Passport to Galapagos Adventure

TEXT AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN FRINK

Trip log, Galapagos Islands, February 1994: "We awoke to another fine sunny morning with calm seas. The circular monolith known as Roca Redonda loomed in the distance and visions of even more shark encounters heightened our anticipation. Hammerheads reputedly school in profusion here and our group of underwater photographers hoped to document the phenomenon.

As the Lammer Law crew set the anchor in the lee of the island, we saw the surface of the sea rent by dozens of shark fins. For most prudent divers this would be sufficient motivation to read a book on the sundeck but, for us, it meant a world-class photo opportunity and so we clambered aboard the inflatables for the short run to the dive site.
At the count of three we did backroll entries from the pangas. Upon clearing my facemask, I was startled to find myself among a school of Steel Pompano at the surface. As I exited their silvery mass, another other shiny congregate awaited, this time at least 1,000 Barracuda packed tightly together. Although the formation was circular, given the sheer quantity of fish it was too wide to shoot in silhouette as I would have liked because the depth was only 40 feet Occasionally, the curtain of fish would part long enough to get a glimpse of a Hammerhead or Galapagos Shark swimming through the school but seemingly oblivious to any predatory behavior. Only with great restraint did I limit the number of frames exposed on the Barracuda. The Hammerheads still beckoned and I swam off in pursuit. Just seaward of the schooling Barracuda were the Hammerheads, scores of them swimming in a sort of synchronized submarine ballet I know from experience to be careful with my approach, a careless exhaust bubble would send the sharks beyond effective camera range. So, I found a barnacle encrusted boulder surrounded by Creolefish and settled in to wait.

Before long the school moved inexorably closer. I found I could hold my breath until the leading edge of the school got within five or six feet and get off a few shots before my screaming lungs required replenishment The bubbles would frighten them temporarily but their numbers were so staggering that new sharks would soon swim into view. They don't seem to be as skittish here as other Scalloped Hammerheads I've photographed and, as I left the shelter of the rock and drifted with the current, another cluster of sharks swam by, headed against the flow.

Here were more and better opportunities for shark photos. My film was quickly spent and, as is typical of such predicaments, I then swam into a school of at least 30 Galapagos Sharks without a single frame to show for it. Between the Steel Pompano, Barracuda, Hammerheads, Creolefish, King Angels, wrasse, moray eels and turtles, I hardly knew which way to point the camera. This first dive at Roca Redonda revealed as much concentrated marine life as I had ever seen in any ocean, which, of course, is why I came back to the Galapagos.

This excerpt from my trip log was written during my second visit to the Galapagos. I had been aboard Lammer Law in February of 1994 on assignment for SKIN DIVER (see the July 1993 issue) and I so enjoyed the trip I chartered the entire boat for a photo tour the same time the next year. That's about as sincere an endorsement as is possible for any dive experience and, amazingly, this year's exceeded my expectations.

THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS

Surrounded by the Pacific Ocean some 1,000 kilometers off the coast of Ecuador (northwest coast of South America), the volcanic Galapagos Islands are both accessible and exotic. The archipelago was discovered in 1535 when Tomas de Berlanga, the Bishop of Panama, drifted off course en route to Peru from Panama. In his report to the king of Spain he referenced the giant tortoise, or galapaga, hence the name of this group of 13 major islands, 6 small islands and scores of islets.

Five of the islands are inhabited (total population about 14,000 in 1991 and growing at 15 percent annually) and annual tourism is estimated to exceed 60,000 people. The most famous visitor to these islands was Charles Darwin in 1835 aboard the Beagle but, today, most tourists arrive aboard 727 jet aircraft. Most North Americans fly into either Guayaquil, a bustling seaport, or Quito, the nation's capital, amid the Andes at 9,000 feet. I much prefer Quito for the obligatory overnight stay before catching the morning flight to the Galapagos.

Unlike Cocos Island, which is accessible only by boat, usually about a 38 hour ride, the Galapagos is only an hour and a half away from the coast by air. Upon arrival Lammer Law guests are met by the naturalist/dive instructor from the vessel and assisted through entry formalities (which include an $80 National Park fee and a $30 municipal tax for San Cristobal Island, site of the airport). A waiting bus will transport the group to the Lammer Law, sitting in a sheltered cove just 10 minutes from the airport.

