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Ocean Adventures Review
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The Wonders Of Galapagos
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by Chris Dikmen and Rickee Richardson
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June 2010
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M/V Eclipse
Reviewed by Chris Dikmen and Rickee Richardson
 There are few places in the world as magical and mysterious as the Galapagos Islands. This relatively small archipelago, roughly 500 miles west of Ecuador, is the basis for what has become one of the most controversial subjects of mankind: the theory of evolution. Even though the first ships visited the islands way back in the 1500s, it was not until the HMS Beagle sailed to the Galapagos in 1835 that the history of mankind would forever be reshaped. A young Charles Darwin was aboard the Beagle to conduct geological studies. During his visit to various islands, he noticed how mockingbirds (now known as "Darwin's Finches") varied from one island to the next. He also became aware that the large tortoises for which the islands were named, varied from one island to the next. These observations were instrumental in Darwin's development of his theory of natural selection, which was presented in The Origin of Species. And so, the theory of evolution was born.
Whatever your religious or scientific point of view, a visit to the Galapagos Islands is like no other adventure you can undertake. It is not the landscape that makes this place interesting. There is no other place on Earth where you can get up close and personal with other species. For whatever reason, the animals on these islands do not fear humans. Perhaps it is the absence of natural predators for many of the species that live here. Regardless of the reason, the experience of snorkeling with sea lion pups as they swim right up to you, or literally stepping over marine iguanas, almost defies explanation.
The most popular way to see Galapagos is by ship. A typical vacation includes a 8-day/7-night sailing to various islands. The Galapagos National Park strictly limits the size of ships visiting Galapagos to a maximum of 100 passengers. This is an effort to minimize the impact that tourists will have on the fragile ecosystem.
Abercrombie & Kent and Ocean Adventures
Abercrombie & Kent (A&K) specializes in high-end, luxury vacations. They also are experts when it comes to adventure travel to remote places like Africa, Antarctica and Galapagos. A&K has teamed up with Ocean Adventures, an Ecuadorian cruise ship operator, to create a truly memorable Galapagos vacation experience. We were travelling on "Wonders of the Galapagos", Abercrombie & Kent’s 11-day small group escorted tour that includes the pre- and post-hotel nights in Quito required by most international flights. Also included are roundtrip flights between Quito and Baltra and 8-days/7-nights aboard Ocean Adventures' M/V Eclipse. A&K includes hosted tours of Quito and some other very special "extras." It’s also possible to book private sightseeing or cruise only (no escort).
Quito, Ecuador
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Antonio Reascos, our A&K tour guide
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Our adventure begins with an American Airlines flight from DFW to Miami where we connect on AA to Quito. The flight was delayed two hours because of thunderstorms in Miami, so we were late getting into Quito. In spite of this, as soon as we came off the escalator in the Quito airport into the Ecuador Customs and Immigration area, we were greeted by an A&K representative holding a sign with our name on it. After a brief introduction, we were whisked off to the side to a special VIP Immigration/Customs desk where we avoided the long lines of passengers having their passports checked. This is just one of the very special amenities that is only available to Abercrombie & Kent customers. Literally, in less than five minutes, we were through Immigration and in the baggage claim area claiming our luggage.
After exiting the baggage claim area, we were introduced to Antonio Reascos, our A&K tour guide for this trip. Antonio took over from that point and led us outside to a large van where Eddie, our driver, would deliver us to our hotel. From the time we got off the plane, the whole process took less than 15 minutes.
Antonio took care of gathering the luggage and the tips for the porter who took the bags to the waiting Mercedes van.
The drive to our hotel took about 20 minutes after which we arrived at Swissotel, one of the nicest properties in Quito. Antonio mentioned on the way to the hotel that he would take care of all gratuities in the hotel and for Eddie, our driver, so we did not have to deal with any of that, another nice A&K benefit.
After dropping our hand luggage in the room, we decided to head up to the executive lounge (A&K guests have access to the executive lounge at Swissotel) for a complimentary glass of wine. It was nice to sit and unwind with a glass of wine on the 12th floor of the hotel, looking out over the lights of Quito.
