To the Sea and Playa Ochoa

The sea lions rule their terrain...and ours.  As we walk towards the boat that will take us to the Letty, we pass another sea lion napping comfortably on the sun-warmed tile plaza.

Another resting sea lion

I suppose to natives, the sea lions are as common as the gulls at the beaches at home, or even the rabbits in my yard.  I can tell it’s going to be a while before I look at these guys with the same nonchalance.

Many ships are getting ready for island adventures.  Generally, seeing more than the three populated islands requires Galapagos National Park guides, and there’s no way to see them without a ship.  

Heading out to Sea

I mentioned in an earlier post that I’m not an avid camper.  I confess now that I’m also not an zealous sailor.  Some of my friends love river cruising in Europe, where the cruise ship replaces the coach (aka bus) that takes tourists to their land destinations.  Other cruises provide everything on the ship with less focus on land visits--service, food, views, food, entertainment, food, activities, food, shore excursions, food, swimming pool, and also breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  I'm more interested in seeing new and exciting places, and I am partial to land travel.

But there’s really only one way to see the Galapagos,  and that is by sea. We board the Letty, go to our cabins to unpack and get ready for our first trip to Playa Ochoa on San Cristobal Island.
Playa Ochoa is a long, white sand beach.  Of course, what captivates me?

Sea Lion on Playa Ochoa

The walk along the pristine beach is a lovely introduction to the islands.  When I manage to look away from coast and sea lions to the trees, a small, bright yellow bird stands out against the bright blue sky.  Roberto tells me it’s a yellow warbler.

Yellow Warbler on Playa Ochoa

I realize a few things at once--the drastic change from the busy-ness of the city streets of Quito and the port on San Cristobal, the uncivilized beauty surrounding me, and I really don’t know much about birds.   Yet.

To the Galapagos!

This morning we leave Quito for the Galapagos.  We have a 3- hour flight to the island of San Cristóbal, one of only four of the Galapagos islands to host a human population*.  Here we will meet our guides and head out to sea.

Gustavo and Roberto, our expedition leaders

The thirteen main islands are one degree south of the equator (where I just stood), about 600 miles west of South American coast.  San Cristóbal is one of the older islands, in the far east of the Galapagos, and its volcanoes are all extinct.  It has a population of about 5,500 (second in size to Santa Cruz), an airport (obviously),  government offices, a Navy facility, and provides educational opportunities for university students.

A sea lion greets us at the dock. He didn't offer to pose, but he certainly didn't mind our presence.

A Short Science Lesson
The Galapagos Islands are one of the most volcanic places on earth.  To understand the surface of the islands we have to start a little deeper, in the core of the earth. Made of iron and nickel, the core has two layers, and the outer one is so hot it is liquid and is in motion.

Above the core is the mantle--mostly iron--about 1,800 miles thick.  The upper level of the mantle, like the upper layer of the core, is moving because of the rising heat from its lower level.  The hot rock rises, cools, and sinks back down. This up-and-down makes the crust above move. 

The crust is broken into pieces that we call tectonic plates, which, like the mantle and core, have two layers.  The upper layers are floating on molten rock-- magma. 

Earth has seven main tectonic plates and many minor ones, all floating on six-mile-deep hot rock.   The plates might move away from or toward each other, or move along-side each other,  but they are always moving, usually about one or two inches a year.
When magma rises to the surface, bubbles of gas form that create pressure, forcing the magma to erupt.  In the volcano, it’s magma.   Once it emerges, it’s lava.

The Hot Spot
So what does all that have to do with the Galapagos? First, this volcanic hot spot gives birth to islands.  Volcanoes form where plates collide; each successive eruption creates a higher volcano. Eventually the rock surfaces above the water, continuing to grow, creating an island. 

Second, as the plates move, the islands move away from their ‘birthplace’ over the volcanic hotspot. Think of it as an assembly line of volcanic islands.  After a while (we’re talking millions of years),  the first island to form this way is out of range of the next eruption, and a new island forms, grows, and moves. 

Third, this volcanic hot spot is at the juncture of four ocean currents coming from the four corners of the Pacific--drastically different environments.   The warm and cold currents’ convergence has enabled a variety of life to migrate here from four distinct ocean areas, creating tremendous diversity.  And then those life forms adapted and evolved to their new home.

The oldest of the islands are South Plaza and Espanola.  The newest is Fernandina-- still erupting.

The youngest island- Fernandina

To protect and preserve the life and the islands, most do not have human habitation and are accessible to visitors from 6 AM to 6 PM only.

We’ve met the guides, got some understanding of the unique nature of the islands and their formation.  We’re ready to head out to our home away from home: the Letty will be where we live for the next several days.

The Letty--Our home away from home

* The  islands with resident human populations are Santa Cruz, San Cristobal, Isabela, and Floreana.