The day started early, meeting at the Intercultural Outreach Initiative (IOI) at 7am. We packed sandwiches and Oreos, slathered on the sunscreen, and laced up our shoes and boots. After we filled our water bottles, we got on our chiva and drove up to the volcano through the highlands. Arriving after about 45 minutes, the weather had drastically changed from town.

When we left town, it was warm and sunny. However, when we arrived at the head of the volcano trail, the air was very moist, turning into rain at times. Alfredo was our guide for the day. Alfredo moved to the Galapagos in the 70s, before tourism started in earnest. He and I talked a lot about how the islands have changed over time—but we both agreed that Isabela still holds the special “Galapagos” feel. Most of its streets are unpaved, it has a long beautiful beach, and very few residents (less than 3000). Alfredo led the hike, stopping to point out flora and fauna that was both endemic and introduced.

We reached the caldera of the volcano around 9:30am. It was mostly covered in clouds.

Caldera of Sierra Negra

Trail to the chimney of Sierra Negra

Mother’s Day spent in the shoes of a Galapagonian/Ecuadorian.
For the past two days our class has been doing a lot of manual, tiresome community work such as pulling the devil out of the ground. It’s May 14th and I’m positive my classmates and I are rejoicing because it’s our off day! My roommate and I spent the entire day with our lovely host family doing various activities from painting our nails to going to a gorgeous beach on the east coast of Isabela called La Playita.
We were off to a late start in comparison to the past few days, but our host mum was very understanding. We helped prepare a delicious lunch which consisted of chicken fried rice and some veggies on the side. Afterwards, we had some girl time and everyone in the house got a mani and pedi while watching Shrek in Spanish. It was interesting and quite impressive to see how much my roommate and I picked up from the movie.
After the blistering midday sun subsided, our host family decided it was time to go to the beach. We rode in the tray of a truck and sang ‘Vamos a la playa’ until we reached the stunning white sands and crystal clear blue waters. We were greeted by Jurassic parklike marine iguanas that guarded the pathway down to the beach. As soon as our toes touched the sand our host sister was eager to play football, so we set aside our bags and had a try at it. My roommate and I then basked in the sun before heading into the frigid water with our host sister and her cousin. It was surprising to find out that they couldn’t swim because they live on a land mass surrounded by beautiful waters.
We returned home around 5 to realise that the water was off, due to conservation purposes. My roommate and I slightly panicked because we were as sandy as ‘Bikini Bottom’, but our host mum graciously brought a bucket of water and we had a quick outdoor shower. Later that afternoon we had a fiesta in celebration of Mother’s Day, where the entire family came over, had a photoshoot and ate banana bread with dulce de leche (their version of caramel). All in all it was a fantastic day and I am so thrilled to have gotten the chance to spend it with them!

Today we snorkeled twice to see some incredible wildlife and walked across naturally made lava tunnels which served as a nesting place for blue-footed bobbies.

We woke up early this morning and was on the water sailing to Tuneles by 8:30. Within 45 minutes we arrived at arguably the best snorkeling site in the entire Galapagos archipelago. The water was low tide and visibility was surprisingly good, which made it easy to spot the incredibly diverse marine life. Here there were dozens of vibrant fish species as well as expertly camouflaged sea-horses and octopuses, which are relatively rare to see. This area was also a popular place for giant sea-turtles to feed on algae. Scores of up to five turtles could be found all in the same area. I was told by our guide that these massive animals could weigh up to 250kg and swam so close to us that if we were to reach out our hands we would graze the backs of their shells. Of course everyone in our group had the proper self-control to not harass the animals in this way.

Next we sailed into the cove of Tuneles, which was well protected by rocks so our boat captain had to maneuver the boat quickly and with much skill. Due to the shallow waters, the only way to make into the cove was to find a large wave and ride the wave into the island, and avoid the large protruding rocks. This snorkeling site was completely different from the last. There was relatively few animals save a couple species of fish, but the water was crystal clear and all across the cove were naturally formed lava bridges. By taking a deep breath, I was able to swim under these lava bridges and felt like an explorer navigating some unknown world. This was an experience completely new to me and although I have been snorkeling several times by now, and feel like a pro, this was completely different. Underneath the bridges, lobsters could be found, hiding in the scattered crevasses. They camouflage well, but it was easy to see their eyes poke out of their body and watch me as I briefly inspected them before floating to the surface.

Once everyone was out of the water, we got to explore the tops of the lava bridges.

Lava bridge at Tuneles

Today was our first full day of our community project, which we have spent removing invasive grass from a wetland in southern Isabela.