 We got back to our room around 10:45 and it was not until then that Rickee realized we did not have our roll-aboard bag! After the initial panic attack, she remembered leaving it at the airport in the baggage claim area. This was a first for her, much more like something I would do. She scurried down to the front desk to have them contact the A&K rep stationed in Quito. Within minutes, she reached the local A&K rep who contacted Antonio. As luck would have it, Antonio was back at the airport to meet and greet some other A&K guests on a later flight. I cannot stress enough the advantage of using a company like Abercrombie & Kent when traveling internationally. Within minutes, Antonio had found the bag at the American Airlines unclaimed baggage office and retrieved it.
A happy ending thanks to Antonio and A&K!
This is not the first time A&K has shown their ability to deal with a 'crisis'. A couple of years ago on a trip to Kenya, our flight out of Nairobi was cancelled and we had to be routed on another airline to London. Our local A&K guide literally walked us through the Kenya airport to make sure we got on the right flight. I swear we would still be in Kenya had it not been for A&K.
Quito, Ecuador – Day 2
This morning we are up early in preparation for a day of sightseeing in Quito. Swissotel offers complimentary breakfast in their Quito Café or in the Executive Lounge on 12. We decided to opt for the larger buffet in the Quito Café. The breakfast buffet is enormous with every kind of fruit imaginable, including some local fruits that are not too familiar to Americans. Buffet items included eggs made to order, pancakes, a large selection of breads and pastries, all kinds of meats (bacon, sausage, ham).
After breakfast, we met Antonio and another family traveling with A&K for our tour of Quito. We all hopped in the van and headed off through the crowded streets of Quito. We were in Quito just a few years ago, so many of the sights looked familiar to us. Our first stop was the equator museum. The latitude, as you may imagine, is 00:00:00. We saw some pretty impressive demonstrations of the effects of the equator. A red line painted on the ground shows the exact location of the equator. The most amazing demonstration is a sink filled with water placed just over the red line will drain straight down with no swirling action. By moving the sink just a few feet from the line to the north, the water will swirl clockwise as it drains, a few feet to the south of the line, it swirls counter-clockwise. Now, we all know about this phenomenon, but the amazing part is that it occurs only a few feet from the red line. There were several other equally impressive demonstrations, as well.
 We left the equator museum on our way to Old Town Quito to view the palace, cathedrals, and central town square. On our way, however, Antonio treated us to some fruity ice cream cones at a local shop. The concoctions were more like a sherbet than an ice cream, using local fruit flavors. We tried several and all were delicious.
After a tour of the town square and a gilded Franciscan church, we headed to lunch at, of all places, the Opera House. We had the entire restaurant (see photo to right) to our small group and the meal and service were superb.
After lunch, we returned to the hotel where we had time to take a nap, rest and relax before Antonio planned to meet with us and take us to dinner.
The six of us met Antonio in the lobby at 6pm for a short briefing about the upcoming Galapagos trip before we loaded back into the van and headed off to Plaza Grande, a boutique hotel in Old Town Quito with an excellent 5-star restaurant. As with lunch, we had the entire restaurant to ourselves and, after an excellent meal, we were entertained by two of Ecuador’s talented opera singers. It was quite a memorable evening, something to which A&K guests have become accustomed.
Galapagos – M/V Eclipse Embarkation
This morning we flew from Quito to Baltra in the Galapagos. Once again, Antonio and A&K have taken care of everything. We basically only have to show up on time and be guided through the process. Antonio takes care of all the ticketing, seat assignments, luggage handling, tipping, etc. It is amazingly painless. One thing worth noting: on domestic flights within Ecuador, you don't have to worry about liquids in your carry-on luggage. No 3-ounce limits nor ziplock bags are required! Pack as much as you need. You also don't have to remove your shoes when going through security.
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Rickee has time to do a little shopping at the Baltra airport before boarding the bus to the pier.
