Diving in The Galapagos Islands

Diving in The Galapagos Islands


22nd-29th September 2005
Aboard Galapagos Aggressor 1

An account by
Clifton Beard




TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION 4

GETTING THERE 6

22nd SEPTEMBER 7
Islos Lobos 7

23rd SEPTEMBER 8
North Seymour 8

24th SEPTEMBER 12
Wolf Island 12

25th SEPTEMBER 17
Darwin Island 17

26th SEPTEMBER 23
Darwin Island 23
Wolf Island 24

27th SEPTEMBER 26
Santiago Island; Cousin’s Rock 26
Bartholomew Island 28

28th SEPTEMBER 30
Islas Plazas 30
Isla Plazas North 34
Santa Cruz Island 34

29th SEPTEMBER 37

CONCLUSION 39



INTRODUCTION

I am a PADI diver certified to advanced and nitrox standard and learned to dive on The Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia, in 1998, at the age of 34.

My inspiration for diving comes from a general passion and fascination for nature and the amazing inhabitants of our planet. It was no doubt helped by the activities of my father, Mike Beard who, together with his good friends in BSAC, dived in southern English Waters through the late 1960’s and 1970’s. These were the days when you cut and glued your own wetsuits, carried a huge dive knife, everything was made of rubber and both octopus and BCD’s were a thing of the future. Why I didn’t learn to dive earlier I still don’t really understand, but thanks to my father I had a lot of experience snorkelling in cool and tropical waters and the fascination of watching him emerge from the cold UK waters of Kimmeridge or Lulworth Cove, laden with a mesh “goodie bag” never left me.

To date I have logged 213 dives. Most of these have been in the Egyptian Red Sea, both land based and on live aboards. Thus rather than poor visibility, cold, tides and rough seas I have gained my experience in very deep, clear waters with vertical walls, some strong currents and in a delicate coral environment, where to touch or fin the reef is a sin you feel guilty about all day!

Going to The Galapagos Islands has been a bit of a dream for a few years, especially more recently, after reading “The Captains Log” from The Aggressor Fleet and various books on shark diving. Booking such a trip is clearly a big investment for mere mortals of modest means and it took me a lot of courage to commit the £3000 required for a ten day trip and five and a half days diving.

All I can say is that any doubts I had before the trip were blown away by both the experience of being there and reliving the memories on my return. The sheer magnitude of the experience has inspired me to commit to words and the reasons for this are threefold:

• I worry about the state of our oceans, particularly the largely unpoliced destruction of those evolutionary wonders, the sharks, by unsustainable long line fishing and overexploitation of the fish that form their natural prey. Maybe those of you who care will worry a bit more, those who don’t may start to care and those who partake will think about what they are doing and the consequences.

• I desire to share the experiences for the interest of others and the benefit of anyone considering a trip to The Galapagos.

• I have a selfish desire to trap and keep those memories while they are still fresh, ready for unwrapping when I feel the need.

However good the environment for diving, the success of a holiday depends on a lot more besides:

Thanks have to go to Aggressor Fleet for doing everything so well and in particular to the crew of Aggressor 1, for their tireless efforts to give us a safe and fabulous holiday.

A special mention is required for our guides Walter and Nelson, who tirelessly led us on both the dives and land excursions, were totally competent and knowledgeable and who never showed the slightest stress. Their efforts to gain underwater still and video footage were simply astonishing. Some of those underwater shots are featured here.

Thanks also to my dive buddies Paul Horscraft and David Ainsbury, who gave me the push I needed to spend the money in the first place and who were safe, fun companions, as always.

Thanks to all the other guests on the boat for a week of safe, great diving and for exchanging “war stories” about their experiences. Big thanks to Mark Gower for kindly giving me some nice underwater shots, some of which I have used here, and for capturing on film my whale shark experience of a lifetime!

I hope in its modest way this account will be of interest, at least a little informative and in some way thought-provoking to those who matter, from the casual reader to the politician or government official. Enjoy reading……..

Clifton Beard




GETTING THERE

I booked through Explorers Travel (0845 644 7090) in December 2004, having had satisfactory service in the past from them on numerous trips to Egypt.

If you are serious about going to Galapagos book early as the reservations on live aboard boats book up well in advance, owing to limited operations and high demand. You may be lucky and get a cancellation, but some of the fun is looking forward to the trip and reading about what you may see both above and below the water.

Be prepared for a long journey if you are travelling from Europe:

On 21st September 2005 I flew on Continental Airlines from London Gatwick to George Bush International at Houston, Texas. From there it was on to Quito in Ecuador, for an overnight stay at The Hilton Hotel. You will certainly notice the effects of altitude in Quito (over 2800m), especially if you have to carry a heavy dive bag upstairs, when you will find yourself puffing like a 20 a day man during moderate exertion!

Next morning it was a very early start for the Aerogal flight to Guayaquil and onward to Galapagos. The system is somewhat chaotic….our flight tickets gave one time, the itinerary gave another and the reality was yet another time and a rather late departure. For a while we were worried as to whether we would get on the boat in time to get settled, briefed and in for our check dive.

We arrived at the tiny airport in San Cristobel that afternoon. Be prepared for a bumpy landing! The runway must be very short and therefore a short-field technique is employed. The plane is planted straight on the runway without any cushioning flare and the impact can give you a start!

Having paid our $100 Park Fee and gone through security and immigration we were met in person by our guides for the week, Walter and Nelson and met the other travellers who were to comprise our group. From the start it was obvious that everything was going to be organised, efficient and friendly. After a short transfer we arrived at the port and were ferried to Aggressor 1 by its substantial RIBs. The compulsory provision of lifejackets and the presence of a crewmember to provide a firm, steady grip, when transferring on and off the RIB, was a clear indication of the safety and professionalism that was to be evident all week.

All of us were very tired, jet-lagged but relieved to have arrived at last. After an unrushed, efficient welcome it was time to dive!




22nd SEPTEMBER

Islos Lobos

Having been allocated our dive stations on the rear deck we prepared our gear and got kitted up as we motored to a location suitable for a check dive. It was immediately clear that the deck was uncluttered, roomy and allowed plenty of space for equipment storage and wetsuit hanging. Each diver had a station and spacious locker, the only disadvantage being that access to the locker was a bit restricted with your tank and BCD in position at the station.

The boat anchored and we dived from the rear deck in the sheltered channel between the tiny Island of Islos Lobos and the main island of San Cristobel.