THE LAMMER LAW

The Lammer Law was built in Canada by owner/designer Duncan Muirhead in 1980 and she and her sister ship Cuan Law are the world's largest trimarans. At 93 feet long on deck by 42 feet wide, her size and the trihull design provide extreme stability, both at anchor and underway. While most of the cruising within the Central Islands is relatively protected, the crossing to the Northern Islands of Wolf and Darwin is open ocean and the seaworthy Lammer Law is both comfortable and very safe.

There are nine double staterooms on board and each can be set up with a double bed or twins. Individually controlled airconditioners, vents, windows, private head and shower and 110 volt electric outlets are in each cabin and common facilities include a massive main salon with wetbar and complimentary soda gun and an audio/visual entertainment center. A slide projector is on board but there is no film processing capability. Dining is outside on the canopied aft deck and apres dive snacks are served daily. A competent and friendly crew of 10, including 2 instructor/park guides, cared for our group of 18 divers.

A pair of Zodiac inflatables handled the frequent shore excursions and most of the dives. We would climb down the sturdy ramp and be assisted aboard the pangas for the five to ten minute ride to the dive site. Occasionally, we would dive from Lammer Law. Her clever dive platform and extended ladders are quite convenient. Tank racks and individual gear storage areas keep the dive deck from being cluttered and, below decks, four air compressors efficiently pump the 3,000 psi aluminum 80s. A pair of 3208 Caterpillar engines usually powers the vessel, although, occasionally, we would sail if conditions and schedules allowed. In addition, this impressive vessel offers two watermakers, two generators, a complete galley and a workshop and an engineer skilled in fixing anything that might go wrong. Backups for backups and quality staff are great comforts on charters and the Lammer Law has a good supply of each.

THE ITINERARY

The Galapagos National Park is very concerned about the human impact on its islands and requires all charter boats to file an itinerary so land visits are not overcrowded and they have a general idea of where each boat is at any given time. Diving is less rigidly structured and can be modified if local conditions require but, for the most part, your Galapagos itinerary will be fixed before leaving the dock.

For this year's cruise I wanted to make a few adjustments to our schedule in order to try out some dive sites not normally included but that had been recommended by a friend. I discussed the options with Delores and Eduardo Diez of Quasar Nautica, Lammer Law's Ecuadoran partner and one of the most respected travel specialists for the Galapagos Islands and mainland Ecuador. They were excited to try something a little different and, under their guidance, we enjoyed a marvelous 10 days on charter. The following are a few highlights from this year's cruise:

DAY 1: After boarding the boat, we headed out to Isla Lobos for our checkout dive. The water is cool in the Galapagos and most of us were wearing heavier wetsuits than normal, so this first dive with the sea lions was a good opportunity to check our buoyancy. (This year the water temperatures ranged from 60 to 78 degrees F, depending on the island and prevailing currents. A hooded vest is important and a one-quarter inch wetsuit is recommended.) The visibility is not great here but the sea lions could not have been friendlier. They often came within a foot of me and, when I had the housed camera with the large dome port, they would often come closer to stare at their reflections.

DAY 2: At Kickers Rock there was ample close-up and macro photo potential but the visibility was not great for wide angle. Schools of King Angels and Creolefish lined the U/W fissures and moray eels were abundant. I was soon to find morays and turtles common throughout the islands. A later dive at Five Fingers provided a huge school of Yellowtail Surgeonfish, eels and a wide variety of blennies and gobies.

We did our first shore excursion at Isla Lobos, photographing many of the same sea lions we had already met underwater but, this time, in the warm afternoon light topside. Marine iguanas made willing subjects. The group was thrilled with the terrestrial beauty of these islands.

DAY 3: At Cousins Rock we had a nice encounter with Spotted Eagle Rays, schooling Hammerheads and plenty of morays. There was great sea lion action amid endemic Black Coral and, while I did not get the shot I had in my mind's eye, the sea lions tucked in these rocky shelves are a Galapagos signature.