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The flight to Baltra takes about three hours (after a short stop in Guayaquil). Once in Baltra, as A&K guests, we are directed to a separate VIP lounge area and served iced tea while Antonio takes care of the formalities of entering the Galapagos Islands for all of us and gathers the luggage for the trip to the ship. Antonio will be with us on the ship for the entire week, another benefit of using A&K. He is there to handle any possible problem that might arise. Plus, he is a very nice guy and we all enjoy his company and benefit from his local knowledge. We have a few minutes at the tiny airport to do a little souvenir shopping before we board the bus that will take us to Ocean Adventures’ M/V Eclipse, our floating home for the next 8 days and 7 nights. Ocean Adventures is an Ecuadorian company that specializes in Galapagos tours. The M/V Eclipse is a small ship that carries a maximum of 48 guests per trip. The Galapagos National Park restricts ships to no more than 100 guests, and there is a limit on the number of ships that can visit Galapagos. All of this is in an effort to preserve the park for generations to come.
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Rickee on the beach at Las Bachas
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The bus ride from the airport only took about 15 minutes after which we arrive at a pier where we don life vests, board a panga (a large Zodiac-style outboard boat) for a short ride to M/V Eclipse. Once on board, the Captain and Maria De La Lourdes, our cruise director, greet us. We head to our cabin (28) then to the dining room for a welcome luncheon. All meals on Eclipse are served buffet-style in the dining room or al fresco aft on the Weather Deck.
After lunch, we attended a short welcome briefing where we were introduced to Paolina and Sandie, our naturalist guides for the week. Everyone visiting the Galapagos is required to be accompanied by an official Galapagos National Park naturalist guide. Since there are only 26 people on board this week, we have two naturalist guides (a maximum of 16 guests are assigned to each naturalist.)
With little time to rest, we are informed that we will be doing a wet landing at Las Bachas for a short hike along the beach. Some island visits require “wet” landings where guests are required to step off of the panga onto a beach, often in a few inches of water. Towels are provided on the beach. It is a good idea to wear waterproof shoes like Tevas.
Our hike on Las Bachas only lasted a couple of hours. We saw pink flamingos, pelicans, marine iguanas, a yellow warbler and a small manta ray. All-in-all, it was a pretty successful first outing!
By 6pm we are back on M/V Eclipse and getting cleaned up for dinner. It has been a long day, we are very tired and looking forward to tomorrow.
M/V Eclipse
Unlike most of the cruises we go on, this one is much more about the destination than it is the ship. Even though very comfortable and capable, M/V Eclipse is primarily a vehicle to get from one amazing island to the next. Nevertheless, we found the accommodations, staff and services aboard the ship to be above average and well suited to its task. Since 2007, M/V Eclipse has been successfully certified within the Rainforest Alliance "Smart Voyager" program dedicated to protecting the fragile ecosystem of the Galapagos Islands. The ship prides itself on meeting the highest standards of management practices in an environmentally-sensitive location.
A nice library is located aft on the Boat Deck and is equipped with DVD/videos and large flat-screen TV, board games and books.
There is a ship's doctor onboard and, incredibly, doctor visits and any required prescribed medications are free! This was a first for us. The doctor did not speak English, but there was always a crewmember available to translate. The doctor accompanied us on the island visits and was often needed to patch up someone who had taken a tumble on the rough terrain.
There is no formal dress code on board, but it is required that shoes, shirts and trousers/shorts be worn in the Lounge, dining room and Library. Men are required to wear long pants for dinner. Smoking is only allowed outside in the Al Fresco Dining Area and on the Sun Deck but never inside the Eclipse.
In order to keep up with who is on board, there is a posted list where each guest checks in after returning from shore.
Accommodations
 With the exception of a few "Deluxe Staterooms" and a couple of "singles" cabins, all accommodations aboard M/V Eclipse are roughly the same at about 170 square feet in size. The ship can accommodate up to 48 guests in 26 cabins. The cabins on the Boat Deck have large windows and the cabins on the Main Deck have portholes. Two of the Deluxe Staterooms feature an extra bed for triple occupancy. Each air-conditioned cabin has a private bathroom with shower and is equipped with a hair dryer. Shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and body lotion are provided in larger-than-usual bottles. In such an environmentally-conscious location as the Galapagos, you would expect major conservation measures to be in effect and they are. You can not put toilet paper into the toilet, only in the wastebasket beside the toilet. Also, you are encouraged to reuse towels to cut down on water and detergent use. Each passenger is issued his/her own water bottle to refill from the water coolers on board the ship.