We had been warned that the water was very saline and therefore buoyant. Wearing a fresh from the bag 7mm semi-dry and a 6.5 shortie over the top I was unable to descend with 14kg! With 16kg I got down and once the suit had compressed and flooded a little, things were fine.

I buddied with Paul and David, as was to be the case on all dives. Our dive began at 1725, so it was already dusky and a bit gloomy, with restricted viz of about 7m. It was an ideal location, with a sandy bottom at 8m and rocky shoreline. The water struck cold on exposed skin and was a fairly chilly 18 Celsius. We had a lot of fun with the resident sea lions who looped and swirled around us, nipping fins and staring into our masks. One descended vertically onto Paul and took his head in its jaws, for a gentle nip! There were a lot of fish including the ubiquitous sergeant majors, pork fish, garden and moray eels and a large stingray. 43 enjoyable minutes later we exited the water in virtual darkness, confident with our equipment and refreshed.

We were then given our official welcome, with the crew presented in their “whites” and given the first of many great evening meals in the comfortable salon. Sensibly no alcohol was to be allowed during the dive day, but pleasant Chilean wine and local beer was included with the evening meal. A delicious selection of juices was always available, as were hot chocolate, teas, coffee and biscuits.

23rd SEPTEMBER

North Seymour

After a transfer of some 90km to the northwest, we arrived at North Seymour, which is situated immediately north of the larger Islands of Baltra and Santa Cruz. The weather was windy, and overcast, with the odd sunny break and the sea choppy, conditions that were to prevail over much of the trip.

In preparation for the more exposed conditions to come we were issued with an extendable dive flag, air horn and radio transmitter locator. It was a big change from the minimalist, uncluttered and streamlined kit I use in The Red Sea, but comforting all the same.

After a substantial breakfast of fruit, cereals and cooked food to order, we had the first of many informative dive briefings, kitted up and transferred by rib to the dive site, over a dark blue sea. After a backward roll I battled against the buoyancy and finned down to the sandy bottom, near some rocks at 15m. The group of 10 divers plus guides, met up and we descended further to 29m, where we held onto the rocks. Immediately apparent was the ripping current, which was to be a feature of most of the diving during the week. To those of us with a bit of experience, ripping currents usually mean “big stuff” and we were not to be disappointed!

(The author at North Seymour)

In the viz of up to 20m some big whitetip reef sharks, (Triaenodon obesus), could be seen patrolling in circles over a nearby rocky outcrop. I have never seen such large, bold and free-swimming whitetips. These sharks are usually timid and seen at rest on the bottom. These seemed unafraid and would approach very closely, swimming vigorously in the current.

We moved positions every few minutes of the dive, keeping the sharks in view all the time. Soon we came upon a cave containing several resting whitetips and a huge marbled stingray. An amusing sight was a large turtle which went bowling past in the current, apparently out of control, spinning and rolling as it went!

Other highlights were schooling jacks, eagle rays, a torpedo-like sea lion, various pufferfish and numerous bright blue nudibranchs. On the safety stop the action continued with a school of big mobula rays. To the uninitiated (most of us!) these look just like mantas, but there are differences in colour, size, mouthparts and feeding habits. The water was a cool 20 Celsius and the dive lasted 51 minutes. I wasn’t cold but found the heavy layers of neoprene restrictive and felt very overweight once the suit had flooded and compressed at depth.

At 1025 we did our second dive which was very much a repeat of the first and therefore great. All the whitetip action was the same but further highlights were 3 beautiful, golden cow rays in formation, turtles and a scalloped hammerhead…a taste of what was to come!

It was obvious that the diving here was going to be quite physical, with fast finning to get to a suitable point, whereupon one would hang on tight to the rocks in a current that sent your bubbles sideways and would wobble your mask and regulator. Gloves were absolutely essential, not just to provide insulation, but to prevent shredding of your hands on the rocks. Large barnacles about the size of 10 Pence or quarter Dollar coins, covered the rocks and had very sharp upper edges. A good recommendation would be to take a pair of leather-fingered garden or work gloves to wear alone, or over a thin neoprene pair. This way your expensive neoprene gloves won’t get shredded.

In some ways the diving was easier than a coral environment, as you could touch the rocks without damage and therefore hang on in a current and there was a bottom, so there was usually little danger of going too deep.

We then did a very enjoyable land excursion onto North Seymour and were blessed with hot sunshine. The equatorial sun is very strong as several people in the group later found out when the burning became obvious! Hat and sunscreen are essential. We saw sea lions on the shoreline and then a group of frigate birds, with the males sporting their bright red throat bags.

We then moved on to the blue-footed boobies, with their striking, powder blue coloured feet. Many of the birds were juveniles, yet to develop full colour and many more were chicks, still covered in white down. It was striking just how different animal behaviour is in The Galapagos. It is so easy to approach animals and birds in a manner impossible elsewhere. They have little apparent fear of humans and seemingly good photos are obtained easily. Walter’s knowledge of the flora and fauna was obvious as he guided us around a path, clearly marked with small stakes. Staying within the limits of the path prevents damage to the delicate, bone-dry environment and allows the animal life undisturbed areas. Flash photography was not allowed within 3m of animals and birds to prevent distress.

Next we ventured to the shore to see the marine iguanas. There were dozens of them sunbathing in groups on the rocks and others nibbling the seaweed as the tide retreated. Apparently it is less common for them to actually venture under the water to graze and it is only the larger ones that do. I was surprised how small most of them were but a few were about a metre long. They had an old, weathered appearance and the larger ones sported a prominent ridge of spines on their backs.

(Marine iguana, Amblyrhynchus cristatus)

The island was flat topped but very scenic, with unusual plants, rocky, arid soil and lovely blue sea in the background. A low-lying, ground covering plant was common on much of the island and added a splash of red colour. A nice treat was viewing an amorous, male Galapagos dove, pursuing a female during his courtship dance. As usual they both seemed unfazed by our presence and continued the ritual under our noses.

Continuing our walk inland we encountered the land iguanas, which were somewhat larger than the marine iguanas and heavier in build. The males were quite spectacular with a very weathered appearance and bright yellow heads. They feed on the large opuntia cacti and all the animals we saw were actually resting adjacent to one, as if laying claim to a valuable piece of real estate!

(Land iguana, Conolophus subscristatus)

In fact, the whole island looked a very tough and extremely arid place to live, a massive contrast to the richness of the oceans lapping the shore.

