixteenths inch wetsuit with a hooded vest and booties was comfortable. I brought a one-quarter inch suit also and wore it once but layers of thermal protection, rather than one heavy suit, are probably better given the broad range of water temperatures). July, August and September are generally the coolest and wettest months of the year in the Galapagos and therefore least desirable for live-aboard diving. When the equatorial sun is shining, which is most of the time, it is quite intense, making sun protection imperative.
Once on the ground we were met by the crew of the Lammer Law and paid the Galapagos National Park fee of $40 (soon to be raised to $80) to park officials. The Lammer Law crew handled our luggage and transported us to the harbor (a ten minute bus ride), where the Lammer Law sat majestically at anchor, the queen of the Galapagos charter fleet. She is an impressive vessel and we were fortunate to have owner and designer Duncan Muirhead aboard on our voyage. Duncan told me the Lammer Law was built in 1980 in Canada and she and her sister ship the Cuan Law (in live-aboard charter service in the British Virgin islands) are the world's largest trimarans.
The Lammer Law is 93 feet long and 43 feet wide. The trimaran design was chosen to provide extreme stability, shallow draft, spacious living quarters, good ventilation and to create a hull that could be easily driven without huge sail area or massive engines. There are nine staterooms that can be configured with either double beds or twins. Each has individually controlled air-conditioning, reading lights, windows and vents and private head and shower. The main saloon is massive and contains a wetbar, complimentary soda gun, audio/visual entertainment center and several groupings of chairs and sofas for reading and socializing. All is bright, airy and quite comfortable. Our group of 18 was cared for by a friendly and attentive crew of 10.
Twin Zodiac inflatables handle the shore excursions and dive expeditions from the vessel. A stable ladder leads down to the twin platforms used to board the inflatables. Tanks are filled on the deck but the compressors are below decks and the noise is well insulated. The tanks are 3,000 psi aluminum 80s. Lammer Law is powered by twin 3208 Caterpillar diesels and features four air compressors, two watermakers, two generators, galley and a large maintenance area complete with the tools necessary to fix the things that might go wrong. It is a comforting feeling to see there are back-ups for the backups. The Lammer Law is a totally self-sufficient long range cruiser.
During our expedition aboard Lammer Law we cruised nearly 600 miles. Most of it was under power but, when the winds cooperated the sails were raised, adding some speed and much beauty. The islands in the south and central portion of the Galapagos are fairly protected but the crossing to the best dive areas in the north takes 18 hours in the open Pacific. It was a great assurance to know we were aboard a vessel offering the strength and stability of the Lammer Law. Of course, she rides wonderfully at anchor, given her beam, which made our nights aboard most restful.
On the 29th we all did a brief checkout dive at Sea Lion Rock. This was mostly to get our weight worked out for the additional neoprene most of us were wearing and to allow the crew to inconspicuously assess our diving skills. Still, even though the visibility was poor at this site, we did see plenty of sea lions, enough to whet our appetites for the greater dive adventures to follow.
January 30: We motored three hours from San Cristobal south to Espanola at night. The runs between islands take place at night so as to not interfere with either diving or land excursions. We boarded the inflatables in the morning for a dive off Gardner Rock. In 70 feet of water we saw lots of starfish in the sand. As we worked closer to the island, we saw several Marbled Stingrays, Green Sea Turtles (a common enough sight by the end of the trip) and large schools of Yellowtailed Grunts. The visibility was about 60 feet. We also saw a fair amount of macro life, including a field of Garden Eels. The second dive was to a small cave inhabited by curious sea lions.
An exciting three hour shore excursion on Espanola was next. This was a perfect opportunity to photograph sea lions, marine iguanas and blue footed boobies - we even saw a pair of waved albatrosses. The shore excursions are incredible in the Galapagos and we had a pair of very personable and knowledgeable dive instructor/naturalists on board to help us appreciate what we were seeing. They made us understand how unique the Galapagos ecology is. Because the islands are 600 miles offshore, most of what is here is either endemic or traveled here through some natural means. To help keep it natural, you must not throw garbage overboard (even if it's biodegradable), you can't smoke on the islands, nor can you stray from the marked pathways. The Galapagos National Park encourages ecologically aware visitation and the guides are responsible for making our impact minimal. When you see how pristine this place is, you'll want to do whatever is necessary to leave only bubbles as a reminder of your presence.
January 31: Off Floreana Island we made our first dive at Champion Rock. We entered the water along a drop-off that goes to 200 feet. (The boat crew restricts depths to 90 feet. Truthfully, throughout the Galapagos I found the best diving between about 30 and 70 feet.) A large school of King Angelfish intermingled with a school of Yellowtail Surgeonfish as Whitetipped Reef Sharks, Marbled Rays, Pufferfish and a huge school of Brown Striped Snappers attracted photographic scrutiny. The second dive at Champion and the next dive at Devil's Crown were interesting in terms of life seen but the visibility had dropped to about 30 feet. Visibility throughout the islands was variable. As a rule, it seemed the first dive in the morning was always the best of the day. At Punta Cormorant we made a shore excursion to view a salina occupied by flamingos and observed a beach used for nesting by Green Sea Turtles. Here, incredibly, there must have been 50 turtles lolling about in the surf, resting from mating.
February 1: At Gordon Rocks off Santa Cruz Island I saw a school of eight Spotted Eagle Rays as soon as I rolled off the Zodiac. Cruising along the wall I saw a Green Turtle resting in a rock. He spooked but rested again, deeper along the wall amid a cluster of Black Coral. Here he was easier to approach and I was able to get my shot. Whitetipped Reef Sharks, a few Hammerheads and a beautiful Triton's Trumpet occupied the rest of the dive. This is a great place for small critters, too, with lots of tiny blennies amid the barnacles, their comparatively giant (to nine inches) cousin, the Large-Banded Blennie and several species of moray eels.
