Five Days - Context

Some islands have ports and villages, small farms and larger ranches. Galapagos is home to over 20,000 people. There is a parent culture fairly typical of coastal rural Latin America, now overlaid by an industry catering to visitors.

Landscape and microclimate varies radically from island to island, and in some cases from place to place on a single island. They range from cool, green and misty mountain highlands to hot dry flat low-lying panheads. Some islands appear comparatively young, with much exposed lava; others show deep soil formation. This wide range of ecological zones, combined with the islands' isolation, are the key factors in the remarkable adaptive radiation evident among Galapagos' species.

Even to the amateur naturalist on a brief visit, the subtle dynamics of evolution are readily apparent. But what is maybe most unique and astonishing about Galapagos animals is they show no fear in close proximity to people. You may walk right up to a nesting bird tending her chicks, and she will not even indicate she sees you! It's a nature photographer's secret heaven.

The Ecuadoran government operates most of the Galapagos Islands as a park and preserve. Some islands are the sites of research and preservation efforts, and not open to the public. Tour operators are carefully managed, with exact routes and times specified, so rarely do the small groups of visitors encounter one another.

Landings on park islands are made with pangas, the small outboard tenders of each cruise boat. Some landings are wet, most dry. Once on an island, the limits of your path are indicated by pairs of small wood stakes in the ground every 40 feet or so. It's made clear you are expected to stay on the path. The paths are very well-planned, generally following where you'd want to go anyway. The pace is leisurely, the trails not demanding. Neither eating nor smoking are permitted in the park portions of any island. I saw no human litter of any kind.

The following photos are selected to try to make a sketch of both the cultural mileau and the range of landscape types. If there is a "next time" I will try to be less mesmerized by the astonishing access to the critters, and give better attention to these dimensions.