During the surface interval we went to Bartolome to snorkel with the Galapagos penguins. This is the northernmost range of penguins and they are quick in the water. I got a few shots of them underwater last year, so this year I concentrated on topside and we found a nice grouping of three that tolerated our photo frenzy.

DAY 4: Marchena Island is not normally on the Lammer Law itinerary but the diving is so good it probably will be in the future. The visibility was better than 80 feet when we jumped into the water at Punta Espejo to view Cow-nosed Rays, turtles, schooling Hammerheads and massive schools of Blue-striped Snappers and Yellowtail Grunts. There were more morays here than anywhere, swimming freely and tucked in crevices in pairs and triples. Marchena brought the kind of action we came to the Galapagos for and we made three dives there this day. Each was excellent!

DAY 5: We ran 10 hours overnight to Wolf Island. Last year this was one of my favorite dives of the trip, with visibility in excess of 100 feet, but this year we had less than 30. This is a comment on the variability of the Galapagos and the bizarre currents that feed these nutrient enriched waters. The dives here were still great, with plenty of sharks, turtles and schooling fish but without the clear water to appreciate it we headed two hours north to Darwin Island.

DAY 6: For the rest of Days 5 and 6 we dived Darwin's Arch at Darwin Island. Our first sight was a Costa Rican longline fishing boat violating the National Park prohibition against taking sharks. We raised a stink, made them cut their line and then went in the water to free the sharks already caught. We saved several Galapagos Sharks this day but there needs to be enforcement to preserve this wonderful marine life. The Ecuadoran government has its heart in the right place but these magic waters need more than rules and good wishes. They need patrol boats and aggressive officers to keep illegal fishing out!

Once we entered the water we better understood how much there is to protect. This is Pelagic City, with good visibility (the water clarity is always best early in the morning) and warm water (78 degrees F). The stars of this show are obviously the Hammerheads, although Whale Sharks cruise by with some regularity. Those with the discipline to pick the protection of a rock along the drop-off, control their breathing and wait, will get the best shots.

DAY 7: At Roca Redonda it was 68 degrees F last year, so it was a pleasure to dive in 75 degrees F water this year. This was everyone's favorite dive site of this trip, although last year it was a toss up between Wolf and Darwin.

DAY 8: Punta Vicente offers wonderful close-up and macro opportunities, with several different blennies, anemones, nudibranchs and hawkfish. This is an amazing night dive as well, with Frogfish and sleeping turtles thrown in for good measure. They call this area "The Icebox," so come prepared for 60 degrees F water. Later, at Punta Espinosa, we snorkeled with the marine iguanas and made a land visit notable for the incredible number of iguanas and sea lions dotting this ancient lava flow. Finally, we dived at Tagus Cove, specifically to photograph the Red-lipped Batfish in the sand beneath the boat.

DAY 9: We dived at Isla Albany for one last chance to swim with sea lions. Here they were very friendly but those who abandoned wide angle were rewarded with wonderful blennies popping out of abandoned barnacles. Later we made a land excursion at Fur Sea Lion Grotto on Santiago Island. The topside photo potential was amazing and those who carried snorkel gear enjoyed the opportunity to get up close to the sea lions in a protected ocean pool.

DAY 10: On our final day we went ashore at Santa Cruz to visit the Darwin Station. There we learned more about the conservation efforts and history of the islands, as well as photographed the giant tortoises for which the islands were named. This last day ashore gave us time to offgas, a prudent precaution since the next day we would be in Quito at 9,000 feet and shopping for incredible values on woven fabrics at the famed Otavalo Marketplace and leather goods at Cotacachi.

In retrospect, this was a wonderful travel experience for our entire group, one I will be sure to repeat again in the near future. There is so much for any photographer or nature lover to see that multiple visits are almost mandatory. You'll never see it all, but the Lammer Law will make sure what you do see is seen in comfort, safety and with considerable professionalism.

For information and reservations contact the Lammer Law care of the Trimarine Boat Company at (800) 648-3393 or (809) 4942490. Fax inquiries can be directed to (809) 494-5774 and mail to P.O. Box 4065, St. Thomas, USVI 00803.