In the bathroom, there are two small shelves above the sink for storing personal items and a mirrored "medicine cabinet" above the sink which offered additional storage once we relocated the extra toilet paper stored there. A clothes line could be stretched from one side of the bathroom to the other to use for hanging damp towels or wet clothes.
There is ample closet space with one side dedicated to hanging garments and the other fitted with drawers and shelves. An electronic safe is available for valuables. This is a good feature since there are no locks on the doors. You can lock the door when you are in the cabin, but otherwise it remains unlocked. It is nice not to have to keep up with a key. Beds can be configured as twins or a queen. Two nightstands with drawers are bedside. Reading lights are attached to the wall above each bed. Our hard-sided luggage would not fit under the
beds, so we just set them between the bed and the wall. A small desk with chair and a wall mirror complete the cabin furnishings. There is no television. A telephone is available for internal calls. Bathrobes are supplied for each cabin for onboard use. We were impressed by how quiet the cabin was each night.
Something unusual for a cruise ship cabin is the number of electrical outlets. We had three two-plug outlets, two of which were 110v and one was 220v. All accommodated U.S.-style two-prong plugs. It was nice to be able to plug in our various devices for re-charging. There was also a power strip supplied which we didn't have to use.
Cabins are serviced three times each day and our steward made some amazing towel animals for us each evening. Laundry service is available at an additional charge.
Dining
 There are three meals served each day, and all are served buffet-style. Breakfast and lunch are typically served in the Al Fresco Dining Area located aft on the Weather Deck. Dinner is typically served in the main dining room. All juices, water and soft drinks are included. Beer, wine and liquor are available at additional cost. A glass of house wine is only $5.50 (US).
The breakfast buffet is plentiful with a variety of fruits, pastries and hot dish offerings that vary each day. There is an omelet station where the chef will make eggs to order.
Lunch is served each day at noon in the Al Fresco Dining Area. The buffet "theme" changes each day. The Ecuadorian buffet was our favorite which was filled with local recipes and a whole roasted piglet! Dinner is served at 8pm in the main dining room. On two occasions, dinner was served on the aft deck under the stars. What a treat! Lunch and dinner feature a salad selection, a choice of vegetables and a choice of entrees. A soup course was served at dinner and pasta was also a choice. Dessert was always good and cheese and fruit were offered, too.
The food preparation and quality varied from good to excellent. A few items were exceptionally good while others were just so-so. In general, most items were lacking seasoning and required the addition of salt. However, a few items were really standouts. The deck BBQ was excellent, the roasted turkey was as good as I have ever had, and the roasted piglet was tender and juicy. The fish dishes were always outstanding, especially the whole grouper. The waiters are always smiling and friendly and eager to please.
There is no room service but meals will be sent to the cabin in the event of a passenger illness. Coffee, tea and packaged cookies/snacks are available at all times from the coffee area near Reception. Upon each return to the ship from an excursion, snacks and beverages are served.
Activities
 Activities are centered around this amazing destination. The naturalists conduct a lecture each evening in the ship's lounge before dinner covering some aspect of Galapagos history or wildlife. At the end of the lecture, they talk about the schedule for the next day's activities. There are also a couple of movie documentary presentations on Galapagos shown in the lounge during the cruise. For the most part, everyone is kept so busy hiking and snorkeling and exploring that an early bedtime is welcome!
For cruises between December and April, stargazing in the equatorial night skies is available on the Sun Deck. Between June and September is the prime whale-watching time. An announcement is always made if a whale is spotted. A ceremony marking the equator crossing is held on the navigational bridge each Wednesday where everyone watches the ship's instruments show 0º latitude. Eclipse offers an open-bridge policy wherein guests can visit the captain and crew to learn more about navigating in the Galapagos Islands.
Eclipse anchors off shore for at least two site visits per day. Some days have three activities planned. Passengers are ferried ashore aboard motorized dinghies that the locals call "pangas." The landings are either 'wet,' where you are required to step into water ranging from ankle to knee-deep and wade to shore, or 'dry' where you step out onto rocks or a dock. Walking sticks with rubber tips are available on board for you to take to the islands. It is important to always wear sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, sturdy walking shoes with good gripping soles and take your water with you to the islands. In certain locations, insect repellent is strongly suggested and the naturalists will brief you on that the night before.