Okay, so imagine that you have a really big back yard, which happens to be a giant wetland. Now imagine that in that backyard you have really thick grass. When you pull the grass up, it is as tall as you. On the ground, it is one big tangled knot, sort of like most of our hair after every snorkel. The tangled knot is about the height of your knees. Now imagine that the roots of the grass are even more tangled than the blades of the grass, and that virtually all of the plants are connected in a mat that extends about 6 inches underground. Now imagine the heavy scent of sulfur, a lot of mud, extreme heat, humidity, and equatorial sun. Your task is simple, get rid of all of the grass and all of the roots, using clunky tools that are pretty hard to lift.

Mary with a patch of grass

Mackenzie digging the grass up

Spirits are undoubtedly low, but we’ve found some ways to make it fun. Brian brought his speakers today, and a little friendly (or not so friendly) competition has helped the time go by.

One group preparing to dig up the grass

This stuff smells REALLY bad and has lots of worms and other crawlies in it. Emma thinks she might have found a parasitic worm on her arm. Don’t worry, she pulled it off before it could make its way under her skin.

The invasive we are battling, Pennisetum clandestine, was introduced to the Galapagos by ranchers in the highlands as a source of food for their cattle. Unfortunately, it has spread to the lowlands, where it thrives in wetlands. This invasive basically chokes up the wetland by absorbing all of its water. This is problematic because wetlands here are crucial habitat and breeding grounds for many fish and bird species. They can also act as a natural “water filter.” Our community coordinator told us that some of the species impacted by this invasive include marine iguanas, Galapagos hawks, lava gulls, Galapagos penguin, sea lion, green sea turtles, stilts, and flamingos. At this point, I think most of us feel we have a personal vendetta against this plant. It’s really pretty terrible.
I do not want to romanticize the work we’ve been doing. It’s exhausting, not terribly satisfying, and all the grass will probably grow back within the next month. On the other hand, I do think this project is valuable for us in that it has given us a new method for interacting with our environment. Thus far, we have been tourists, professors, and students. We have been observers, snapping pictures of birds with fancy cameras and catching glimpses of flashy fish through foggy (and some de-fogged) snorkel masks. We’ve stayed on the boardwalk and we’ve followed the guide. We’ve looked and not touched. Today, however, we’re doing a lot more than looking at the land. We’re raking it, pulling at it, and stabbing it with this weird metal pole thing that none of us can quite figure out the purpose of. Most of us probably still have bits of mud beneath our fingernails and in our hair. There’s so much mud on me that I’m starting to question how many showers it will take for me to get through the biological security checkpoints on the way home. I better start scrubbing now if I want to make it back to �ֲ���ý! All jokes aside, this experience has been valuable in that it has shown us why biological security is so important for the Galapagos, as well as burned a hole through the illusion that we’re on an extended tropical vacation.

In between our morning and afternoon warfare on kikuyu, we’ve spent our time at the beach, working on lab write ups, or trying something new at the bakery. Today, Kayleigh Alex and I found the town “Empanada Lady.” She makes some crazy empanadas. Tonight we are all excited for Amanda’s second salsa lesson. Hopefully tonight there will be looser hips and less purple toes.

Today we had an early 7:30 am class, because it was our community engagement day! We all met at the IOI, our normal meeting spot, and we were informed by an IOI staff member about how we would be helping them with their wetland conservation project. Specifically, we learned that we would help with the control of a super invasive plant species Paspalum vaginatum that the locals call Kikuyo. This is an introduced, perennial grass that grows in salt and brackish marshes and is a big problem for the area because it causes destruction of its habitat since it absorbs so much water that dries out everything around it. The location that this species causes the biggest problem is the South Isabella Wetlands, because it is a protected site (Ramsar Site 2002) and no pesticides not herbicides are allowed to be used there. The only way to prevent it from spreading is to remove it by its roots. That’s where we came into play. We were all given a pair of rubber boots, gloves, sacks, some rakes, bars and peaks and we were dropped off next to a pond where there was an abundance of this species. From the moment, I stepped on it I realized how strong its stems and roots are. We then split into groups of four and started to dig. It was a lot of work but I enjoyed it so much because I knew we were doing it for a good cause. At the end of the day everyone was covered with dirt, a mark of our hard work. Tomorrow we will be back for a whole day of community engagement.

First day of our project!

Before the beginning of our community engagement project we had journal club. Everyone in the class was assigned to a research paper that had to read, be an expert on and present its findings in front of the rest of the class. In total, we had three groups and three papers that were all related with the Blue footed booby, a bird we have seen multiple times in our trip and is one of my favorites. We also got to enjoy some delicious pastries from a local bakery during our presentations. All three groups did a great job explaining their paper and engaging the rest of the class with questions. As a biology major, I believe that is important to be able to explain science to an audience that might not have an expertise on the field and journal club is the perfect preparation for that.

