Capture Galapagos Memories

Capture Galapagos Memories

"Lights, Camera, Action"

A trip on a Galapagos Cruise Ship is clearly a trip of a lifetime, seeing nature up close among fearless animals, an array of colorful birds, and marine life at its finest.  Yet traveling on Galapagos cruise ships such as ours, the all-suite Explorer II, affords additional opportunities to bring back memories.  Most travelers love to take pictures that capture wildlife sightings but some adventurists love to create a photo journal, writing and describing their many excursions and experiences.

The Explorer II, one of the most seasoned Galapagos cruise ships in the archipelago, offers luxury and a sophisticated sense of eco responsibility for the environment.  Our three, four, and seven night cruises visit a number of the islands offering enough plant and animal diversity to create your own personal documentary.  Most itineraries visit a different island each day with two daily excursions out of several options to choose from.

Since each island has its own spectacular array of wildlife, every day can be different.  Some islands have more birds than others.  Some islands have large populations of sea lions and iguanas.  For example, imagine taking film footage of the black frigate bird as it puffs out its striking red neck pouch to attract a female.  Or, witness the famous blue footed booby as it lifts one foot then the other, quaintly alternating back and forth to attract a mate.  Filming it is half the fun; writing your reactions to it adds even more to your memories as you relive them once back home.

Imagine, too, walking amongst 50 or 75 land iguanas.  You might think they are one of the homeliest creatures on land yet looking closer you will see as many colors on their skin as if they captured a rainbow and put it on their necks or backs.  It is equally fun to watch them turn their heads slowly as they watch you watching them.  Follow their eyes with your camera then be sure to have a fellow traveler write the scene down for you to share with others after the trip.

Seeing the island chain by Galapagos cruise ship also affords compelling views of shoreline with its dramatic geographical differences formed from volcanic action too.  Most people don’t know this but the archipelago is relatively young, a ‘toddler’ of islands, sporting an early phase in their growth and emerging development.  In 1968, for example, Fernandina Island’s caldera (crater) collapsed dropping 1,000 feet in two weeks.  Because the entire chain is formed from volcanoes, coastal landscapes often look like the moon, with outcroppings and caves appearing unexpectedly.

All of the wildlife, geography, flora and fauna are visible both by daily excursion options and just cruising around and between the islands themselves.  Any Galapagos cruise ship vacation provides a great opportunity to create memories from this kind of adventure.  Whether you take still pictures, video, and keep your own journal for future YouTube narratives, visiting the Galapagos Islands remains the #1 adventure destination of any place on earth.