One of the most exotic places on planet Earth, the Galapagos Islands lie 600 miles off the coast of South America. American Photo Magazine puts the Galapagos in it's Top Ten places to photograph on the planet. LIFE magazine puts the Galapagos first in it's list of the Natural Wonders of the World. What are you waiting for?
In geological terms, the islands are very young, very rugged and very isolated. Here life has evolved differently then it has elsewhere on our planet. Other than humans there have never been any large predators on the islands, and so wildlife has no fear of people. You can walk directly up to a blue-footed booby, sitting on her nest with her chicks and she will ignore you. Marine Iguanas, Galapagos tortises, no fear. Sea lions and sea turtles, not afraid. It's a very other-world sort of place.
I’m working on this with my friend, Jonathan Hall, who has lived in Ecuador most of his life and puts together tours for a living. Previously he has put together four trips to Ecuador and one for the Galapagos for me and so I trust his experience and integrity. Based on what we know as of March 2011, the trip will look like this: In mid October 2011 we will fly from Miami to Quito, Ecuador. then take a second plane from Quito to Puerto Bacuerizo Moreno on the Galapagos Island of San Cristobal. We would then board a “yacht” (private boat). We eat and sleep on the boat, sailing between the islands at night, exploring different islands each day. After four nights and five days, we would sail back to San Cristobal, then fly back to the mainland. We plan to spend a couple of days in northern Ecuador, partly to photograph the Otavalo market. We are also plan on renting a train(this is unlike anything you can imagine; trust me)Upon returning to Quito, we would fly back to the US.
Your photography subjects would include: the wildlife of the Islands; several species of Iguanas, penguins, sea lions, Galapagos turtles, sea turtles, dolphins, sharks, manta rays, a stunning number of birds, the ancient city of Quito ( a United Nations World Heritage site), the ocean, sunrises, sunsets, the moon reflecting off of the ocean, the boat (more on the boat later), stuff under the water, (we’ll do some snorkeling, diving), about six very different islands and each other.
Check out a photo gallery from the last time I went to the Galapagos.
THE BOAT; The boat we have chosen as being most suited to what we want to do is a 70-foot-long sailing boat: the H.M.S. Encantata. Yes, it does have sails, and uses them occasionally, but the Islands are in a fairly un-windy part of the ocean and so the sails are more for show than go. The boat does have a 350-horsepower diesel engine. It sleeps 12 people, in 6 small (very small ) cabins. Each cabin has two single bunk beds, its own bathroom and all are air conditioned. The Encantata has a galley, a bar, and all meals on board the boat are furnished. It has two generators, GPS, radios, life raft and all that good stuff. There are several places to lounge about on board.
At this point, many details are yet to be decided. But it looks like the trip would last nine days, and cost about $4,000. This $4,000 would buy you: • round-trip, coach air fare from Tulsa to Quito • two-night hotel stay in Quito • ground transportation in Quito • round-trip air fare from Quito to the Islands •entrance fee to the Islands •space on the boat •all meals on the boat •ground transportation to Otavalo •another night or two in Quito or elsewhere
This doesn’t buy you: • some of the meals in Quito or enroute • Drinks, either on the boat or in Ecuador • Scuba or Skin diving gear rentals You would also need: • your passport • required immunizations You don’t need; • a visa • Malaria protection
For this trip to happen I need 8 people to go (including me).