Following Darwin’s footsteps

Having spent most of my childhood and young adulthood in the Hawaiian Islands, with its abundant, colourful flora and fauna, warm Pacific water and a dizzying array of tropical underwater life, thoughts of nature and care of the a’ina – land – and kai – the sea – were often at the forefront of my mind. 

Those concepts became almost second nature and were part and parcel of everyday life. This was the case whether protecting the beach habitats for turtles to seasonally lay their eggs, enjoying the magical show of humpback whales spouting or the concerto of their breaching, or collecting limu – edible seaweed – that had washed ashore to give to our Japanese neighbours who devoured it with near reckless abandon. The appreciation and adoration of wonders unique to island milieux thus became an ingrained character trait.

I would carry this with me around the world as I explored islands both near and far.

Accidentally discovered in 1535, when Panama’s first bishop, Tomas de Berlanga, wandered off course sailing from Panama to Peru, the islands were named after the giant Galápagos tortoises found there. In a report to Spain’s King Charles V. Berlanga noted that the islands’ birds – now known as boobies – were “so silly that they didn’t know how to flee.”  

In 1832, Ecuador claimed the Galápagos Islands, and for about 100 years, the islands served as penal colonies. The last one closed in 1959 when the islands were declared a national park, and in 1978, UNESCO named it a World Heritage Site. 

Located about 600 miles from mainland Ecuador on the South American continent the Galápagos is one of the world’s most unusual ecosystems and offers curious travellers a unique perspective on the marvels of the natural world. 

Made famous by the insights of the then-young Charles Darwin following his 1830s voyage on the HMS Beagle, Darwin’s discoveries permanently altered our views of science, evolution and the natural world. Little could Darwin have imagined the impact his discoveries would have. Darwin’s life’s work is so inextricably intertwined with the Galápagos that many believe he spent his entire adult life there. The mind-boggling reality is that Darwin only spent five weeks in the Galápagos and just 19 days on land. Yet the young genius managed to collect 1,500 specimens. Those specimens, together with his writings and meticulous record-keeping, provided the basis for his theory of evolution. In 1859, on its first day in print, Darwin’s On the Origin of Species sold out.

Several years of living and working in urban areas in the US, Europe and Asia had me itching to return to nature. So when the opportunity arose to visit the Galápagos Islands on an expedition ship, not once but twice within a few years, I jumped at it. While it is possible to see parts of the Galápagos Islands without taking a cruise, to truly and adequately experience them, an expedition cruise is by far the most convenient and most comfortable way to do so.

When I experienced the Galápagos Islands I travelled on small expedition ships. The first was the Silver Galápagos. The second time was during the mid-2022 inaugural of the-then new Silver Origin. Built specifically for the Galapagos in 2020, COVID postponed the launch of this exquisite vessel until June 2022.

Silver Origin has 51 suites accommodating a maximum of 100 guests and is staffed by an all-Ecuadorean, English-speaking crew of 80, plus 10 expedition leaders and naturalists. With such a high staff-to-guest ratio guests are never kept waiting and service is surely some of the best at sea.

Cabins on the all-suite Silver Origin are on Decks 5 and 6 and start at a generous 325 sq ft with the largest, the Owner’s Suite, an eye-watering 1,722 sq ft, making it larger than many urban homes.

All suites have butler service, walk-in closets, smart TVs with an interactive media library and fantastic views from a private veranda or horizon balcony. Bathroom amenities are eco-friendly and although the Silver Origin is much larger than the Silver Galápagos, it consumes 50 per cent less energy and has dynamic positioning for a stable and silent ride. The ship’s lighting is also dimmable, thus not disturbing the ecosystem. 

My butler arrived at my suite minutes after I had, taking any special requests for the minibar, which is replenished daily with preferred alcoholic and soft drinks. Items appeared moments later, setting the tone for a marvellous week on this all-inclusive, ultra-luxury expedition ship. 

Silver Origin's Ecuadorean excursion leaders and naturalists possessed in-depth knowledge of local flora, fauna and marine life and were proud to be sharing it. Zodiac pilots also displayed profound marine skills, allowing for seamless experiences while zealously protecting the natural habitat. 

The ship's "Base Camp" on deck 3 is a good place to get oriented on the region. As well as a curved, full-wall LED screen with map projections guests can obtain information about nearly every aspect of Galápagos history, flora, fauna and geology via an interactive touch-screen table. Excursions depart from here, too. 

