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Expedition Update
Sunday, July 18, 2010
2010 marks a career milestone for me as I celebrate my 10th anniversary as an artist. My artistic career began in 2001 with my first professional exhibition at the Buckhorn Wildlife Art Festival. Later in that same year I was elected as a member with the prestigious Artist’s for Conservation (AFC) Foundation. A highlight of my career has been the AFC Flag Expediton #10 Fellowship Award to travel to the Galapagos Islands.
I have been busy in the studio for the past 7 months. Hard at work developing the body of work that was inspired by the remarkable islands of Galapagos. I've also dedicated a large portion of time to writing articles about my experience, one of which has been published by the Algonquin Art Centre in conjunction with their annual exhibit. As well, I have been busy putting together a slide/film presentation. I am scheduled to give this talk at numerous venues between now and year end.
Wildscape Magazine (U.K.) will be featuring an article by me about my expedition in the September 2010 edition. Also, I was recently awarded first runner up in Wildscapes Wildlife Artist of the Year 2010 for "Mischief Maker". This painting was inspired by the Espanola Mockingbirds and Galapagos Sea Lions on Espanola Island, Galapagos.
To celebrate my 10th anniversary as an artist and exhibitor at the Buckhorn Fine Art Festival, I will be doing my visual slide/film presentation about Artists for Conservation Flag Expedition # 10 , Forty Days and Forty Nights on Saturday, August 14, 2010 - 2:00 - 2:45 p.m. at the Buckhorn Fine Art Festival - Community Centre.
A preview selection of expedition art will be on display.
In addition the Artists for Conservation Foundation will also be presenting at 3:00 p.m.
The Galapagos body of work resulting from my AFC flag expedition will be unveiled for the first time, in it's entirety, at The Lindsay Gallery, on October 2nd in Lindsay, Ontario. This exhibition will mark the one year anniversary of my remarkable journey. My exclusive flag journal is being reproduced as a limited edition coffee table book and will be available for viewing and purchase as well.
Oh yes, and last but not least I am thrilled that two of my pieces have been juried into the Art of Conservation 2010. Actually I am relieved and honoured as my expedition will be one of the featured expeditions in the show companion book and I would have been slightly embarrassed if at least one of my submissions had not been juried in. WHew! Busy year...and it is not over yet!
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November 23, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
Back again for another blog entry. It has taken me a little longer than I had planned but finally I have video footage ready to share with all of my readers. I am also full of ideas for paintings and have decided on my first composition which I will be starting shortly. It will have to be a surprise for now. I will say though that I believe it represents an overview of Galapagos and represents symbolically ALL the zones from the highlands right to the lowlands! Tall order for one painting!
The video that I have uploaded here is not chronological. The titles are pretty self-explanatory and I have dated all of them so that they correspond with past blog entries and events should you wish to reference them for text. In my upload titled “Galapagos Medley” you will find an overview of most (not all) of the species I observed on AFC Flag Expedition # 10. Each are labelled with their name, species status and their IUCN redlist status if they are endangered or vulnerable.
Endemic - found only in Galapagos.
Endemic Subspecies - found only in Galapagos, but other closely related members of the species are found elsewhere.
Resident - Found in and breeds in Galapagos but also found elsewhere.
I have also uploaded some more photos ... they are of children that I observed interacting with or enjoying the wildlife. Sadly, only 5 % of Galapaguenans experience the beauty of Galapagos. The population in Santa Cruz now exceeds 20,000. Many people only know the villages and immediate areas which they live in. Social problems are rampant, ranging from aids, drugs, unemployment, alcoholism, teenage pregnancies, child pornography and on. There are very few resources available for children to experience their homeland from a different perspective...in order to appreciate or understand the creatures in their own backyard.
A portion of the proceeds of all my Galapagos reproductions sold as promotion for AFC Expedition #10 and conservation issues in Galapagos will be designated for art supplies and art/conservation educational enrichment for the children of Galapagos. Art can be a powerful tool....not only for conservation education but for healing and redirection as well. Although tourism has not directly negatively impacted on the 98% of the archipelago that is protected by the National Park it HAS impacted on and changed the social structure of the islands.
I am also in the process of contacting the (no longer absent) director of the Jatun Sacha San Cristobal Reserve. I have been in touch with the head office in Quito and they have provided me with the directors contact information. I am looking forward to having some questions answered and perhaps filling in some gaps around my reserve experience. I appreciate their willingness to problem solve and dialogue. I will be sure to share any information here.
Regarding the videos...just a few tips to increase your viewing pleasure....If you scroll to the bottom of my text you will find two categories, one for photos the other for video, pdf and other downloadable files. Once you have selected and clicked on a video title and opened it in your screen...should you wish to see a larger version just click on the words YouTube in the lower right hand corner of the window. This will take you directly to Youtube and a larger viewing screen.
