Location: Isla Santa Cruz
Greetings everyone, your favorite blog writer is back, substituting for Charlie, the nepotism baby of the Galpagos, because his skipper day just so happened to be his day off, and therefore he cannot writetonight’ss blog. So yes, worry not, your favorite (and far superior) SkylAr is back at the keyboard.
Our wonderful day began as soon as breakfast ended. We boarded our loyal steeds (dinghies), Nopadome and Plaai, and we most certainly didn’t race them to the dock (our dinghy lost, but Nick got the last say in spraying everyone down), hopped on the dock, and our day on solid land began.
And so commences our journey to the Charles Darwin Research Station, but we are slowed down due to an apparently very important side quest (coffee shop). Turned out not to hinder us at all, because we learned we did in fact need a guide to enter the national park, who would be ready for us in half an hour. In this downtime, I have my own side quest to Chocolapagos, where I got exactly two (2) delicious chocolates shaped like a sea turtle and a seahorse. I also stumbled into a random shop, and little did I know how important that little souvenir shop would become to me. But let me stick with the chronological timeline, and we will revisit this shop later together, just like I did. For now, let’s focus on what happened when we regrouped to resume our quest.
Finally, the time reaches 10:30 am, and we’re following a guide through the National Park to the Charles Darwin Research Center. As we walked through the nature, we saw a gold finch, and we were reminded of Charlie’s mother, whose specialty is gold finches. We visited the Conservation Info Center and scoured for photos of Charlie’s dad, whose specialty is giant tortoise conservation. Alas, we found no photos, but all the staff recognized the Blake last name. We aren’t kidding when we say Charlie and his family are basically celebrities here.
As we traveled deeper down the route of the tortoises, we saw our first giant tortoises in the breeding centerexcept they did not quite live up to their”giant name yet, as they were only a few years old. So we’ll cut them some slack and see how big they are in 80-90 years when they reach their final size. Then we saw even tinier” giant tortoises that were only two weeks old, and ohhhh, they were precious little babies that could probably fit in your hands. I wonder if they are yet aware of just how big they will grow. I wonder if it will be a surprise for them, as it is for human kids who experience being older and taller for the first time, or I wonder if they have an innate sense that tells them “someday I will be much, much bigger than I am now”
And then. THEN. Finally, we saw full-grown giant tortoises. I wish I could bottle the surprise of everyone when they saw those living giants with their own eyes for the first time. In the moment you first see a giant tortoise as a fully evolved pokmon, you finally realize just how big they are. Until you see one before you, you just can’t wrap your head around just how big they are. To see a giant tortoise with your own eyes is an experience I wish everyone could have someday. It deserves to be universal. Tragic that Charlie’s experience of being able to ride a giant tortoise at age six (nepotism baby of the Galapagos privileges) is not universal, and probably not replicable, so we are just going to have to use our imaginations for that one.
We also learned about Solitario GeorgeLonesome George. The last Pinta Giant Tortoise. It’s a sad story, a story of the last individual of his kind, wiped out by colonizers who cared not for protecting the land, an individual unable to rekindle the embers of the dying flame that was his species. And yet he is seen as a symbolism of hope. He is seen as a sign to not let this happen again, a wake-up call to the world, to make sure that there are no more Lonesome Georges, whose kind end with them as they leave this world. We saw Lonesome George’s taxidermied body, neck outstretched, head held high, and I can understand why people can see him as a symbol of hope, even though his story has a sad ending. He does not have a future, but his story is still being told, so even though his mind and body have passed on, his soul will be immortal. We cannot rekindle the long-burnt embers of the Pinta Giant Tortoise, but we can prevent other flames from fading to embers. That’ss why conservation is so important. That’s why we need people like Charlie’s parents and everyone else who is passionate about saving the planet. I am choosing to have faith in humanity, to believe that more are interested in saving the planet than not. Hopefully, a new generation will be inspired to go into conservation, and we will be the custodians of the Earth who help her heal. We can’t undo every wrong, can’t bring back Lonesome George, but we can protect what we still have, give hope to all those who are still here.
Our last stop is the Natural History Collection Center, where we learn about the history of the Galpagos, about Charles Darwin (who our Charlie is apparently not named after), and the history of the Research Foundation. There are tortoise shellsperfect size for Ania big whale jaw, and a small whale skeleton. That Dwarf Sperm Whale had finger bones just like we do. Although our homes are greatly different, we are still mammals made of the same building blocks. If evolution had not taken course, in another life, we could have held hands. And yet, despite our differences, mammals of the sea and mammals of the land, we have the same origins, for in the beginning, we were all children of the sea. Although animals of the land are a bit farther removed from their origin, we all have water inside us. Even we, the terrestrial animals, deep down we are still all children of the sea. And nothing will change that.
Many of us bought souvenirs at the Research Center. For indeed, all the money is going to a good cause. I do recommend that all you readers at home check out the website of the Charles Darwin Research Foundation, and check out what they are all about. Learn something new. And maybe donate a bit if you have the means to, even if it’s just a little.It’s all going to a good cause, to help keep a unique ecosystem alive that can’t be found anywhere else in the world.
At 12:30, we are released to have some free time before we regroup later in the afternoon. First stop for many: Chocolapagos, as it should be. I will recount my personal time in these hours later, but first, I shall focus on the group, for the group always comes first.