February 2: The highlight of this day, aside for the dive at Daphne Island, was the land excursion to Seymour Island. This was our opportunity to see frigate birds nesting, as well as more sea lions, marine iguanas and booby birds. In the afternoon we dived Tiburon Arecho, a seamount that peaked at 50 feet, rich with eels, King Angels and good for Galapagos Sharks and Hammerheads.
Right: A playful young sea lion entertains itself with the tip of a diver's fin.
WHAT TO BRING
February 3: Cousins Rock, off the island of Bartolome, offered one of the best opportunities to dive with sea lions up close. The sea lions often perch beneath the rock ledges, awaiting prey, and it is a great place for environmental portraits. Visibility here was only fair this day but when it is clear the wide angle potential is outstanding. When it is turbid, this a wonderful place for a 105 macro lens, with Hawkfish and other small creatures amid the Black Corals.
Bartolome Island is also home to the Galapagos penguin, the northernmost species of penguin. We viewed them topside and snorkeled with them but found that at this time of day they were rather skittish. Reportedly, if you catch them at the right time of the day (when they are inclined to be in the water of their own accord) they will swim right up to your facemask.
February 4: After an 18 hour cruise, we arrived at Wolf Island, coincident with the rising sun. The northernmost islands, Wolf and Darwin, are those most revered by divers. As we sat in the Zodiac awaiting our first dive, Bottlenosed Dolphins leaped nearby as if in celebration of the marine spectacle awaiting. My first dive was described previously and the second one, to a shallow area of the island, was also quite productive for Hammerheads. In the distance we would see them school in huge numbers and, occasionally, we were rewarded by a curious sentry who would swim close for a look. A night dive at Wolf was my fourth dive of the day, perfect for close-ups of Creolefish, lobsters and Guinea Fowl Puffers, which were difficult to approach during the day.
Right: A majestic Scalloped Hammerhead Shark.
Below: The Arch at Darwin Island is considered the best dive in the Galapagos-offering Hammerheads, sea turtles and other unusual sea creatures on every dive.
February 5 and 6: The Arch at Darwin Island is reputed to be the best dive in the Galapagos. Here is great Hammerhead action, sea turtles on every dive, schools of Steel Pompano and Bigeye Jacks, moray eels and a good place for Whale Shark encounters. Our group made six dives at this site and each offered excellent visibility and wonderful marine life encounters. The first dive in the morning, especially, is magic for observing the Scalloped Hammerheads cruising the blue drop-off and coming in to the shallow reef to be cleaned by the King Angelfish.
February 7: At Roca Redonda the effects of the Humbolt Current must be more evident because the water temperature was a cool 68 degrees F. At Wolf and Darwin islands it was more than 80. Roca Redonda offered good sea lion encounters and I also saw a pod of Bottlenosed Dolphins underwater (the first I'd seen below the surface this trip, although we would often see them playing in our bow wake or hear their distinctive echolocation underwater). There were interesting fumerols here, bubbles of hydrogen sulfide percolating through the sandy bottom as evidence of the ongoing volcanic activity in these islands. Huge schools of various tropical fish rival the most diverse Indo-Pacific reefs and the exquisite Harlequin Wrasse found here is a target species for every fish photographer.
February 8: This was a day of off-gassing and land tours to the island of Santa Cruz and the village of Puerto Ayora. The Darwin research station is here and there are wonderful opportunities to see the giant land tortoises up close. We all stocked up on T-shirts, post cards and guide books in Puerto Ayora, then enjoyed a wonderful lunch in the highlands followed by an expedition to see tortoises in their natural habitat.
The next day we left the Galapagos archipelago for Quito. Connections are such that it is necessary to overnight but I recommend taking a few extra days to tour this beautiful city and the surrounding countryside. Nestled amid the majestic peaks of the Andes and dating from pre-Columbian times, this city of 1.2 million is a classic example of Spanish colonial influence and a world cultural heritage site. At the very least, a day should be scheduled to visit the marketplace at Otavalo or buy leather goods in the village of Cotacachi. The bargains are incredible!
Even a brief overview of a Galapagos expedition points to the tremendous diversity amid these islands. Here is a place where the wild and rare are to be expected, yet each visit can only be a vignette of all there is to see. Each island is different and even the same island changes with the seasons and local conditions. For any serious diver or nature lover, the Galapagos is one of those destinations that must be logged and the Lammer Law is the ideal way to sample both their terrestrial and marine wonders. Having now experienced the Galapagos for the first time, I'm surprised I've waited this long-but most assuredly I shall return.
For information or reservations, please contact the Lammer Law care of Trimarine Boat Company at (800) 648-3393 or directly at (809) 494-2490 or by fax at (809) 494-5774. Mail inquiries may be directed to P.O. Box 4065, St. Thomas, USVI 00803.
MISCELLANY
Departure taxes:
$23 leaving Miami, $25 out of Ecuador
Recommended reading:
Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands by Rob Rachowiecki
Galapagos by Paul Humann
Galapagos: A Natural History Guide by Michael Jackson
Galapagos Dive sites by Geoffrey Lane
A Field Guide to the Fishes of the Galapagos by Godfrey Merlen
Island Lost in Time by Tui de Roy
Marine Life of the Galapagos by Pierre Constant
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