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Having been sailing the waters of the Pacific for just a few weeks, participants in the Grand Large Yachting World Odyssey 500 were able to discover the Galapagos Islands, known in Spanish as the Enchanted Islands, or Las Encantadas.
Among aluminium centreboarders , the Garcia Exploration 52 Blue Way visited this archipelago. Other participants opted for a direct route to the Gambier Islands. The Grand Large Yachting World Odyssey 500 formula allows participating crews to choose their itinerary and certain stopovers, while providing them with the security of the organization.
Crews opting for a stopover in the Galapagos first set foot on San Cristobal Island, home to Puerto Boquerizo Moreno, capital of this Ecuadorian province. Some then disembarked at Puerto Villamil, south of Isla Isabela, the largest of the archipelago's islands. They then visited Isla Santa Cruz from its port of Puerto Isidro Ayora.
Regulated conditions of access to the Galapagos Islands, some of which are strictly forbidden to landings in order to preserve the ecosystems, limit the possibilities of shore excursions.
A natural site with unique features
"An archipelago of extinct volcanoes rather than islands, rather evocative of the image this world might offer after a punishing conflagration". North American writer Herman Melville's description of the Galapagos, taken from his short story "Les Encantadas" published in 1856, is not very appealing. The author of Moby Dick is describing a real-life situation, since as a sailor on a whaler, he made two stopovers in the Galapagos, in 1841 and 1842. And yet, the Galapagos, discovered in 1535 by Europeans, has fed the imagination of sailors ever since Melville.
Situated at the meeting point of three oceanic plates, the "Islas de los Galápagos" archipelago is a hot spot, one of those places on the globe where tectonic and volcanic activity is perpetual. The nineteen islands that make up the archipelago are, geologically speaking, among the youngest land masses on the planet. As a result, their rugged relief makes most of them uninhabitable, or only on narrow strips of coastline. The coasts of these islands are subject to a cold current, the Humboldt Current, which originates along the Antarctic and flows up to the Galapagos after skirting the coasts of Chile and Peru. The climate of the archipelago is desert-like, both arid and hot, comparable according to Köppen's classification to that of the deserts of Australia. Average temperatures are high, around 30°C during the hot season (January to May) and around 20°C during the cold season (June to September). This generates a high level of evaporation, greater than the cumulative rainfall, despite the fact that no rivers flow on these islands due to the volcanic relief. Finally, wind regimes are marked by their inconstancy, if Melville is to be believed:
"Nowhere is the wind so light, so uncertain, so deceptive in a hundred ways, so fertile in disconcerting flat calms as in Encantadas."
And yet, these harsh conditions have made the archipelago a site of major interest for anyone interested in the natural sciences.
A global biodiversity sanctuary
Its climate, relief and isolation, which are not conducive to the establishment of a large population, but also its cold waters, which are rich in fish, have given rise to an exceptionally rich biodiversity. This was not lost on the English naturalist Charles Darwin, who spent over a month in the Galapagos in 1835 during his five-year round-the-world expedition aboard the HMS Beagle. He made a sumptuous collection of land and sea birds, shellfish, fish and reptiles, not to mention almost 200 plant species. But it was partly by identifying a type of finch captured on one of the Galapagos that Darwin founded a major scientific theory. This same finch is also found on other islands in the same archipelago, only a few dozen miles apart. But there, it displays clear physiological differences from the first. Darwin hypothesized that these birds, although from the same stock, had developed variations over time due to differences in environment, lifestyle and diet. The theory of evolution by natural selection, or evolutionary radiation, was born. An evolutionary theory that is still relevant today, and to which the naturalist lends his name: Darwinism.
Beyond this anecdote, the characteristics and history of the Galapagos Islands are closely linked to the development of a major scientific theory, making them a founding place for the natural sciences. To such an extent that the archipelago remains an emblematic land for everything to do with biodiversity and species preservation.
In 1978, the Galapagos became UNESCO's first World Heritage Site, as a "living museum and showcase of evolution of outstanding universal value". And since 1998, the archipelago has been home to one of the world's largest marine reserves.
The Grand Large Yachting World Odyssey 500 offers a highly protected environment, where crews can enjoy the choice of sailing in an organized flotilla. All authorizations, permits and other access licenses to the National Park have been managed upstream by the rally organizers, leaving crews free to enjoy the visit.
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Las Islas de los Galápagos, or Sea Turtle Islands
The giant Galapagos tortoises are a living emblem of this archipelago. It's only logical that observing them was a highlight for the crews of the Grand Large Yachting World Odyssey 500. Of course, the crews were also able to have some sometimes surprising experiences with other representatives of the animal class present on the islands, and which are often endemic species. For example, Galapagos sea lions trying to climb aboard the yachts via the quarterdeck, or trying to get into a dinghy. Then there are the great thage pelicans, anchovy-fishermen living in colonies on rocky coasts, provided they are bathed by the Humboldt current. Or the rare blue-footed gannets, whose Galapagos population accounts for more than half of the total.
Again, we heard nothing from the crews about any encounters with the famous Galapagos iguanas, either marine or terrestrial, or with the many species of shark that cruise the surrounding waters.
The main island of Isabela alone is home to five subspecies, whereas the smaller islands have allowed the development of just one. The giant Galapagos tortoises, carefully described by Charles Darwin, were sought after by sailors and pirates as early as the 16th century, for the delicacy of their flesh and the food reserves they represented on board. Fortunately protected today, they are still a notorious attraction, and some of the participants in the Grand Large Yachting World Odyssey 500 couldn't resist testing the solid shelter provided by their shells.
A convivial reunion
There, on Friday March 25, they took stock of everyone's needs in terms of fuel, fresh food supplies, and reviewed the administrative formalities required to leave the Galapagos and thus the territory of Ecuador. The organization even ensured the delivery of spare parts directly from France in the luggage of a shipyard representative.
An Ecuadorian excursion
The excursion to Santa Cruz on the following Sunday further consolidated the cohesion and good understanding between the crews. An excursion to the National Park, to discover the flora and the equatorial forest, as well as a visit to lava tunnels and a farm where turtles are bred and preserved, generated a great deal of enthusiasm among the participants. The same was true of the discovery - in taste, that is - of various local fruits and breads and cheeses, not unlike mozzarella, which provided an excellent lunch for the day's explorers.
Everyone was aware of how lucky they were to have been able to visit the Galapagos under such privileged conditions. It's true that this archipelago is today the focus of increasing tourist activity, to the point where it represents a threat to its unique natural environment. On the other hand, all these activities take place in an excellent state of mind, with crews getting to know each other better and socializing with each other and with members of the organization.
The call of the sea is never far away
On Monday, it was back to serious business, as the boats were prepared for the crossing to the Marquesas Islands, 4,000 miles away! After intense preparations, including cleaning the boats, it was time to celebrate the holiday with a party, scheduled for Tuesday March 29, the eve of the big departure.
The event was meticulously prepared by the organizers, with a traditional dance show, dinner for the sailors and a long-awaited ceremony to reward the crew who took the most original photo of the Equator crossing.
The next morning, following this festive moment of conviviality, the crews set sail for the Marquesas Islands.
This archipelago in French Polynesia is an official stopover on the Grand Large Yachting World Odyssey 500, for all the crews. Each of the sailors wished their peers a safe crossing, knowing that they could count on each other if need be.
The next morning, following this festive moment of conviviality, the crews set sail for the Marquesas Islands. This archipelago in French Polynesia is an official stopover on the Grand Large Yachting World Odyssey 500, for all the crews. Each of the sailors wished his peers a safe crossing, knowing that they could count on each other if need be.