(Coastal view, North Seymour)

24th SEPTEMBER

Wolf Island

We had a very long, overnight navigation across about 160km of the open Pacific Ocean, in a north westerly direction. The intention was to get to Darwin Island if possible, but a combination of unfavourable wind and currents, plus a sometimes large sea, meant that by morning we had got as far as Wolf Island, some 32km short.

In the early morning light the Island appeared bleak and dramatic under an overcast sky and rolling grey sea, on the face of it, not too inviting in the somewhat chilly wind, following a restless sleep. However, I was very excited about the prospect of diving with the Galapagos sharks in warmer water and after a briefing, we were diving at 0821 hours on a site called “The Point”. For the first dive I kitted up as before, worried I may be cold, but it was immediately apparent it was far warmer at a comfortable 24 Celsius. Also apparent was the ripping current, making it a priority to spear downwards to the rocks and meet with your buddies, without getting straggled out or swept away. Being over weighted, at least a little, was a definite advantage in securing a rapid descent. The current often runs at 3 knots and making any progress against it was never an option. We descended a rocky, boulder strewn slope and hung on at a depth of 25m to watch the show, in the viz of up to 25m…and what a show it was!

I had been told to expect individual and small groups of Galapagos sharks but what unfolded was truly amazing. As we watched with the current flowing from our left, an endless procession of big Galapagos sharks paraded past us making effortless progress against the flow of water, which shook the masks and regulators on our faces. These sharks were in massive abundance, some skimming over the rocks close enough to touch, others in the open water just off the reef and into the visible distance. I saw just one hammerhead on this dive.

The Galapagos really is the archetypal shark with a sleek, grey body, white belly, powerful tail, active swimming style and a wonderful, triangular, first dorsal fin. The sharks were so awesome and plentiful it was easy to ignore the other fish and numerous morays in and near the rocks. The sharks looked very well fed and showed no obvious interest in the divers at all, not even a mild curiosity. Neither did they seem unnerved by our movements or bubbles…these were confident sharks!

(Schooling Galapagos sharks, Carchahrinus Galapagensis, Wolf Island)

A big, spotted eagle ray then swam past my left shoulder, close enough to touch. The next spectacle was a large school of small fish swimming frantically past against the current, pursued by jacks, tearing into them. These were in turn pursued by bottlenose dolphins and big yellow- fin tuna and to complete the melee, some Galapagos sharks were zigzagging at full speed through the chaos, snatching what they could! Morays emerged by the dozen to collect the falling spoils. It was truly one of those “Blue Planet” moments.

After leaving the rocks we drifted to the right in the current, watching the parade of sharks underneath us and noting how much harder they were to see against the rocks from above. I realised I felt very overweighted which made accurate buoyancy a bit of a challenge. We recovered to the RIB in rough conditions and I felt a touch of seasickness. Once on board the RIB and under way, we were surrounded by leaping dolphins and some spectacular, triangular shark fins cutting the water, in the wake of the boat. We agreed it was like diving in shark soup!

All of us were on a total high and everyone exclaimed it was the best diving they had ever experienced.

For the next dive at 1047 hours I was relieved to ditch a layer of neoprene and reduce my weight to 11kg. This dive was adjacent to the massive, rugged cliffs on a site called “Landslide”, so named at it is situated where a large section of cliff has collapsed into the sea leaving a big scree slope both above and below the waves.

We descended to 16m, then 23m in the usual ripping current and hung on for the next parade…continuous Galapagos sharks, some in groups of 20 or so, a hammerhead, then many more hammerheads, in schools, singles and pairs. The Galapagos sharks were again bold and would often swim straight over or towards divers. The scalloped hammerheads were more nervous, as I have noted from encounters in Egypt. They would come very close, but only if you breathed carefully and kept still. If a diver suddenly exhaled the bubbles would alarm the nearest sharks and sometimes send them skitting across the reef.

Other highlights were several turtles, a big manta near the surface and many dolphins, particularly on the safety stop.

(Green sea turtle, Chelonia mydas)

Third dive of the day was again at “Landslide” but a little further west. This time scalloped hammerheads were in abundance, as well as the Galapagos sharks. Eagle rays and about 6 turtles were other highlights. My dive log describes the current as “outrageous” later in the dive and Mark was later moved to describe it as “like rock climbing underwater!” It was an apt description as any progress toward the current was only achievable by hauling hand over hand along the reef, using the lee of boulders where possible. Some divers had free-flows from their regulators or octopus, caused by the sheer pressure the water flow was exerting. On grasping some large boulders to use as anchors I was amazed to be easily pushed backward by the current. This current did us plenty of favours where pelagics were concerned:

When drifting toward the safety stop the viz closed in from the 25m or so we had been getting. We saw a group of ten silky sharks just below us and two others began to circle the three of us quite boldly, rapidly tightening their circles. These are truly beautiful sharks, with a lean, streamlined body and smooth appearance, hence the name. These had a bronze coloured back and the characteristicly small, slightly rounded dorsal fin. They were clearly looking us over with extreme curiosity, using their striking pale eyes with vertical slit pupils. Their behaviour was no doubt attributable to their being ocean wanderers, whereby any object has to be examined as a potential food source to prevent starvation, in what is effectively a marine desert. While they presented no real threat to us their behaviour was a little uncomfortable and made one think how different the situation would be if one were drifting or swimming alone in the open sea, devoid of scuba gear. We all felt exactly the same as we discussed the experience later. Proof indeed how easy it can be to sense a shark’s mood or intentions from its behaviour.

They were certainly an interesting and exciting find, as was a large, solitary oceanic blacktip shark (Carcharhinus limbatus), which also showed up during our drift. This shark species has a very full-bodied, powerful appearance and notable keels or pale stripes running down its flanks.

(A bold silky shark, Carcharhinus falciformis, circling curiously)

Suddenly a large group of hammerheads flew from the reef, above our heads and into the deep water of the drop-off. A great end to an amazing dive. I really did feel a bit seasick while waiting in the heavy seas and being recovered by the RIB. It was quite physical having to hang on to the boat, remove and pass up weights, BCD and tank, then pull yourself up the substantial side tube of the RIB. In the roughest sea it was essential to keep your regulator in your mouth as waves would often completely swamp you. Any diver with health problems, carrying excess weight, infirmness or disability would definitely need help to dive here in comfort and safety. All the excitement and the effort of diving at Wolf meant you never even thought about being cold, but my 7mm suit was absolutely fine in the 24 Celsius recorded.

