VOICES

22 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER INDIA | MAY 2014

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�Guest Column

I’ve just set foot on the sandy beach of Mosquera Island, my first excursion in the Galápagos archipelago, but already the wildlife is eyeing me suspiciously.

A frisky sea lion pup stares as I hesitantly attempt to take a picture. He snorts and charges playfully, coming to a stop less than a foot away. A perfect photo, but as I set up to take it, he snorts into the camera. I jerk back, but he’s already running o! to the protective custody of his mother.

In these Enchanted Isles, as the Galápagos are known, the national park rules are strict. Only a certain number of visitors are allowed in each day, and Mosquera is no exception. It is my first stop on an eight-day cruise through the archipelago and my first real encounter with the wildlife.

Right after disembarking, our guide Roberto Plaza told us not to surround the wildlife and stay at least six feet away at all times. Someone should have informed the animals, because throughout the journey they seemed completely unafraid, and more than willing to approach visitors. Charles Darwin’s voyage to the islands on the H.M.S. Beagle in 1835, during which he collected samples that led to his theory of evolution, cemented this destination’s standing as a treasure trove of nature. Darwin commented

on how the animals, so isolated from mankind, displayed a startling lack of fear. Since then, scientists from around the world have come to the Galápagos to study everything from geology to ecology.

At numerous points along the journey, we stopped to snorkel. Giant sea turtles gracefully swam within feet of us on their own journeys. Seals played tag, touching us then darting away, lazily corkscrewing on the water’s surface in the sun, a vision of contentment.

As I soaked all this in, I sensed a growing change within me. I listened to our guides talk and their passion slowly bled into all of us. I used to be fascinated with the outdoors as a child, but time had dulled the feeling, burying it under more pressing concerns and changing interests. But seeing our guides pause, hunch down, and point out exotic birds in voices su!used with enthusiasm, stirred old memories.

We spent the hours between visiting the islands on the ship’s observation deck, looking for signs of whales. Though we never did catch sight of one, the search was fraught with potential and built-up excitement, punctuated by false positives. When we did see other creatures, exotic or not, the wait became worthwhile; especially with our experienced guides

whispering their knowledge to us.

The next island adventure was at Genovesa, also known as Tower Island. It was mating season, and the magnificent frigate birds were out in force. While the females filled the sky searching for a mate, the males made nests and pu!ed up their brilliant red

throat sacks to attract them. We walked within a few feet of a group that ignored us entirely as they spread out their wings to win over a female bird that was flying past. Not distracted by these brilliant birds, our guides paid as much attention to the smaller, less colourful ones around. They identified di!erent kinds of hawks and sparrows, and at one point we spent over an hour with the binoculars trying to detect a perfectly camouflaged short-eared owl. Our guides had spotted it with their naked eyes while walking amongst the rocks.

Almost a year has passed since that trip, and I’ve realised how much the experience a!ected me. Where I used to walk unconcerned with the flickers of motion in the sky, I am now compelled to pay attention. Even in my hometown, where the birds are far less exotic, I crane and squint, as though my guides were there, their voices strained with an urgency that is now in my own voice too.

I’m not an expert, but like wine appreciation, appreciating nature is something you learn in the doing. I’ve noticed that my recent holidays have tended to lean towards the outdoors, as I stop to increasingly taste, savour, and understand the natural world. I look back on my trip to those truly Enchanted Isles, and particularly remember one night when we stayed in tree houses at a campsite amidst giant tortoise migrations.

We had gathered to eat and afterwards our guides sang songs: the cook played the guitar, the kitchen sta! kept time and sang backup. My Spanish was rusty, but I picked up the words of a song about a lover’s hair, the wind, birds, and the air. Was it an ode to the outdoors?

Much has been said about how much we humans have a!ected the Galápagos. Important questions are raised about how to curtail pollution, prevent the introduction of new species, and preserve the pristine island habitats. These are all very important subjects. But as the music washed over me, I thought of Darwin, whose life was changed by these islands. I looked around and saw my fellow visitors, their eyes bright in anticipation of a new day of swimming, hiking, and looking for new species. And I wondered if we talk enough about how much these isles have a!ected us. Q

Biju Sukumaran is a travel writer currently based in Florianópolis, Brazil.

A TRIP TO THE GALÁPAGOS ISLANDS HERALDS CHANGE AND A NEW APPRECIATION OF THE NATURAL WORLD

Breath of Fresh Air

BIJU SUKUMARAN