gatordoc
hopelessly addicted...
- Joined
- Jan 29, 2007
At the Quito airport awaiting our flight home and wanted to post some quick thoughts.
Overall, the Galápagos Islands are amazing! If you want to see all manner of fascinating species from land, sea, and air (and up close and personal) there’s really nothing that compares. I do however, want to post a few caveats for people to keep in mind that don’t show up in the official literature or in trip reports I’ve read.
First, the expedition ship experience is unlike any we’ve sailed before. It resembles a river cruise ship, but is sailing in open ocean, and in fact never docks for the duration of the trip. It’s either moving or anchored offshore. The result is that it rocks continuously, and often a LOT. I’ve been on large cruise ships in 16-18 foot seas, and their motion was nothing compared to a couple of days on the expedition cruise. Everything in the bathrooms was flying around, things in the cabin were hitting the floor, and we seriously felt at risk of falling out of bed one night. And even when at anchor, the motion can be significant. The crew told us this was not unusual, as there are very strong currents in the area. I’ve never been seasick and was not on this trip, but quite a few people (and not just passengers) were very uncomfortable, missed meals, etc. So if ship motion can potentially affect you, please be sure that you bring and use whatever remedy is best for you (my wife uses scopolamine patches, which have been a miracle for her, but those don’t work for everyone).
Second, because the ship never docks, the only way on and off to the various islands, snorkeling spots, etc. are panga boats. These are inflatables that hold 10-12 people with an outboard motor. No seats - everyone just sits around the edge with bags, equipment, etc. in the middle. Getting on one from the ship requires good mobility and balance. The crew are great at helping you, but there were a few very difficult experiences for people when the seas were choppy. Sometimes snorkeling happens directly from the panga, so that means entering the water by jumping/falling in, and returning using a portable ladder. And landings on the islands may be dry or wet. Dry landings generally involve climbing out onto rocks, while wet landings involve swinging your legs over the side into the water at a beach.
Third, there is a lot of walking over uneven ground on the islands. They’re all volcanic in origin, and while there are some dirt paths, many consist of very uneven (and sharp) rock that require decent balance to navigate (walking sticks are available to help). There’s also a good bit of climbing up and down, mostly on rock “stairs”. Also keep in mind that you are not allowed to bring any food or drink other than water onto the islands, and there are no bathrooms. So you need to be able to last up to 2-3 hours under those conditions.
Fourth, some of the snorkeling really is only for strong swimmers. We’ve snorkeled around the world in all kinds of conditions, but one of the spots on this trip was the roughest water we’ve ever snorkeled in. And also keep in mind that the water is relatively cold (mid 60s to low 70s depending on time of year). Wetsuits as well as some pretty good snorkeling gear are provided.
Please don’t read this as my trying to discourage people from going. My wife and I are in our mid-50s and are moderately active at best, and we successfully navigated all parts of the trip (though I did sort of roll and fall into the panga once after snorkeling and my wife did take a minor fall once on some uneven rock - we both emerged unscathed). It really is an amazing trip, but it’s always best to be prepared for some of the challenges that may arise. So do your research (we were there in the dry, cool season but some may prefer the warm, wet season), talk to people who’ve been there, etc. I’d be happy to try to answer other questions if people have them.
Overall, the Galápagos Islands are amazing! If you want to see all manner of fascinating species from land, sea, and air (and up close and personal) there’s really nothing that compares. I do however, want to post a few caveats for people to keep in mind that don’t show up in the official literature or in trip reports I’ve read.
First, the expedition ship experience is unlike any we’ve sailed before. It resembles a river cruise ship, but is sailing in open ocean, and in fact never docks for the duration of the trip. It’s either moving or anchored offshore. The result is that it rocks continuously, and often a LOT. I’ve been on large cruise ships in 16-18 foot seas, and their motion was nothing compared to a couple of days on the expedition cruise. Everything in the bathrooms was flying around, things in the cabin were hitting the floor, and we seriously felt at risk of falling out of bed one night. And even when at anchor, the motion can be significant. The crew told us this was not unusual, as there are very strong currents in the area. I’ve never been seasick and was not on this trip, but quite a few people (and not just passengers) were very uncomfortable, missed meals, etc. So if ship motion can potentially affect you, please be sure that you bring and use whatever remedy is best for you (my wife uses scopolamine patches, which have been a miracle for her, but those don’t work for everyone).
Second, because the ship never docks, the only way on and off to the various islands, snorkeling spots, etc. are panga boats. These are inflatables that hold 10-12 people with an outboard motor. No seats - everyone just sits around the edge with bags, equipment, etc. in the middle. Getting on one from the ship requires good mobility and balance. The crew are great at helping you, but there were a few very difficult experiences for people when the seas were choppy. Sometimes snorkeling happens directly from the panga, so that means entering the water by jumping/falling in, and returning using a portable ladder. And landings on the islands may be dry or wet. Dry landings generally involve climbing out onto rocks, while wet landings involve swinging your legs over the side into the water at a beach.
Third, there is a lot of walking over uneven ground on the islands. They’re all volcanic in origin, and while there are some dirt paths, many consist of very uneven (and sharp) rock that require decent balance to navigate (walking sticks are available to help). There’s also a good bit of climbing up and down, mostly on rock “stairs”. Also keep in mind that you are not allowed to bring any food or drink other than water onto the islands, and there are no bathrooms. So you need to be able to last up to 2-3 hours under those conditions.
Fourth, some of the snorkeling really is only for strong swimmers. We’ve snorkeled around the world in all kinds of conditions, but one of the spots on this trip was the roughest water we’ve ever snorkeled in. And also keep in mind that the water is relatively cold (mid 60s to low 70s depending on time of year). Wetsuits as well as some pretty good snorkeling gear are provided.
Please don’t read this as my trying to discourage people from going. My wife and I are in our mid-50s and are moderately active at best, and we successfully navigated all parts of the trip (though I did sort of roll and fall into the panga once after snorkeling and my wife did take a minor fall once on some uneven rock - we both emerged unscathed). It really is an amazing trip, but it’s always best to be prepared for some of the challenges that may arise. So do your research (we were there in the dry, cool season but some may prefer the warm, wet season), talk to people who’ve been there, etc. I’d be happy to try to answer other questions if people have them.