The fourth dive of the day took place at 1648 hours in the shadow of the towering cliffs, at a site called “Anchorage”. It was getting late and the undersea vista was already gloomy. This was a contrast to the other dives, there being no current, a 1 degree drop in temperature and a rubble slope, giving way to a gentle sand and gravel slope. We descended to 26m in order to seek out the strange red-lipped batfish, known to reside there. Once we had found two we were happy to return to shallower water, being aware we had already had 3 deep dives of about an hour each that day.

The batfish were indeed very strange and really rather ugly! Unlike the more familiar, free-swimming batfish encountered on drop-offs elsewhere, these were shaped more like a small, mammalian bat. Using modified pectoral fins they would sit on or walk across the bottom like a bat walks across the ground using its wings. In the light of a torch the lips indeed glowed bright red. Without a torch it was impossible to see this effect owing to the natural, red light being filtered out at depth. They also had a strange proboscis structure jutting from the forehead.

We then swam among the boulders in about 8m of water looking at the other fish, including various puffers, wrasse and morays. I was very keen to seek out some of the juvenile Galapagos sharks that use this area as a safe haven away from predators, during their early years, but unfortunately we didn’t see any.

Wolf Island had certainly been the best diving of my life and nobody else had experienced anything better. It was exciting, exhilarating, challenging, had great variety and an awesome biomass of life. Our groups were the only divers there, which added to the appeal.

The dive guides amazed with their accurate knowledge of the sites and conditions. I was astonished to see them check and point out the desired, tiny area of blue water to the RIB driver and drop us exactly on target every time, despite there being no obvious feature or mark to distinguish it. They had quickly got the measure of the group and realized we were all competent enough to be given the chance to decide on our own exact dive plans, while remaining within the depth and time parameters given. Only a fool would have ignored their advice and not entrusted them to show us the best sights, however.

It was fabulous to know that such places still existed within the generally plundered oceans of the World, but such abundance was also a worry, as it was bound to be under the gaze of envious eyes, intent on drawing a quick buck from its bounty. Such a reality check occurred when I saw a very large Galapagos shark approach very close and was sad to see a big long-line hook and trace hanging from the left corner of its mouth. Later conversations with the dive guides confirmed that, despite the protected status of the islands and surrounding ocean, illegal fishing did take place and there were insufficient funds to police it effectively. (No surprise there then!!) The dive boats actually act as the eyes and ears of the reserve, along with others like the “Sea Shepherd” conservation charity boat, and destroy illegal long-lines themselves.

25th SEPTEMBER

Darwin Island

After a two hour transfer we were at Darwin Island, a similarly bleak, but smaller island than Wolf and sporting its dramatic arch.

(Darwin's Arch)

In fact all dives were to take place at Darwin’s Arch. My buddies and I had deliberately booked the trip in September as this was meant to be the peak for whale shark activity, but Walter and Nelson played down the chances of seeing one, anxious for us not to be disappointed. It had been a slow season so far and with limited time at Darwin, not seeing one was a possibility. I was still on such a high from the diving at Wolf and was probably impossible to disappoint in any case!

First dive was at 0754 hours and we descended to 25m down a rocky slope similar to that at Wolf, but with more obvious ledges. This time the current was flowing from our right, the water was again 24 Celsius and viz was about 25m. The current was strong but maybe not as severe as at Wolf. Walter had been anxious to point out that if he started to bang his tank repeatedly and point, we were simply to fin hard in that direction and not wait to see what was coming…such was our best chance to see the whale shark! Meanwhile we watched the rest of the show with the big schools of scalloped hammerheads swimming above, level and below us, together with large numbers of schooling jacks.

15 minutes after entering the water the tank alarm sounded. Simultaneously the light level dipped as if a cloud was passing above. I looked up to greeted by a truly astonishing sight. A mature whale shark was swimming overhead, its massive body blocking out the sunshine. The clear viz meant it was easy to see up to the surface and the great fish was at about 8-10m depth, with hammerheads swimming perpendicularly below it. Excitement abounded as everywhere the sound of dive computer alarms rang through the water, evidence of ascent rates coming a distant second to the big fish!

(The first whale shark, Rhincodon typus, we sighted at Darwin’s Arch)

I was so awestruck I just watched for a few seconds before setting off upwards in a fairly controlled ascent, managing two ascent alarms on the admittedly conservative Suunto Vyper. I had a good look at the whale shark from below and saw it disappearing into the blue as it passed.

It is amazing how one moment the water is full of excited divers, big fish and bubbles, the next you are alone…and that is what happened! I looked around to see no buddies, indeed no other divers. I was in blue water with just hammerheads for company. I swam towards where the reef should be and fortunately found it, sweeping past as I drifted in the current. I saw a huge, square boulder, the size of a living room, made for it and hung on to regain my breath and off-gas a while at 16m. I intended to remain for 5 minutes to stabilize my nitrogen levels and then abort the dive if nobody appeared. It was a bizarre moment. I hate the feeling of losing system redundancy, in case of equipment failure, so made sure I was at a depth suitable for emergency ascent. I also wondered if my buddies were ok. The feeling of being alone was in some ways wonderful, with the schooling hammerheads and clear vista over the rocky reef. In five minutes my buddies reappeared, working their way along the rocks, having managed to recover to the reef sooner than I had. It was a little reminder how a little problem or mistake underwater can soon become a big one if you don’t stay level-headed and follow your training and experience.

Together again we began a drift, which was to be an enjoyable feature of the later part of our dives at Darwin. We saw another whale shark just below us and I was impressed to see that the upper lobe of its caudal fin (tail) was taller than a fully finned scuba diver alongside it. The strangest feeling on seeing a whale shark is that you find yourself expecting such a massive animal to make a noise; maybe something like the hum or vibration you get from a huge galactic cruiser on a sci-fi film….but there is just a paradoxical silence. This was my first view of the upper surface of the animal, characterized by the big, keeled ridges running longitudinally along its body, the delicate pattern of white, airbrushed over the brown back and the truly spectacular dorsal fin, larger than a man.

On our safety stop we were surrounded by dolphins and I neglected to say that we saw barracuda and a sea lion during the dive. To say we were all overawed is an understatement. Any pressure to see a whale shark was now off, so come what may we could just relax and enjoy what the coming diving gave us, whale sharks or not.

