The Spirit Of Travel

Snorkelling in the Galapagos

By Anne Morris

Dear fellow travellers,

Here’s something a little “out of the way” thank you Anne for giving us an insight on what’s possible on the Galapagos.

Famous for being the part of the studies Charles Darwin conducted, the Galapagos Islands has come to be known as the “living laboratory of evolution”. The archipelago is comprised of thirteen volcanic islands, six small islands and one hundred and seven rocky islets. It is considered to be the first islands formed due to continental drift five million years or more ago.

The Galapagos Islands are home to a vast amount of wildlife and fauna. Aside from this, tourists are attracted by the numerous snorkeling sites. The following three locations are great examples of what is available on the islands.

* Floreana Island

This is the sixth largest island in the archipelago. It has three visitor sites for snorkeling on the northern coast. The first is Post Office Bay. This bay has a small beach full of white sands. There is a makeshift barrel set up there with rustic and international appeal. Near by are the remains of a canning factory, a swimming pool, a soccer field and a larva tunnel.

The second visitor site is called Punta Cormorant. The bay has a brown sand bed with a green tint. This green color is from the olivine crystals located in the area. Punta Cormanant is home to several sea lions, and crabs. It has a view of a flamingo lagoon. Devil’s crown makes the last visitor site. This is made of the remains of a volcanic cone partially submerged. There are plenty of turtles, rays and white tipped sharks to be seen in this area.

* Genovesa Island

This island is not usually on the tourist’s itinerary but if you want to experience great snorkeling sessions this is a place to spend some time. There are two destinations on this island: the Prince Philip Steps and Darwin Bay. To get to Darwin bay, there is a trail that last three fourths of a kilometer towards the mangrove patches.

The patches are a main destination for many land birds such as the Nazca Boobies and the swallow-tailed gulls. They are also home to a number of sea lions. The Prince Philip Steps are a one kilometer trek inland through Palo Santo vegetation. Here you will find endemic swallows and doves. It is also a nesting place for numerous seabirds and the short eared owls.

* San Cristobel Island

Unlike the other islands, San Cristobel Island allows a visitor to see how the environment and its inhabitants interact. There plenty of examples of colonial architecture and plantation to visit. Located on the southeast coast of the Galapagos Islands with a freshwater lagoon and extensive beach, it is another wonderful place to go snorkeling. The capital is Puerto Baquerizo Moreno and you can reach this island by boat from Puerto Ayora or by plane from Baltra.

Till next time!

Cheers

Barbara

About the Author: Anne Morris writes articles about travel. Discover more information about travel at http://www.adventurekick.com and http://www.snorkelcentral.com.

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