Wet suits with short sleeves and short legs and snorkeling equipment are available free of charge for the week. You are responsible for hanging up your equipment to dry n the designated area and for returning it at the end of the week. Each wet suit is numbered and you are issued a bag in which to keep your snorkel gear. If you lose anything, you pay for it. Two types of snorkeling are offered: from the beach and from the panga.
Eclipse carries a few kayaks on board for passenger use but kayaking is only permitted at certain sites with a maximum number of 8 people. A panga and guide are always nearby in case you need assistance. As with snorkeling, kayaking takes place either before or after island excursions so you don't have to make a choice about which activity to pursue.
A very handy Galapagos Logbook is provided for each guest which contains a wealth of information and can serve as a journal for note-taking about each day's activities. It details each place visited, how many miles between each stop, National Park regulations, climate and water temperature information, natural events in the Galapagos according to month, ship information, and snorkeling and kayaking schedules. A daily itinerary is provided which details the type of landing to be made, what activities will take place on the visited island, and highlights such as terrain and wildlife it is possible to spot. There is also a wildlife checklist with all Galapagos species listed for you to keep track of what you have spotted. A map and description of each visitor site is provided in the back of this wonderful logbook with an area to take notes about your experience. There are also some beautiful full-sized scenic postcards provided within.
Certain sailing dates on M/V Eclipse are designated as "Family Departures" where children as young as five will be accepted on board. These selected family departures are available during the months of March, April, June, July, August and December. On regular sailings, children must be at least 10 years old. On Family Departure cruises, specialist guides can be assigned to educate and entertain your children throughout the day for groups of a minimum of 10 children. However, if parents wish to take their children with them in their group, they may do so as long as the groups don't exceed the allowed 16-person maximum per guide. Other onboard activities and even special mealtimes for the children can be arranged. Our voyage was a designated "Family Departure" and there were five children on board ranging in age from 5 to 14.
There is no Internet available on the ship. Rickee used the ship's satellite phone on the bridge to call her Dad on Father's Day. The cost was $4.50 per minute. Most passengers found that a cell signal was available in only a very few locations. A few passengers who had satellite phones were able to use them the entire trip. Satellite phones can be rented online from various websites at a reasonable cost, so if staying in touch with home/office is a necessity, this might be worth investigating.
Itinerary
Puerto Egas and Bartolomé Island
 Puerto Egas (or James Bay) is located on the northwest side of Santiago Island. This morning, after 7:00am breakfast, we are loaded onto the panga for a short ride to our landing on a black beach with rock formations in the background. A trail crosses the dry interior, where remains of a salt mining enterprise can still be seen. Tidal pools are home to sea urchins, octopus and starfish.
The pace on board M/V Eclipse is intense. A soft musical wake-up call at 6:45 each morning is followed by breakfast at 7:00am, then it is onto the panga for a morning excursion at 8:00am. We return to the ship by 11am with just enough time to get cleaned up for lunch at noon. After lunch, there is time for relaxation or a nap, but not long. At 3:00pm, it is time to board the panga again for an afternoon excursion! Each excursion usually lasts about three hours. We are returned to the ship by 6pm with time to shower and dress for dinner at 8pm. Before dinner each evening, there is a short briefing in the lounge covering the next day’s activities.
At 4pm today, we take the panga to the island of Bartolomé for the long hike up 400 steps to the highest point on the island. On the way up the path, we see volcanic formations, lava tubes and lava flow areas. There is not much vegetation on Bartolomé. The highlight is reaching the summit where you have a panoramic view of Sullivan Bay and Pinnacle Rock, perhaps the most famous formation in the Galapagos. For those who did not want to take the hike, an alternate panga ride excursion is offered.
Each time you come back aboard the Eclipse from shore, it is important that you wash the bottoms of your shoes so as not to transport bacteria or seeds from one island to the next. A crewmember mans the hose and makes sure your shoes are clean before you go inside the ship.