On typical days there were three excursions: nature hikes or walks, beach or deep-sea snorkelling and kayaking. I participated in 15 of the 18 excursions offered during my voyage, and all were informative and inspiring. Guests were provided with Alessi masks and snorkels, waterproof backpacks, raincoats and premium water bottles, all of which can be taken home. 

As if on a casting call from a Hollywood director astonishing wildlife was ever-present. Additionally, a perfect confluence of conditions and weather at Champion Islet resulted in the best deep-water snorkelling I’ve ever experienced. Akin to being dropped in the most colourful and prosperous aquarium ever, I traversed warm crystalline waters, swimming with an unimaginable number of frolicking sea lions seemingly tickled pink to make my acquaintance.

Goofy penguins engaged in antics and thousands of barracudas, rays, and neon-coloured school fish went about their serious business of symphonic swimming. Just for good measure a half-dozen six-foot, white-tipped reef sharks swam alongside me like a rigorous tour guide. Given the abundance and variety of available fish in my immediate presence, I was only marginally concerned that I would be considered an appetiser during their daily smorgasbord. 

During a hike on tiny North Seymour we encountered our first groupings of land iguanas, some three feet long, and lava lizards reminiscent of scenes from Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park. Perhaps more remarkable was their utter disregard for the humans in their midst. Numerous blue-footed boobies’ nests lined the trail and many frigates desirous of mating made for a rather spirited morning.

During another leisurely two-hour hike around Sullivan Bay on the island of Santiago, a massive, hundred-year-old flow of ropy pahoehoe (lava) appeared, from a distance, as the moon’s surface. Up close, it mostly resembled my last attempt at cooking a multi-course meal.  

Paddling around Rabida's perimeter by kayak, a group of boobies decided to use my vessel’s nose as the marker for kamikaze-style dive fishing. The whooshing sound was so loud and startling that I promptly dropped my oar in their midst. Fortunately, they are equipped with cranial air sacs that allow falling oars to bounce right off them. 

Retrieving the oar, I continued, seeing several “split-tail” frigates, known as "pirates". As these frigates can’t get wet they must engage in continuous grand larceny to obtain their sustenance. Hundreds of bulging-eyed red crabs traversed the craggy rocks while dozens of marine iguanas – some up to 20 pounds – lurked nearby, providing a sensation of gliding peacefully among mini-dinosaurs. 

Tendering at Red Beach, I encountered a young sea lion with half of its tail severed, most likely by a hungry, white-tipped shark. Darwin’s survival of the fittest was brought up close and personal and ended any thoughts I had of snorkelling there that day. Instead, a long beach walk resulted in spotting mockingbirds, pelicans, finches and many full-tailed sea lions lollygagging about. 

Sometimes, the magic of the Galápagos ecosystem comes directly to you. On Silver Origin’s Deck 8 stargazing area, equatorial skies often lit up on clear nights. One night at Isabella as the ship hovered over the equator, about 2.5 miles off the island’s north side, with both the Southern Cross and the North Star visible, guests witnessed Wolf Volcano erupting in her intense, fiery glory. Though no stranger to volcanic eruptions this was an utterly ethereal sight that will likely remain in my mind’s eye for eternity. 

There were two dining options on board – The Restaurant and The Grill. Silver Origin promotes “New Ecuadorean Cuisine” by incorporating the freshest local ingredients. Fish (90 per cent of it) served on board was caught locally, and fruit, vegetables and some cheeses were sourced from independent island farmers.

Menu options varied with each meal and were beautifully prepared. Fish and shellfish were so delightfully presented that they often resembled culinary artwork. While I am neither vegan nor vegetarian, those options were so enticing that I tried them several times. All meals were accompanied by top-shelf cocktails mixed to perfection, with excellent regional and European wines to enjoy as well.  

On HMS Beagle Captain Fitzroy often complained that Darwin spent too much time ashore. Had Darwin seen and experienced a ship as splendid as Silver Origin, he might have stayed far longer in the Galápagos. Had Darwin done so, or resided permanently there, who knows what other secrets of the natural universe Darwin might have uncovered? 

The Galápagos Islands are clear evidence of Mother Nature’s exquisite grandeur. Father Time, however, has marched on, happily bringing with it the technology to take us there and let us explore in comfort. Happy travels!