At 16:00/4 pm we meet again at the Santa Cruz Brewerywhich claimed to be the oldest Brewery in the Galpagosfor a sign out night (afternoon). We were not waist-deep in the water, but there was still fun, social hour, good music and food, and some very competitive foosball. Drinkers and non-drinkers alike were able to coexist and have fun together. The energy was high, and the group was united. Sorting through the tab was chaotic, but we made it through. We proceeded to the dock to return to Argo, sweet Argo. Had the most terrifying dinghy ride of my life. I’m just being dramatic, but imagine this: it’s getting dark, the water is choppy, and Rachel is driving the dinghy faster than you’ve ever felt the dinghy go. You too would be clutching the ropes inside. We are all united for a delicious pizza dinner, except for Shane and Charlie, who are still enjoying their day off. As substitute skippers, Ani and I hone the group, and agree upon a squeeze question together:”What is one way, big or small, that you want to help the planet, whether the planet or the people” I encourage all of you to ponder this as well, for there are many ways each and every one of us can help make the planet a better place.
I have now completed the section of the blog where I recount the story of the group today. If you are interested in hearing a bit about my personal adventures I’mm getting kinda tired, so this sectionwon’tt take too long, I promise), you are invited to continue reading.
My first marine iguana of the day was at 9 am9:09 according to the time stamp of the first picture I took.I’m not quite sure why, but the marine iguanas send a rush of serotonin through my system. I was delighted when I saw more. I know they are not cute to many people, Charles Darwin included, but I adore them. Cuteness must be in the eye of the beholder as well as beauty what I wouldn’t give to be a marine iguana, living in the best place on Earth, sunbathing all day, feeding on algae, sneezing salt. Having cuddle piles. Being the only iguana in the world to be a marine animal.
Unfortunately, I could not become a marine iguana because adaptation and evolution don’t work that fast, but luckily, I did the next best thing: in those three hours of free time, I spent the majority of it with the marine iguanasat the respectable distance of 2 meters that is. I walked across a wooden bridge and was blessed with not one, not two, but THREE tiny marine iguanas. And they weren’t the only ones I saw. See, in a world of capitalismgift shops, restaurants, tour companieschoose hanging out with the marine iguanas.It’ss completely free. Me, the marine iguanas, the seait was a vibe. Honestly, more of a vibe to me than a vibrant bar. So not everyone agrees, but in my humble opinion, Marine Iguana Ville > MargaritaVille.
On this bridge, I also got to see pelicans in the trees. Not just any treesmangroves. Even in this land of unique endemic species, we can still find mangroves. I have developed a deep appreciation for mangroves over time. As a species of trees that provides shelter, nurseries, feeding grounds, and is a protective barrier, it makes me happy to see mangroves alive and well. And in a way, we are all like the mangrove’s rootswe are all connected, intertwined, integral to each other. We exist as a community, and a community is the most beautiful thing in the world.
So here is where that little souvenir shop from earlier comes into play. So this morning, I went in there while the owner was in the back. When she came out of the back room, I accidentally startled her because she wasn’t expecting to see me. Luckily, we had a good laugh and conversed a bit. Her name is Mara. I told her that I would return after visiting the Charles Darwin Research Center, and return I didafter spending time with the marine iguanas, that is. She was happy to see me back. She invited me to sit down, and we had a lovely conversation about our lives. We have had different lived experiences for sure, but we both have dreams, we know how to laugh, and we know how to appreciate human connection. She has a son who is my age, whom I heard a lot about but did not get to meet. She has five children, in fact, all in university, and she’s proud of them all. She asked me what I study, what I want to do when I get a job, and I told her that I’m studying marine biology and want to get into conservation work. She said that the Galpagos is the perfect place for me. I agreed with her. We conversed exclusively in Spanish, and I only got lost a couple of times. Turns out she speaks Quechua, and she taught me a few words of her dialect of Quechua spoken in Sacasala, Ecuador. She taught me how to say”ciel” (sky)Howapacha (take this romanization with a grain of salt, this language was not meant for the written word). I also learned two ways to say goodbye: cayecama, which means “see you soon”, andif I remember correctlytusugrecama, which means” see you later, as in see you in a long time from now”. The last thing I said to her was cayecama. I hope I can make good on my promise. It’sbeautiful to me how connected humanity is. We are wired to be social creatures, and we are made to make deep connections. I hope I keep making connections like this everywhere I go. I think everyone needs friends who come from different countries, different cultures, different walks of life. The world needs a healthy dose of open-mindedness and a willingness to learn about the world around you.
And it’s not just humanity that is connected; it’s all life. We are all carbon-based life forms on this strange rock hurtling through space. We are more alike than we are not alike. We all originated from the sea. And yet, no matter where we went when we left the sea, ventured farther, we all ended up here, on this island in the middle of the Pacific. Some of us are just visiting, some have planted roots. No matter the length of our stay, the stars aligned for us to all be here at this exact moment, and I believe there is a lot of beauty in that.
So there’s my blog of the day. I’m grateful for all I experienced today, both on the group’s journey and my personal journey, and I cannot wait to see how we grow, evolve, and adapt next.
Best fishes (there are many benefits to being a marine biologist),
~Skylar W
PS. Dear Charlie (Blake, not Darwin) sorry for stealing your blog day. I’m actually not too sorry because I love writing the blogs. But I know that you love writing the blogs too. Worry not, in honor of you, I wrote a Charlie-sized blog and mentioned you a lot. I hope you like the title I gave you. Hope you had a great day off being back home.
PPS. The stars have aligned for me to start watching One Piece (live action) season 2 tonight, so you know where I’ll be when Im done proofreading this blog, so dont have as many typos as SkylEr. I still think Nick should watch IakGodoy’s show, but it’s his loss if he doesnt. I, for one, am excited to see the next adventures of the Straw Hats, I’m just excited to see our next adventures.