Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
garua
. During this time, clouds condense over the islands and fall as
mist in the highlands. The roughest, coolest, and foggiest months run
from July through around October (though July and August are the
busiest two travel months of the year). By January, the Humboldt
Current weakens and trade winds from the southeast prevail, allow-
ing a return of the warmer waters from the equatorial current and a
more tropical climate. Cloudy and rainy weather (often with after-
noon downpours) can occur from January through March, although
the climate remains hot. Underwater viewing is at its best during this
time. February is typically the hottest time here and it becomes pro-
gressively milder as May approaches.
History
Darwin & Natural History
The natural history of these islands is eminently
curious and well deserves attention.
~ Charles Darwin, 1845
How did life in the Galápagos come to be? It had to start
from scratch with some kind of boost from the mainland,
which was over 600 miles away. Most likely, the archipel-
ago was a resting place for early swimming, floating, and
flying animals, as well as an accident destination for those thrown off-
course. Plant seeds and insects arrived via bird feathers and perhaps,
to a lesser extent, via long-distance wind drifts and natural rafts of
driftwood or other vegetation. It is also likely that seeds passed
through birds' digestive tracts. Certain plant species grabbed a foot-
hold on volcanic earth and helped to form life-supporting soil. As the
new habitat offered opportunities for colonizing species to adapt, the
evolution of isolated communities began.
What happened next was first observed and perhaps best explained
later by Charles Darwin after his famous visit to the Galápagos in
1835. During his five-week stay, the young naturalist observed, stud-
ied, and collected samples of various plants and animals, noting simi-
larities withmainland relatives, but also seeing unique differences in
physical and behavioral adaptations. His theory of evolution, how-
ever, was not born overnight. In fact, the young Darwin was devoutly
religious, so questioning the Christian establishment was not easy
for him. But what he saw forced him to think twice about the validity
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