This evening as we were finishing dinner, Paolina came to our table to tell us that sharks had been sighted off the back of the ship. We hurried aft and were amazed to see several large Galapagos sharks swimming near the stern of the ship in the clear water illuminated by the ship's spotlights! Our naturalist assured us that these sharks would not hurt humans but I will take her word on that. There was a small sea lion swimming near the sharks and they didn't seem too interested in it so maybe they do only eat fish and plants. It was an amazing sighting to fittingly end an amazing day.
Cerro Dragon – Santa Cruz Island/Rabida Island
 The name Cerro Dragon (Dragon Hill) stems from the fact that this was one of the few sites on Santa Cruz Island where a healthy population of land iguanas were discovered in 1975. After a dry landing at the pier, we hike to a salt water lagoon behind the beach. We hike a narrow trail where we encounter some land iguanas along the way, a couple of them sitting right in the middle of the path making for great photo ops. We carefully step over and around the prehistoric looking reptiles as we make our way around the island. It is pretty warm today with very little wind, so after a couple of hours, we are ready to head back to the boat for lunch.
 Before lunch, we are treated to a Ecuadorian-style ceviche ‘cooking’ demonstration. It was very interesting to see how the raw fish is marinated in lime juice and herbs, mixed with tomatoes and onions and served cold. We all had an opportunity to try it and it was delicious.
After lunch, we had a few hours to relax, work on our blog entries and ready ourselves for the afternoon hike of Rabida Island with its red sand beach.
A mechanical problem with the ship’s anchor put our visit to Rabida Island in jeopardy. The crew worked throughout the day to fix the problem. At one point, things looked bleak and the naturalist guides announced that alternative excursions were being planned due to the problem. However, at the last minute, the crew was able to raise the anchor and the Captain headed full-throttle in the direction of Rabida.
Even though we arrived later than planned, there was time for us to take the panga to Rabida Island for a wet landing on the red sand beach. The dark red sand here is a result of the iron content in the soil. The highlight of our short walk along the beach was the sea lion pup that followed us as we walked. There were other adult sea lions lazing around on the beach, all of which seemed completely disinterested in our curiosity and photo taking.
We spent about 30 minutes on Rabida Island before heading back to M/V Eclipse for dinner.
Tagus Cove/Elizabeth Bay
 This morning the M/V Eclipse is anchored off the island of Isabela. The day starts a little later than normal, thanks to an early power-hike that was offered to those who like that sort of thing. For the rest of us, our wake-up call did not come until 7:45am, an hour later than normal. After our 8am breakfast, it is back to the pangas for a ride around Tagus Cove.
 This is a relatively easy excursion, as it does not involve a landing and/or hike. After being carefully loaded into the panga, we enjoyed a slow sailing around the rocky shores. With blue-footed boobies perched on the ledges of the cliffs, marine iguanas warming themselves on the rocks, and a few playful penguins posing for photos, we spent a little over an hour enjoying the wildlife and the terrain. After the panga ride, those who want to do so are given the opportunity to snorkel at Tagus Cove.
After a quick lunch and brief nap, we are back on the panga to sail around Elizabeth Bay, one of the furthest points of Galapagos visited on our cruise. Here we see flightless cormorants and penguins before venturing into an amazing mangrove ecosystem that is a refuge for sea turtles. The water was so clear and shallow that we could easily spot the huge turtles swimming just underneath the surface. I was even able to get a few underwater photos and video with the Panasonic Lumix I am testing on this trip. It was impressive! It was amazing to see the sea lions perched up in the mangrove trees. We jokingly referred to them as "tree lions"!
After a day filled with panga exploring, we head back to M/V Eclipse to clean up for dinner. We were all surprised tonight with a deck BBQ held in the Al Fresco Dining Area. We gorged ourselves on BBQ pork chops, sausage, steak, chicken and fish. It was a delicious feast under the starlit sky of Galapagos.
Punta Espinosa/Fernandina Island
 The volcano on Fernandina last erupted in 2009. The volcano dominates the landscape with lava fields stretching towards the ocean from its base. Punta Espinoza is a narrow piece of land where some of the most unique Galapagos species can be seen including marine iguanas, flightless cormorants, penguins and the Galapagos hawk.