Next dive was at 1003 hours and after descending to 25m we watched the schooling hammerheads. There are few sights in nature as awesome and beautiful as scalloped hammerheads, Sphyrna lewinii, swimming lazily past in formation, either as a “wallpaper” backdrop or a gentle spiral above or below. Hammerheads are uniquely spiky in appearance with large and stiff fins and have a terrific swimming style as they swing their incredible heads from side to side. Careful divers can get to observe them closely and I have often been inspected very closely by them, particularly by larger, single sharks making a pass or a couple of circles. You can actually see their black eyes moving as they look at you. The name comes from the wavy shape of the front of the hammer, similar to the shape of a scallop shell. Latest wisdom suggests that the hammer is an adaptation to increase the area of the head and therefore the sensory area of the ampullae of lorenzini, which detect minute electrical fields given off by living things. It may also act as a foil, allowing faster and tighter rates of turn, similar to canard foreplanes on a fighter jet. Both of these characteristics would be of benefit in hunting rays concealed on areas of sandy seabed, which hammerheads are known to do regularly.

(Scalloped hammerhead, Sphyrna lewinii)

It wasn’t long before the next whale shark showed up. This time it came right over my head from behind and over the reef. It was close, so therefore easy to swim up to and get a really good look. It was possible to fin fast enough to stay alongside for a while, but what was effortless for the shark was a sprint for us!

What really distinguished the largest sharks were the huge ridges of muscle running longitudinally down the rear sides of the body to the tail, no doubt a necessity to propel such a beast. All were large enough to have the massively broad head characteristic of mature specimens. I will never forget the memory of those tails swishing lazily but so powerfully and relentlessly from side to side, driving the fish forward. The whale shark is a gentle giant, adapted to filter feed small animals such as krill and small fish. Its forward motion forces water into its huge mouth where prey is trapped in the gill rakers and oxygen is extracted by the gills. The skin on the back is covered with armoured denticles and can be 10cm thick. One of my buddies described the sharks as a mouth with fins, which is probably very near the truth!

Having pursued the whale shark we were out in blue water and Paul was facing me. His eyes suddenly widened and I turned around to be confronted by a huge whale shark which cruised straight past, giving us the best view yet. The more we saw the more relaxed we were and the more we noticed about them.

We returned to the reef before doing a long drift among the hammerheads and turtles, during which we could see further hammerheads and some Galapagos sharks down near the sandy bottom. We also saw some wahoo and a group of fish spawning just above the reef, setting off explosions of sperm like a mini fireworks display. The viz closed right in, the water being full of particulates, no doubt of attraction to the whale sharks.

The third dive was at 1352 and we saw a whale shark pass over us then another at our depth, to which we swam out and got another close look. After watching the hammerheads we went to the blue and it was then I had my most amazing whale shark experience, despite the viz being notably poorer.

I suddenly saw a patch of water to my left go dark. As I stared, the massive shape of a whale shark emerged from the gloom. It was literally heading straight at me and I could not have positioned myself more accurately if I’d tried!

(The unplanned stunt unfolds! Well done Mark for capturing the moment)

I decided not to alarm the fish and so remained absolutely still. It was clearly aware of me as it began to descend very slightly, but otherwise remained on course. The dorsal fin was coming right at me so I simply opened my legs and covered the crown jewels…just in case! In a remarkable unplanned stunt the fin passed straight between my legs as the great body slipped by like an imperial cruiser from a Star Wars movie. Next up was the massive tail. As it approached I pulled my legs up and grabbed my ankles, allowing it to pass straight underneath. Similarly elated, Paul swam alongside the beast, pulling out his reg in exultation and dancing a jig as he gave up the pursuit (He is visible ahead of dorsal fin on photo). It was a truly precious moment and one unlikely to be repeated in a lifetime of diving. This was actually one of the smaller sharks we had seen, but small is relative when you are talking about the biggest fish and largest cold-blooded animal on earth.

Further highlights were a golden cow ray, barracuda, a dolphin, wahoo and the usual schools of hammerheads. There was a big thermocline down at about 25m, which caused the water to ripple, as if in a mirage and felt very chilly.

The fourth dive was at 1612 and was a repeat of the others with schooling hammerheads, a lot of turtles and some big schools of almaco jack. True to form a whale shark appeared from above as Paul, David and I clung to the rocks. As divers approached it the shark began to descend and came down right upon us, giving us an exceptional view of every inch of its underside. It was cruising very slowly and so remained above us for what seemed like an age. As we breathed out our bubbles were trapped by its belly and spread out over its underside, trickling to the sides and finally spilling up the sides of the great body. We watched in awe as this big fish ascended again and its giant tail powered it away to and beyond the limit of visibility.

The action continued as we did our drift and safety stop, with masses of hammerheads, a big manta ray, a blacktip shark and two curious silky sharks, which circled us a while. The thermocline was present again at depth and for a nice change the sun was out.

It was an unbelievable day and looking back it is quite incredible that all that action happened in just one day of diving. The constant diving and excitement of the week was very fatiguing and despite efforts to stay sociable after our wonderful dinners, most of us were collapsing into bed at 8 or 9pm. The Europeans were also still affected by jetlag.

26th SEPTEMBER

Darwin Island

We had two more chances to see whale sharks before leaving Darwin’s Arch.

The first dive began at 0730 hours and it was notable that the current was nowhere like as severe as the day before. We were to encounter four whale sharks on this dive; the first was huge and was at our depth of 24m. The second was smaller and came over the reef from behind. After watching jacks and hammerheads awhile we went to the blue and saw a huge whale shark cruise past level with us. A smaller one then approached but reacted to some divers swimming towards it by carrying out a tight (for a whale shark!) left turn of 90 degrees, the first time I had seen this. The normal reaction was simply a slight change in elevation upward or downward, causing ascent or descent.

We then drifted over the sandy bottom and saw turtles and huge numbers of sharks, most of which were hammerheads.

Dive two began at 0940 hours and gave us an immediate sighting of a huge whale shark.
My dive log mentions the vast numbers of hammerheads on this dive and there were clouds of smaller fish, including the common creole fish. The sun was out giving us particularly good visibility. Later, as we drifted over the sandy bottom, we gazed down in awe at the hammerheads, counting a group of 100 and another of 40 at one point, as others swirled around us at all depths.

Wolf Island

After a fabulous morning at Darwin we transferred back to Wolf Island to start our return journey and to remind us of just how good the diving was there.

We began dive three of the day at “Landslide” at 1414 hours, descending to 22m on the rocks. Immediately we had schooling hammerheads but also many magnificent eagle rays, both passing by in the blue and flying gracefully right over and around us. I had never seen them in such numbers. They seemed completely unperturbed by the sharks and were often swimming alongside and among them. These rays are intriguing to look at, flying with the grace of a large, soaring bird, trailing a long tail, but with a face that has some distorted humanoid characteristics, particularly when viewed from below. They prey on molluscs and bottom-dwelling invertebrates.