The highlight of the day was our dance class at 8:15pm. Amanda who is one the leader staff members of the IOI volunteered to teach us how to dance Bachata. Almost everyone in the class showed up and tried to follow Amanda’s instructions. Although I was terrible at it, I really enjoyed it. These kinds of dances require a lot and quick steps, which I personally can’t do. Both Larissa and Greg were very good at it and showed us how a professor can also have some fun.

Today we biked to the Wall of Tears and made observations about the biotic and abiotic interactions of this environment.

Today we biked (well, I walked with my trusty trekking poles) to the Muro de las Lágrimas, or the Wall of Tears. This was an 8 km bike ride from IOI, our base camp on Isabela. The trail is a rocky one made of gravelly basaltic lava. After reaching the Wall of Tears we completed a short hike that lead to a beautiful view of the beaches of Isabela. Prisoners in a penal colony throughout the years (1944-1959) built the wall from lava rock. To the prisoners’ dismay, it was constructed and destroyed each day to keep the prisoners busy. The wall stands about 5 m tall, 3 m wide, and 100 m long.

Pictured above is the Wall of Tears. Given the age of the lava rock, lichens have begun to spot the wall, giving it the slightly greenish tinge. We climbed up the stairs on the far end of the wall for our hike.

On our way to the Wall of Tears we were fortunate enough to see five dome-backed tortoises. Two of them were fighting, one was slowly making its way to feed, and two others were feeding on the leaves on the low hanging plants. The vegetation on this trip was very lush and densely packed with trees, definitely one of the greener places I have experienced in the Galápagos thus far. We saw many candelabra and prickly pair cacti as well as various soil types. Due to the abundance of vegetation and flowering plants and leaves in this El Niño year, we were able to see many of Darwin’s famous finches! As a side note, one should know that Darwin did not take particular interest in these guys. During his collecting he simply stowed them away, failing to label which island the finches originated from. Today we saw the small and medium ground finch, the Cactus finch, the small tree finch, and the warbler finch. All were busy feeding on the plentiful seeds available to them.

One of the views from the trail on the way to the Wall of Tears. A frigate bird soars above.

After successfully reaching the Wall of Tears, we were all quite sweaty and sticky. The sweltering sun here at the equator began to kick in, but we were all eager to continue up to the top. The view did not disappoint! From the top we saw some very young lava flows and the crystal clear turquoise ocean. Being at the highest elevation we have been thus far, we saw some plant life we had not previously encountered, including a plant called sedge, which looks like a small star shaped version of a cattail.

View from the summit of the Wall of Tears trail. You can see prickly pear cacti, which Darwin’s finches and saddle-backed tortoises enjoy eating the fruits from!

Class photo, glistening and a little red, on the Wall of Tears trail. Happy and sweaty, our words for the day!

After spending some time at the top, we made our way back down and visited La Playa del Amor, or the Love Beach. This beach is unique because the sand there is comprised entirely of dead sea-urchin shells and spines from pencil sea urchins, giving the sand a purple tinge. We were also able to observe the aggressive behavior of the damselfish in the tidal pool, and see our favorite and colorful Sally lightfoot crabs move about the rocky lava.

Hadley holds the shells and spines that compose the sand at La Playa del Amor.

After our trip, some of us headed to the beach for a refreshing swim, went to our host families house to relax and cool off, or the best option, which is what I did, and rewarded myself with a delicious chocolate-banana milkshake. This afternoon we spent time working on data from the bird survey we conducted yesterday while motoring around Tortuga Island. We were able to find significant zonation patterns and learn a great deal about the ideal habitats for various bird species such as the Nazca booby and the frigate. Following or afternoon in the classroom, many of us enjoy providing the local bakery with our hungry bellies and reliable business. We’d like to think we are regulars now, and we are so surprised these delicious treats only cost $1 each! Needless to say we never go hungry here on Isabela.

Hadley enjoys a dulce de leche cone outside the local bakery.

Tonight we will gear up for our Community Engaged projects beginning tomorrow! We will be learning about endemic and invasive species and helping the community to get rid of these invasive and harmful plants. I think I speak for most of us when I say we are all eager for a day or two on land, especially after yesterday’s bumpy ride and what will be our sore legs tomorrow. Until next time, ciao from Isabela!