We no sooner disembarked our panga on Punta Espinosa and shed our life vests when a call came in from the other panga that an Orca had been spotted in the waters near the shore. So, we all scurried back into our panga and set off to track the Orca. It was not too difficult since the male killer whale was huge, probably the largest I have ever seen. We tracked him for at least 20 minutes and watched as he hunted, and eventually killed, a giant sea turtle! It was a violent display and one I desperately tried to catch on video tape, which is no easy task with 12 people stepping all over each other in a small, rocking and rolling panga, all trying to get pictures. Needless to say, the experience was incredible. We were within 20 yards of this huge killer whale when he made his final strike on the doomed turtle. We then got to watch the birds eat the remaining entrails of the turtle.
 After the impromptu whale show, it was back to Punta Espinoza where we walked along the lava shores amongst thousands of marine iguanas. They are everywhere, just laying around trying to warm themselves on the hot lava rock. We have to be careful not to step on them, because they are almost the same color as the lava and they have no fear of humans, so they will not run away. You can literally get within inches of them to take pictures, even though the park authorities ask that you respect their space.
After about an hour on Punta Espinoza, everyone was getting pretty hot from the sun and ready to get back to the ship for lunch. Today, another surprise, the crew has prepared an Ecuadorian buffet in the Al Fresco Dining Area for us. The succulent whole roasted piglet overshadowed the Ecuadorian ceviche, yucca, and hominy with eggs. It was Rickee’s favorite meal of the trip!
Punta Vicente Roca – Isabela Island
This afternoon we enjoyed another relaxing panga ride to look for whales and the elusive sunfish (Mola-mola). The whales were nowhere to be found, but we did spot five sunfish just below the surface with their long shark-like fins periodically poking out of the water. These sunfish are huge, perhaps 5 feet in diameter. Today we celebrate crossing the equator with sushi served on the aft deck and a celebration at the navigational bridge.
Charles Darwin Research Station and Highlands – Santa Cruz Island
 The Charles Darwin Research Station offers an insight into the huge efforts being made by scientists, guides, rangers and park managers to preserve this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
There are a variety of huge Galapagos tortoises that are the islands’ namesake. After the visit to the research station, we have time to stroll into Puerto Ayora to explore the many shops, cafes and restaurants. This is the first opportunity since leaving Quito to get Internet access, so I wasted no time in finding an Internet café to check email. The little town is easy to walk around, the locals are friendly and many speak, or at least understand English. And, the Ecuadorian currency is the U.S. Dollar, which makes shopping easy. Next we board a bus for a trip to the Highlands to visit the giant tortoises. It was drizzling rain and the landscape became more lush and green as we traveled from the coast to the Highlands. Our destination was a private farm that bordered on the National Park. We spotted several large tortoises as we walked the trails. A brief stop at a lava tube/tunnel ended this excursion and we went back to the dock to board the panga back to the ship for lunch. Several people opted to stay in Puerto Ayora to dine there. We were finally able to get a cell signal here and make a call home.
After lunch on board the ship, we take the panga back to Puerto Ayora for some extended shopping this afternoon and a trip to the post office to mail some postcards. The postcards were four for $1 and it cost $2 each in postage to mail them to the U.S.! It rained off and on, cooling down the temperature considerably.
Española Island
 This morning M/V Eclipse is anchored off the coast of Española Island near Gardner Bay. The white sand beach is visible from the starboard side of the ship. A short panga ride takes guests to the beach where swimming and snorkeling with sea lions is a favorite activity. It is very sunny and warm on the beach, yet the water can be quite cool. Fortunately, the ship offers complimentary use of wet suits and snorkel gear.
After lunch, the M/V Eclipse is repositioned near Punta Suarez, one of the most popular and attractive sites in the Galapagos. It’s extreme isolation from other islands has resulted in a high proportion of endemic fauna. In addition to the marine iguanas, which now seem to be everywhere we visit, we hike further inland where we find nests of Nasca and blue-footed boobies. The trail continues toward a blowhole, a fissure in the lava that sends the crashing waves shooting into the air like a geyser. Española is also home to 10,000 to 12,000 pairs of albatrosses, representing the entire population of this species on the planet.
