A MOMENT OF REFLECTION"

A MOMENT OF REFLECTION

August 2016, we have had so far three months of cold temperatures in Galapagos waters, what a blessing.

The past ten years with my feeling/impression, the Islands have been warm, nice comfortable for visitors, it has been great to enjoy snorkelling without having to freeze in the water

Rainy seasons have been present, some have lasted two or three months, or even up to four.
There have been nice years of tourism and also the Galapagos wildlife, that needs water.  Finches, land iguanas and tortoises, it has been good for the local inhabitants, we have had fresh water to collect and save, it has been good for us.

Cold seasons came, we had cold water, I cannot deny it, but not as cold as my early years of guidance, or colder months were only one or two, not the usual four or five.

Something we know for sure, sea lions populations have declined, as well as blue footed boobies, their nesting seasons have never come to an end, or simply did not nest at all.

What happened?...... Nothing bad, it has been warm for sea lions, not enough food, warm water means not a lot of fish to eat, survival is minimal, and blue footed boobies?.... They need food along the coast to eat and reproduce, they need  cold water, this brings fish to eat. Again, this is normal.

Galápagos goes through cycles, years of warmth and years of coldness, it has happened before, more than once, nature will take its course.

Right now, this year, is cold again, fantastic, now  is cloudy sometimes, and drizzles, water is cold, 68 Farenheit, nice.

I freeze now in the water, see a lot of sardines, blue footed are trying again to  nest, they are dancing, one nest on North Seymour even had three eggs, good sign.

The cycle is turning around, perhaps back to cold, hope so, sea lions need it and it will happen again, they will return, as always, but.....

In the past Galapagos only received 3000 , 20000, 80000 visitors. Last year we may have had 230.00 visitors, that is a big difference.

As a guide, I must say, that all this years, one of the biggest challenges have been to be kind and polite everytime a group member breaks one the basic rules we have.

Every group gets too close to the animals, and I do mind asking everybody to stay on the trail, or to not to get too close to a sea lion or frigate etc.

The point is that it happens, and now it will be 150.000 visitors out of 230.000.  That is a lot, I wonder if this will have a terrible impact if nature tries to get its course back. I am sure it does.

Think about it........