Today the Galapacats took a boat ride to Tortuga and snorkeled off the coast. The rain held off and the sun was shining. The boat ride was a little choppy, but once we got there we saw the thing most people have been waiting for: manta rays. Almost everyone has wanted to see a manta ray, especially Sarah because it’s her spirit animal! Needless to say, the sight was mesmerizing and majestic. We saw multiple of them (upwards of 7), which is apparently very rare! It was another amazing day in the Galapagos, and even a milestone in some of our lives. Below is a picture of myself (Brian) next to a manta, taken by our professor Greg. I was about 10 feet away from it, and I am 5’7″, so you can see how large the mantas are!

The first time I had ever snorkeled was on this trip (not counting practicing in the �ֲ���ý pool), and I love it. At first it took a little getting used to, but by the time we were on the trip to Tortuga, I was very comfortable and able to focus on the wildlife instead of breathing. One thing that I love about snorkeling is the water covering your ears while you can still breath. It is a very peaceful feeling, almost like being in a sensory deprivation tank and being able to see tropical fish at the same time! Also, snorkeling here is amazing because the wildlife will come right up to you (sometimes you need to back up to give them space) and you can get a close look at the animals in their natural habitat. I may not see so many wonderful things in the United States, but I still can’t wait to break out this snorkel gear any time I can.

It took a little bit for the realization of where I was to sink in, but now that it’s hit me, I still can barely believe it. The wildlife and biology of the Galapagos is so amazing, no pictures or words could do it justice. I wish we could be here for months instead of weeks. I know that I’ll be coming back here one day, hopefully multiple times!

Hello to Celine Pichette, �ֲ���ý, and the wider community! This is Sarah blogging from Isabela! We’ll be spending most our time in the Galapagos on this island, so expect to read many more blog posts describing the amazing things we’ll be doing and seeing here. Today was our first full day here, and gave us a taste of what our next two weeks will look like.

Blue footed booby

We all started our days with our first breakfasts with our host families. My host mom is an incredible cook, and made my roommate and I omelets, fried plantains, and fresh papaya for breakfast. We’ve all been learning how versatile plantain is, as it has been served at almost every meal and can be used as a desert, a snack, or as part of the main course. I’m hoping to learn how to cook Ecuadorian cuisine while here from my host mom, especially fried plantain!

Later in the morning, we all met up at our home base of IOI to take a boat over to Tintoreres, a small island right of the coast of Isabela. Tintoreres is Spanish for “white-tip reef shark,” as individuals of this species are often spotted in the warmer waters of the island. As we walked around the island, we could see several of these sharks relaxing in lagoons and being cleaned up at “cleaning stations” by reef fish. The island is also home to many marine iguanas, who bask in the heat created by the sun and the lava that makes up the island. Here in the Galapagos, the boundaries between the “natural” and human environments are incredibly blurred, which we experienced today with the iguanas. They were piled all along the trail, and often were basking directly on the trail. They also love to use Isabela’s main harbor as a basking site, meaning that you have to watch your step as you arrive or depart from the harbor!

Sea lion greeting us on a dock

The highlight of today was our snorkel session after our visit to Tintoreres. We snorkeled along a coastal mangrove grove in much rougher waters than we’ve swam in before, which tested our group snorkel skills. However, the area was the home to numerous marine megafauna, including a couple gigantic green sea turtles, sting rays, and several sea lions. These sea lions were especially playful and swam circles around us as we tried to keep up with them! It was surreal to be so close to these animals and to watch them in their natural environment.

Adios, and stay tuned for more updates of our adventures tomorrow!

Today was another day of travel, as we made our way to Isabel Island. After about a two-hour boat ride, we arrived at the beautiful blue seas and picturesque beach of Isabela Island. When we got off of the boat, we were greeted by a playful sea lion taking a dip in the water along the mangroves as well as some massive marine iguanas cooling off in the shade. Once we gathered our luggage, we took a safari style bus to the IOI, where our host families were awaiting our arrival.

The IOI staff prepared a nice little icebreaker for us to find ours families. Both the families and each pair of students were given pieces of paper with a picture on it. The goal was to act out what was on your piece of paper in order to find your family whose pictures corresponded in one way or another to yours. For example, Maria-Anna and I had fish on our sheet of paper and our host mother had a penguin. We were matched because penguins eat fish.

IOI icebreaker

Another view of the IOI icebreaker

After getting settled in our homestays, were given a tour of the small and quaint town of Isabela. Then we had free time to spend with our host families until dinner. I spent this time teaching my 17 year-old host cousin English, while she taught me Spanish. We talked about almost everything imaginable… from God, our future plans, our love lives (or lack thereof), simple phrases that we should know in English and Spanish, to our love for Ed Sheeran’s music . It was a day well spent and we finished in off with an amazing dinner, another tour of the town, and a fun salsa lesson from my host mom and her friend. I am really looking forward to the next 11 days on this island!