(Spotted eagle rays, Aetobatus narinari)

We were then treated to the sight of a manta ray above us and another out in the blue, curling their huge wingtips as they also flew through the ocean. Like the other giants, the whale sharks, they filter-feed small organisms from the water. The mantas we saw seemed to be very cautious and I certainly didn’t see any allowing themselves to be closely approached by divers for more than the moment sufficient to snatch a hurried photo.

(Manta ray, Manta birostris)

We drifted along the rocks a little further observing Galapagos sharks and hammerheads skimming over the reef around us. We then began a drift and saw countless Galapagos sharks below. Their forms looked more sinister from above, their sinuous movements giving them away against the dark rocks of the reef. One individual seemed uncharacteristically curious and circled the three of us for a while. Strangely, although it was larger, it seemed distinctly less threatening than the circling silky sharks had been. A manta showed up on the safety stop to finish yet another amazing dive and our last one at Wolf.

(Pacific creole fish and Galapagos sharks)

Wolf had certainly come up to and beyond expectation again and despite seeing the whale sharks at Darwin, we were sober enough to agree that it was probably the best overall site we had experienced. Non-stop shark and ray action and the usual challenge of substantial seas, with surge at 17m depth and a decent current. In fact on the surface the sea was heaving and boiling like a cauldron, possibly the effects of a substantial swell with opposing wind and current. Thinking we may not be seen it was one of two occasions when I erected the tall dive flag I had been given. As always, the attentive RIB driver saw the signal and I was reassured to catch glimpses of the boat making for us as we rose and fell out of sight in the swell.

(Galapagos shark close up)

(Schooling eagle rays)

27th SEPTEMBER

Santiago Island; Cousin’s Rock

After motoring south east for many hours we approached Santiago Island in daylight and started diving at 1128 hours. We had been promised cooler water and it was, but just a little, at 23 Celsius. I had donned my warmer set up and added the 6.5 mm shortie, plus the weight penalty, so was now carrying 14 kg. The site was Cousins Rock, situated at the east side of Santiago and just north of the small Island of Bartholemew. After the usual informative briefing I knew what to expect, but was still surprised by the colour and beauty of this site.

We descended to 23m on a precipitous rocky cliff with rock ledges, like broad shelves projecting out perpendicularly. On these shelves were bountiful growths of black coral, which is actually a brilliant and spectacular yellow-green and which grew out of the ledges in tall tufts. Looking directly down into the blue a gravelly bottom was faintly visible way below. We spent a considerable time looking in the coral tufts for seahorses and frogfish, certainly a change from the big stuff we had seen over the last few days! We did find some seahorses, with the help of the guides, but the frogfish remained elusive.

I observed sea lions chasing big shoals of pacific creole fish out in the blue. There were helical shaped Christmas tree worms in shafts in the rock, some very territorial white-tailed damsel fish, which pecked at my fingers as I clung to the ledges and various species of parrotfish. I even found a well camouflaged octopus hiding in a hole.

I really enjoyed seeing the long-nosed hawk fish that inhabited the coral fronds. I had seen a similar but considerably smaller, species of hawk fish in The Red Sea, where they occupy gorgonian fan-corals. They are attractive little fish with a long snout and a colourful orange grid pattern over a cream body. They always remained within the tufts of black coral.

After leaving the ledges we ascended to the flat top of the rock and made our way across to a high point of the underwater cliff. It was again underwater rock climbing in the serious current pumping over the top. The vantage point was like a pulpit giving a wonderful view over the stunning blue of the deep water. Several turtles passed by and we were treated to schooling eagle rays, which made slow progress off the ledge into the current, then looped around and repeated the manoeuver.

We then let go and drifted into the blue, straight into a big, dense shoal of barracuda. The fish themselves were quite small but presented a swirling, disorientating spectacle against the blue backdrop.

The next dive was at 1421 hours and was a repeat of the first, but with less time spent looking on the ledges and more watching the eagle rays coming around and flying back into the current. The current was stronger and the viz had closed in to between 8 and 20m. It was real fun grasping our way over the flat top of the rock formation, requiring a tactical plan to best use the terrain in current “shadow”, to enable best progress.

It was a little sad to realize we had just completed our last true, open-water dive of the holiday.

Bartholomew Island

We remained in our wetsuits and motored a short distance south to Bartholemew Island, where we spent some time snorkeling near the penguin colony and some seals. Some penguins obliged by jumping in so they could be seen swimming, but there were few around. They are the only penguins known to live in the tropics and are a small species. There were fish to look at and a large stingray.

It was then time for a land excursion onto the volcanic scenery of Bartholemew, where we climbed up the scree slope of a volcanic cone, viewing parasitic cones and always keeping an eye on the spectacular views unfolding across the Islands and Ocean. The scene was particularly moody, with some stormy clouds, a strong wind and a setting sun casting its rays through the clouds over Santiago Island.

The island was dusty and dry as a bone with a few cacti and other plants struggling for a living. It really wasn’t a very high climb to get to the viewpoint but was well worth the effort. The views were vast and the Aggressor 1 looked very tiny anchored in the bay below.

(View from summit showing “The Pinnacle”)



28th SEPTEMBER

Islas Plazas

After a 60km navigation south westwards, past Baltra and Seymour, we stopped at the small Islas Plazas, situated directly off the east coast of Santa Cruz Island.

It was a cool, breezy and cloudy day as we took the RIBS ashore for an early morning land excursion onto Isla Plazas South. This is a small but very interesting island as we were soon to discover. The welcoming committee consisted of a large and somewhat aggressive bull sea lion, which barked and growled at us as we disembarked the boat, giving him a wide berth.

On the rocks close to the sea there were many female sea lions, who were totally relaxed with our presence, despite several having pups. One of the females had only just given birth and was still washing her pup as the frigate birds were greedily squabbling over the afterbirth. Frigates are elegant birds with a long, hooked bill and 2 metre wingspan. Called the” pirates of the air” they forge a living by stealing the catch of other seabirds, scavenging and preying on small animals such as hatchling sea turtles.

(Galapagos sea lion and pup, Zanophus californianus wollebaeki)

Some of the pups were a little older, but still very young and were suckling.

I soon noticed that a great many of the seals sported wounds, some quite recent, that were clear evidence of predation by large sharks. A chat with Walter confirmed that Galapagos sharks are frequently seen patrolling off the rocks in the early morning, particularly during the pupping season, hoping to pick off an inexperienced seal. Judging by the size of some injured seals it was apparent that they would tackle adults too.

