I feel privileged to be one of the few Galapagos Islands Naturalists Guides<\/strong> who has been fortunate to be guiding in the early months of 2021<\/strong>. I\u2019ve been working on the M\/Y Galaxy and M\/C Alya, two fantastic ships which take you to the most remote areas of the Galapagos Islands<\/strong>, while enjoying a great level of security, comfort, and excellent service.<\/p>\n The few travelers I was guiding are just a fraction of what used to visit the islands in pre-Covid times, but as soon as the trip starts you can see in their eyes that they are aware of how lucky they are<\/strong> to be here. They are experiencing the islands like those visitors who came in the early \u201980s when you would not see other humans<\/strong>, but just animals and empty wilderness. The feeling of being alone in almost every visitor site, the sensation of not seeing other ships, even in the distance, feels you with awe and it\u2019s hard to describe<\/strong>.<\/p>\n And the Galapagos Islands are as beautiful as ever<\/strong>. The beaches are full with healthy sea lion pups<\/strong>, the bird colonies have a lot of juveniles looking good and in general, the wildlife seems to be in great health.<\/strong> Many people claim that this is because 2020 was a year with no tourists, but I don\u2019t agree. \u00a0I am sure that this is because last year<\/strong> happened to be a relatively cold \u201cLa Ni\u00f1a\u201d year<\/strong>. And cold conditions in the Galapagos are good for all the marine fauna<\/strong>, especially for the most iconic animals that everyone dreams to see: sea lions, penguins, boobies, albatross, marine iguanas, flightless cormorants<\/strong>\u2026 all of them increase their populations when the waters are cooler. This is because cold waters mean more food in the ocean.<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column_inner][\/et_pb_row_inner][et_pb_row_inner column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.9.0″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_column_inner type=”1_2″ saved_specialty_column_type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.9.0″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/cruisetogalapagos.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Sea-Lions-Pups-at-Sombrero-Chino.jpeg” title_text=”Sea Lions Pups at Sombrero Chino” _builder_version=”4.9.0″ _module_preset=”default” width=”100%” custom_padding=”|31px||||”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column_inner][et_pb_column_inner type=”1_2″ saved_specialty_column_type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.9.0″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.0″ _module_preset=”default” width=”100%”] The pandemic has been a disaster for the tourist industry, but also conservation in the islands. Without tourism and the money it brings, many on the conservation programs to protect the native Galapagos fauna and flora had to be put on standby.<\/span><\/p>\n Some of them because park rangers and scientists could not go out to the field, others because the donations and the fees tourists pay to visit the islands got dramatically reduced, meaning that the money available for conservation dried as well.<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column_inner][\/et_pb_row_inner][et_pb_row_inner _builder_version=”4.9.0″ _module_preset=”default” locked=”off”][et_pb_column_inner saved_specialty_column_type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.9.0″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.0″ _module_preset=”default”] Without money, some of the programs to eradicate invasive species had to be stopped, allowing introduce species to reproduce, regain their ground, and threaten the endemic species everyone had worked so hard to save.<\/span><\/p>\n Tourism has always been highly regulated in the Galapagos, so the benefits of it greatly exceed its negative aspects.<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column_inner][\/et_pb_row_inner][et_pb_row_inner column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.9.0″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_column_inner type=”1_2″ saved_specialty_column_type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.9.0″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.0″ _module_preset=”default”] I\u2019m sitting on a gorgeous coral-sand beach at the \u201cSombrero Chino\u201d islet. Right next to us a female sea turtle rests on the sand after having laid eggs during the night. She\u2019s seen us but does not seem to care as she warms under the early morning sun.<\/span><\/p>\n A little further, a female sea lion comes out of the water followed by her pup who wants to feed desperately. She takes her time and sniffs our towels as she walks by us until she finds a comfortable spot.<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column_inner][et_pb_column_inner type=”1_2″ saved_specialty_column_type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.9.0″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/cruisetogalapagos.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Sea-Turtle-Sea-Lions-and-People.jpeg” title_text=”Sea Turtle Sea Lions and People” _builder_version=”4.9.0″ _module_preset=”default”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column_inner][\/et_pb_row_inner][et_pb_row_inner _builder_version=”4.9.0″ _module_preset=”default” locked=”off”][et_pb_column_inner saved_specialty_column_type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.9.0″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.0″ _module_preset=”default”] A few minutes later two Galapagos penguins dart through the turquoise water in front of the beach as they chase anchovies.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThis is fantastic!\u201d<\/em> I am thinking\u2026 \u201cthings have not changed at all !!!\u201d<\/em>. I wish my family could be here right now.<\/span><\/p>\n Luis Die Dejean<\/span><\/p>\n Galapagos Naturalist Guide<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column_inner][\/et_pb_row_inner][et_pb_row_inner _builder_version=”4.6.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”6px|||||”][et_pb_column_inner saved_specialty_column_type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.6.0″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_text_color=”#000000″ header_3_font=”|||on|||||” header_3_text_align=”center” header_3_text_color=”#E09900″ header_3_font_size=”18px” header_3_letter_spacing=”1px” text_orientation=”justified”] \ud83d\udccc Discover our\u00a0<\/span>best deals<\/strong>, to the\u00a0<\/span>Galapagos Islands<\/strong>! Click\u00a0<\/span>here<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n If you liked this post,\u00a0<\/span>share it<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>with your friends and\u00a0<\/span>subscribe to our newsletter<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>to keep up to date with interesting news from\u00a0<\/span>Galapagos<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>\ud83d\udc22,\u00a0<\/span>Ecuador<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>\ud83c\uddea\ud83c\udde8 , and other magical destinations in\u00a0<\/span>South America<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>\ud83c\udf0e.<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column_inner][\/et_pb_row_inner][et_pb_row_inner column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.6.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_enable_color=”off” use_background_color_gradient=”on” background_color_gradient_start=”rgba(38,38,38,0.91)” background_color_gradient_end=”rgba(38,38,38,0.62)” background_color_gradient_direction=”90deg” custom_padding=”|10px||10px|false|true” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][et_pb_column_inner type=”1_2″ saved_specialty_column_type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.6.0″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.6.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”17px” header_3_text_color=”#ffffff” header_5_font=”|800|||||||” header_5_text_color=”#ffffff” header_5_font_size=”18px” header_6_font=”|800|||||||” header_6_text_color=”#c29321″ header_6_font_size=”20px”] <\/strong><\/p>\n reservations@cruisetogalapagos.com<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p> DON\u2019T STOP YOUR WANDERLUST!<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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