DESTINATION FOCUS
THE GALAPAGOS NATURE CALENDAR
The Dry season is offi cially July- December, but it is still largely dry all year. Brief rain showers occur in the afternoons during the Wet season. The best weather/wildlife is typically April-June, but natural events occur on all islands every month. Here’s the full list:
JANUARY – Green sea turtles arrive on most beaches to lay eggs. Land iguanas start mating on Isabela.
FEBRUARY – Marine iguanas start nesting on Santa Cruz. Greater fl amingoes start nesting on Floreana.
MARCH – Marine iguanas nest on Fernandina. Waved albatross starts arriving on Española.
APRIL – Green sea turtle eggs start hatching on most beaches and the waved albatross starts courtship on Española.
MAY – Blue-footed boobies begin their courtship on North Seymour Island.
JUNE – Beginning of the nesting season of giant tortoises on Santa Cruz; magnifi cent frigates start mating on North Seymour.
JULY – Good month to see blue- footed booby’s eggs, chicks, juveniles and sub adults on Española.
AUGUST – Sea-Lions start pupping throughout the islands. Galapagos hawks start courtship on Santíago.
SEPTEMBER – Galapagos Penguins start courting on Bartolomé.
OCTOBER – Giant tortoises collect in lowlands and start laying eggs. Fur sea-lions start mating.
NOVEMBER – Good visibility for snorkellers and playful sea-lion pups.
DECEMBER – Hatching of giant tortoise’s eggs begins. First young waved albatross fl edge.
visitor traffi c is highly regulated. This means that not every cruise vessel sails to the same islands and itineraries change frequently, so it’s best to check various operators if you want to visit particular islands. About 70 vessels now cruise the is- lands, so you can usually get to any island
screens for movies and informative lectures and two laptops for you to review your digital photos. There’s a Jacuzzi and bar on the second deck and the 1,200sq ft top sun deck sports carpet and comfortable reclin- ing deck chairs. A rope net hung between the cat’s bows provides an ideal platform to catch an ocean breeze or watch dol- phins surfi ng in the wake. The almost 1:1 crew-to-passenger ratio
translates into a more pampered, person- able and educational experience. By the time you have fi nished breakfast, you’ll fi nd your cabin cleaned, your upscale biodegradable Aveda toiletries and basket of chocolates restocked, and fresh towels, arranged like various Galapagos animals, adorning your queen bed.
‘The almost 1:1 CREW-TO-PASSENGER ratio with Haugan translates into a MORE PAMPERED, personal and EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE’
you want. Vessels come in all shapes and sizes, from 8-passenger sloops to 100-pas- senger cruise ships (park rules limit vessels to a maximum of 100 passengers, though). Some landing sites are not available to the larger ships because of the number of pas- sengers allowed ashore at any one time. Cruise itineraries range from four to
14 days, with eight to 10-day itineraries being the most popular. On a typical 8-day cruise, you can usually expect to visit seven or eight islands with at least two tendered shore excursions each day. A park guide must accompany all shore excursions (with up to 16 passengers per park guide). The M/C Athala, one of two luxury cata-
maran yachts operated by Haugan Cruises, is one of the most stable, safe and comfortable ways of exploring the islands. The wide- beamed, smooth-sailing cats are equipped with a crew of 11 and the latest electronic safety and navigational equipment. The boat boasts eight spacious 185sq ft, air-condi- tioned cabins with large portrait windows and balconies on the lower deck cabins. The lounge is equipped with plush couches, a small library, two 40-inch fl at
84 WORLD OF CRUISING I Summer 2010
But what really separates the Athala from other Galapagos cruises is the feeling of family I got from the crew and other guests. Dining on the Athala was reminis- cent of a casual family get-together instead of lunch in a school cafeteria.
made mahogany table – where most meals are served – seats all 16 guests and you get a choice of dinner entrées (salmon, tuna, fi let mignon, etc.) prepared to your liking. The intimate feeling spills over into the shore excursions that feel more like family outings than the usual crowded day-trips on most ships. The specially designed stern boarding platforms provide easy and safe panga access, even for less agile passengers. You’re issued walking sticks, beach tow- els and snorkel gear and, after each shore foray, you’re greeted back on the boat with fresh fruit, snacks and cold juices. Just for good measure, the crew washes your shoes/sandals and rinses your snorkel gear so it’s ready for the next time.
T
here were no long buffet lines or loud chatter from dozens of strang- ers. The dining room’s large, custom-
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