(Sea lion with pup. Adult showing shark bite wounds)

There were quite a number of marine iguanas on the rocks, close to the seals and no doubt looking forward to some sunshine!

We then walked inland enjoying the landscape of cacti and carpeting red foliage, on the otherwise dry, rocky soil. It wasn’t long before we saw land iguana burrows and then the animals themselves. As it was a cool day the lizards were not well warmed and were therefore sluggish. As usual they were easy to approach and photograph. Some obliged us by taking a walk, thereby making more interesting subjects.

We looped around on the marked trail and returned to the shore where we had seen the seals after landing. The seals were still there, basking on the rocks and it was here that I got the chance to take a photo of a sally light-foot crab. I had seen these animals clambering over the tidal range rocks but never had a chance to get close enough, or catch one in the open. They are impossible to overlook with a dazzling orange colouration, which stands out jewel-like against the black volcanic rocks. One adult scurried towards a crevice where it felt quite safe but was just right to photograph.

(Sally light-foot crab, Grapsus grapsus)

Like most crabs these are scavengers of any dead animals at the shoreline and get their name from their fleetness of foot.

Amongst the abundance of life underwater and rather less so on land, it was a stark reminder of how harsh and fragile life actually is in the islands, to see the carcasses of several dead iguanas and a sea lion pup. The very dryness that makes the islands so harsh had dessicated and almost mummified the remains of these unfortunate individuals.

In order to board the RIB back to aggressor Walter had to face-off the bull sea lion, which had now claimed full possession of the landing rock. Following a clapping and growling match the bull conceded and slipped into the sea!

Isla Plazas North

We did our last dive of the holiday nearby, but on the shore of the north island.

At 0932 hours we descended from the Aggressor’s dive deck into about 7m of water and swam along the border of the rocky shore and sandy bottom. It wasn’t long before we encountered three playful sea lions, which swirled about us in their usual manner and showed particular interest when we copied their stunt of headstands underwater. They were very curious when I shook my dive rattle and came right up to me to investigate. A turtle also kept our company.

After about 15 minutes we swam back, observing some garden eels and were joined by another group of sea lions.

It was a relaxing and fun end to a few days of utterly fabulous diving. We now had a bit of time to wash and tie up our gear during the 40km transit to Puerto Ayora at the south of Santa Cruz. Plenty of fresh water was provided and despite the cool conditions, most gear got the chance to dry over the rest of the day and night, making packing for the long journeys ahead a better experience.

Santa Cruz Island

We arrived in Puerto Ayora and were taken ashore in the RIBS to visit The Darwin Research Centre, a facility that displays many of the islands’ species and educates visitors on the ecology of the islands. It has an extensive research and breeding programme, particularly in respect of the giant tortoise species native to the archipelago.

The welcoming committee here was a large number of marine iguanas spread out over the concrete boat harbour, soaking up the sun that was now beginning to break through the clouds. Walter led us on the short walk to the Centre and then guided us around the facility. Owing to our itinerary being prioritized for diving, we were unable to visit any areas that had wild populations of tortoise, so it was nice to have the chance of seeing them at the Research Centre. Walter showed us the smaller breeding enclosures, where tortoises are kept after hatching and protected against introduced predators, such as rats. These tortoises are eventually returned to the wild to boost local populations affected by factors such as damage to the environment by introduced animals like goats. We then visited mature animals in outdoor pens, comprising native soil and plant life. They were truly massive, the largest species reaching about 250kg in weight.

Many islands have their own species with unique adaptations in size and form, which have evolved to cope with the specific conditions in which they live. Man’s most obvious folly was the large scale destruction of huge numbers of tortoises as a food source for sailors of the early exploration and whaling vessels. The unfortunate animals were valued for their ability to live for months without care in the hold of a ship, waiting to be used as fresh meat. Since then more subtle threats have caused longer term problems, including, land exploitation, introduced species and a reduction in population sizes to that below which effective breeding can occur. Indeed one tortoise, descriptively named “Lonesome George”, was the last wanderer on his particular island and all efforts to find a genetic species match have failed. He is seeing out his days at the research centre, possibly now too old to breed. He is the visible face of extinction in progress.

The tortoises were accompanied by some charming little warblers, snatching flies attracted by the tortoise dung. We had seen examples of Darwin’s famous finches on several islands already and they were here on Santa Cruz, too.

Following our visit we were free to walk into the little village and do a bit of shopping at some of the shops. Some sold the usual style of souvenirs and T-shirts but there were also some quality outlets selling nice art, ceramics and sculptures. One amusing highlight was to be found at the covered area used by fishermen to gut and process locally caught fish. Pelicans by the dozen were crowding up to the busy tables, waiting for free handouts they knew would be forthcoming.

That afternoon we returned to Aggressor 1 at about 1700 hours for our official farewell from the crew, smartly dressed in their whites. We then returned to town for a meal out as the boat was being restocked with provisions for the coming week. It was our last night aboard and we marveled at the footage that Nelson and Walter had managed to capture and place on DVD for us, knowing just what a wonderful reminder of our holiday it would be in the future.

Always less entertaining was the task of paying our on board bills for nitrox, items from the boutique (caps, T-shirts etc) and the $70 port fee now levied by the government.


29th SEPTEMBER

It was quite a rough 80km navigation back to Puerto Baquerizo Moreno on San Cristobel Island. After an early rise and the usual delicious breakfast we left Aggressor 1 at about 0830 hours and were transferred the short distance to the airport. As always Walter and Nelson made sure everything was fine and were very genuine in their goodbyes. We were all grateful to them for the way they had run the boat and the holiday.

The flight to Guayaquil on mainland Equador was followed by transfer to the Unipark Hotel, arriving mid afternoon. The hotel is situated adjacent to a very pleasant public park in which are large numbers of iguana lizards. These are the common species found throughout Central and South America. We enjoyed an hour or two looking at and photographing the lizards among many local people and even saw children playing with them. The male iguanas were constantly having dominance contests, varying in severity between head nodding and full scale wrestling matches.

That evening David, Paul and I got a cab from the hotel to a Mexican restaurant, which turned out to be closed. We ended up walking quite a distance when the cab disappeared, maybe not a wise thing to do judging by the number of armed guards at every conceivable type of premises.