The afternoon hike is perhaps the most grueling of the entire trip, and the most rewarding. The terrain is extremely rugged, mostly along trails dotted with large lava rocks and stones. Good hiking shoes or tennis shoes are a must here. Even with the assistance of walking sticks, two of our shipmates slipped and fell, hurting their wrists. In spite of it, they both agreed they would do the hike again given the chance.
On this hike, we walk right by nests of blue-footed boobies, albatross and Nasca boobies. Because it is late in the afternoon, the sun is in the perfect position for great photos and video footage. By the time we leave Punta Suarez, the sun is setting on Española Island.
Black Turtle Cove - Santa Cruz Island/ Disembarkation
Black Turtle Cove is one of the most beautiful marine sites in Galapagos, a complex maze of salt-water inlets surrounded by three different species of mangrove. This site is only accessible by panga and is a resting site for sea turtles, rays and sharks. For those who are up early and want one last excursion before leaving the ship, the panga ride to Black Turtle Cove is available. These folks are back on board in time for breakfast.
Suggested Tipping Guidelines
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| $5 per person per day for the A&K Tour Guide (if you use A&K), $100-$200 per person/per trip for the M/V Eclipse crew and $40-$80 per person/per trip for the naturalist guides.
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Luggage had to be outside the cabin by 8:15am and is taken to the airport separately from the passengers. We keep our hand luggage with us and put it in the Lounge until we leave the ship. After breakfast, Antonio tells us that he is going to the airport with our luggage to be sure it is checked in properly and also he will get our boarding passes for us. Yet another benefit of traveling with A&K! In the meantime, the second part of the BBC documentary about the Galapagos is shown in the Lounge to pass the time until we leave the ship to head to the airport. It was finally time to bid farewell to the M/V Eclipse and board the panga that would take us to the dock to board the bus to the airport. People were boarded into the panga first, then the hand luggage. The short ride to the dock went quickly as did the bus ride to the airport. At the airport, we were met by Antonio who gave us our boarding passes and the naturalists took our passports to get a National Park stamp in them. Antonio told us to wait in the VIP Lounge after clearing security, where the A&K group will be escorted to the aircraft first before general boarding begins. Nice!
 For some reason, when we arrived in Guayaquil this time, we had to deplane and wait inside the terminal for about thirty minutes. Then it was a short flight to Quito where Antonio gathered the group's luggage and Eddie was waiting with the van for the trip back to the Swissotel. There we were greeted with welcome fruit drinks and caviar while Antonio took care of checking us in. A&K had planned a farewell dinner for our group of six that evening in the hotel's French restaurant. Again, we had the entire restaurant to ourselves and the food and service were impeccable. It was a great ending to a wonderful trip.
Antonio and Eddie picked us up at 6:15 the next morning for our 9:45am flight to Miami. Antonio gave us the $40.80 each to pay the departure tax at the airport (included for A&K guests) and instructed us on where to go as he could not go past passport control. As part of the A&K service, we had access to the airport VIP lounge while waiting for our flight.
The Galapagos Islands is a magical destination and A&K makes the trip even more enjoyable by removing all the hassles and taking care of all the details. A cruise on Ocean Adventures' M/V Eclipse is a comfortable and enjoyable way to see the Galapagos.
Who Is This Trip A Good Fit For?
Anyone who loves wildlife will absolutely love Galapagos. However, a trip to this magical destination comes with a few caveats. All islands are reached by pangas (zodiacs) which means guests must be able to climb in and out of the panga safely. There are a few "wet" landings, and even some of the "dry" landings can be tricky. If you have mobility issues or serious physical limitations, you may miss a lot of what Galapagos has to offer. There are no wheelchair facilities on any of the islands. Some of the hiking can be quite strenuous, and good hiking boots or sneakers with good soles are an absolute must. If you have concerns, check with A&K or your travel agent for more detailed information.
| It is common in the travel industry for journalists to be provided with complimentary cruise accommodations, and in some cases, hotel accommodations, for the purpose of a review. While it has not influenced this review, CruiseReport.com adheres to a strict policy of full disclosure to all potential conflicts of interest. For more information, please refer to our Ethics Guidelines |
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