After finally getting a meal we took another cab home and had an unexpectedly amusing experience. The cab was an ancient Lada, a vehicle of dubious pedigree when new. This example was a complete shed to say the least. It was obvious from the battered panels and hand-painted yellow coachwork that driving here was a full contact sport. Paul and David piled into the back, I took the front. Needless to say there were no seatbelts. We were off! The ancient engine wheezed and stuttered as it propelled the vehicle away. The alternator warning light was on and remained so. As we lurched and crashed over bumps and junctions it was apparent that my seat was moving independently of the vehicle and was only loosely attached. Likewise that of the driver, who was gallantly battling a clearly hideous gearbox, so bad that the next gear was only engaged some distance into, or even past the hazard being negotiated. He was using a soft cloth to grip both the wheel and gear lever, presumably to stop his hands blistering! The two in the back were quickly finding out that whatever suspension the Lada once had, had long since lost its fight with wear and tear. The mere act of loading the car with 4 people compressed the springs to the bump stops, meaning there was no travel left for the frequent bumps. When it stopped at traffic lights a grey smog spread out from under the vehicle in the manner of dry ice on a pop concert stage. The noxious fumes were clearly choking pedestrians nearby…those fumes that weren’t finding their way inside the cabin that is! The jolly driver clearly thought the car was up to the task of facing off a bus and lorry and after a near side-impact test at a crossroads, we were back in one piece. Well, what do you expect for a 15 minute cab ride costing $4!!


Next morning we were up too early for breakfast and took our Continental Airlines flight to New York and then on to London Gatwick, arriving early on 1st October. It was another long journey, giving us plenty of time to relive the memories fresh in our minds.

CONCLUSION

It has been two weeks since I arrived home from the holiday and it has taken that time to write this account between work and the normal activities of life.

I am quite well travelled but the degree of sustained excitement I felt after returning from Galapagos, told me exactly what an experience I had been fortunate enough to enjoy there.

The diving is certainly not for beginners and this is emphasized carefully on all the websites and in books that deal with the subject. It is quite physical in emphasis, with kitting up in heavy gear, RIB rides, currents and rough, sometimes cool, waters.

Any visitor should be happy they are confident and comfortable in encounters with large and numerous pelagic animals. Reading about them from any of the good books now available should dispel unwarranted fears and lead to a greater understanding before travel. In any case it is much more interesting to know what you are looking at!

I can heartily recommend the Aggressor charters. Our boat was well designed and equipped and my experience showed the crew and guides to be totally professional; committed to a fantastic holiday, but never compromising on safety. The food was awesome and all tastes were catered for by the industrious chefs.

For non-divers one of the land biased tours would likely be much more appropriate to your needs for you would spend far more time ashore and avoid the long trip to Wolf and Darwin Islands, where you cannot land.

With regard to diving equipment I would make the following observations:

For those who feel the cold a 7mm suit is fine. Adding a shortie or base layer will work in the colder water. Definitely bring a hood.

Leave your SMB’s at home, unless you want a back-up. Our guides advised that the wind usually knocks down inflatable buoys, hence they issue the dive flags to guests.

If you have a reef hook, try it. We used ours on a few dives where we were stationary enough to hook onto a rock and relax a bit. Also good if you are a photographer and need both hands free.

You MUST bring gloves. Old neoprene ones will do, but maybe a better idea is a pair of work or garden gloves over an insulating pair. The rocks are very sharp and your kit can end up looking very second hand, especially gloves and fins.

I would definitely recommend using enriched air nitrox. The fact that it limits your ultimate depth is not a restriction here, as all the action was above 30m. It gives you that extra margin of safety by allowing your body to absorb less nitrogen during repetitive diving and therefore reduces the consequences of less than perfect dive profiles, which are quite likely during moments of excitement. It allows you to stay down at depth and watch the action for longer and in my experience, reduces fatigue. The closest I got to decompression was 7 minutes, despite the long times at depth.


What were the highlights?

To be honest there was never a dull moment, either above or below the waves. Seeing whale sharks is a lifetime thrill for any diver and I was totally amazed at their size, grace, relentless motion and the power of that tail. To have 13 sightings was beyond any expectation.

Having big Galapagos sharks close enough to touch and in such numbers, was truly captivating for an avid shark watcher like myself.

The feeling of being in the “eye” of a swirling mass of hammerheads or seeing them stretch in a three dimensional image, from those right in front of you to the spectres at the limit of visibility, are breathtaking spectacles.

Most of all it was the sheer biomass of underwater life that was almost beyond comprehension and provided an endless vista of activity, there before my eyes.

As you may have guessed I have a particular interest in sharks and feel so priviledged to have had these experiences. Fortunately the attitudes of many people are changing from destructive ignorance and fear to extreme curiosity, awe and a desire to understand their place within the complex ecosystems of the oceans. Children, in particular now seem facinated and in many cases a lot more informed than their parents. These attitudes have to be encouraged if we are to have any chance of conserving these animals successfully and in so doing secure our own future as sustained consumers of ocean resources. People will now pay a lot of money to see or dive with sharks so each individual, live animal now has a "value" to local people far above that of a single dead animal, which once finned or fished is then gone forever. For those interested in learning about and conserving sharks you should view the website of The Shark Trust at www.sharktrust.org and consider joining. Real progress has been made, with protection of white sharks in several countries and an ongoing battle to ban "finning", currently the most despicable and unsound exploitation occurring. I have been a member for a few years and enjoy the quarterly magazine. My nephews adore the cuddly shark toys available from the Trust shop and there are good books and other items available.


I am convinced that protecting the marine reserve and World Heritage site of The Galapagos Islands is not an option, it simply has to be done. After all, it doesn’t need restocking or recovering from the brink of disaster as yet. It simply needs effective protection and controlled exploitation from tourism. If the prices of holidays in the area have to remain high, or even increase to achieve this, then we must accept that and make our personal decisions as to whether we can justify the cost of visiting. It isn’t just another beach and sun destination, relying on volume, cheap tourism, but an exclusive ecosystem that should remain the preserve of those who can, or wish to make other sacrifices, to pay what it takes to visit. This may sound unfair, but to exploit it in any conventional way would destroy that ecosystem, which we have no right to do as its self-appointed guardians.

As a person of modest means I certainly had to justify the cost to myself and I booked the trip, taking a risk that I could be disappointed in some way. Looking back now I am so pleased I took that chance and had an unforgettable experience, so much so that I felt compelled to tell others of it. On winter evenings I will put on the DVD and relive the encounters at Wolf Island and Darwin Arch in the knowledge that such memories are in fact priceless, but cost about £3000.

Clifton Beard, 15th October 2005