Most videos range in length from 1 - 2 minutes. There is only one exception ...it is titled "Galapagos Medley" and it is approximately 6 minutes in length.
Hope you enjoy sharing some of my experiences with me....they range from footage of leaping dolphins to dancing blue-footed boobies to dueling lava lizards, curious penguins and playful albatrosses and everything in between.
Enjoy!
Bye for now.
- Kelly
Quote for the Day:
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”
- King Solomon
Link of the Day:
www.wildscapemag.co.uk
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Saturday, November 7, 2009
Saturday, November 07, 2009
I am currently sitting in the Atlanta airport waiting for my connecting flight to Toronto. Last night was eventful, not just a typical boring wait at the airport. I was one of ten people selected by Ecuadorian customs to go through a random narcotics search. An interesting experience and they were actually very nice to chat with. I am sure they would not have been so nice if they had found what they were looking for! Fortunately for me I am not so inclined :)
I have just uploaded a picture under Wednesday’s blog entry of a tuna buoy ball. Marcel at the Sea Shepherd Galapagos Headquarters had allowed me to photograph it along with a map (also uploaded) of all the locations that these balls have been found in Galapagos Marine Reserve Waters.
Sea Shepherd collects these fish tracking devices from commercial tuna boats that local fishermen find inside the Galapagos marine reserve. The sheer number of these balls indicates there is large-scale illegal fishing for fish inside the marine reserve. These balls relay information about fish abundance, water temperature, and GPS location back to the commercial tuna boats and based on this information their ships are sent out to these locations to catch the tuna.
The Galapagos National Park has only 2 boats to patrol the entire Marine Reserve. It is a 14 hour navigation from Port (where one of the boats was anchored when I left) around to the outer northern islands. Obviously this gives an illegal commercial fishing boat lots of time to get away if they are reported. The nets that these boats drop in the water are massive and don’t just trap tuna...they trap sea turtles, sea lions, sharks etc ...ANYTHING that crosses their path.
Another horrible problem is shark finning. Marcel described one recent incident where they actually had a huge pile of shark fins on a table in a home but the judge would not prosecute the case saying there was not enough evidence.
I’ve commented earlier in my blog about the extremely high number of dogs running free in the towns. Every year Galapagos sees new breeds of dogs enter the islands despite strict regulations that do not allow any cats or dogs to be brought to Galapagos. It is very easy to smuggle into the archipelago with only 2 (max 3) boats patrolling the waters. Sarah from Angeliques Art Gallery has told me that distemper is a serious problem also as the vaccine is illegal to bring in. Hundreds of dogs are sick with this disease and have died in the past few months. She has forwarded a link here for me to share for the only animal hospital project in all of Galapagos.
Well this will be my last entry for a while. Please check back in a week or so as I hope to spend some time next week editing and uploading video clips of my trip. I will be starting back at the beginning and adding them chronologically. I have some interesting footage of the varied species of the Galapagos including some of the less popular ones! Once I have gone through my video and sorted through my photos, it will soon be time to get back into my studio and begin painting. I hardly know were to begin ....I have so many inspired ideas. I am sure I will be led in the right direction though and hope that the resulting paintings and accompanying species information bless those who view them. The grand finale will be the unveiling of the pieces publicly in one year. I will be exhibiting the AFC Flag Expedition # 10 in the 10th month of the year 2010 on the 10th anniversary of my career as an artist!
Stay tuned for updates and thanks again for coming along with me on my journey.
LINK OF THE DAY
http://ecuadoranimalshelter.org/index.php?page_value=aboutgalapagos
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DAY FORTY !
Friday, November 06, 2009
It turns out I have time for a very quick blog entry before I leave for the Baltra airport. This is my last official entry on my 40th day from Galapagos!
I went for a short walk this a.m. and when I returned Juan was here waiting for me. I am leaving the last sample reproductions of my work with he his wife Erica as they have generously offered to assist me in my efforts to use them as a fundraising initiative for arts education for the children of Galapagos.
I was also privileged to meet their 1 year old daughter Amelia. She already has a love for animals that is being nurtured by her loving parents.
I had a long talk with Michele last evening as well. She is the 15 year old niece of the owner of Hotel Espana which has been my home base while here in Santa Cruz. She is wise beyond her years and had sad observations to make of her time here in Galapagos. She is Ecuadorian and has been here helping her Aunt for the past year, and will be returning to Sweden were she was raised in February. She is saddened by the changes she has seen in Galapagos in the past year alone and knows that when I return next and when she returns next it will be a very different Galapagos. Her mother was born here and is also very saddened by the changes she has seen...so much construction happening on the populated islands!
Well, my driver will be here soon so it is adios to Galapagos for me.
I will blog again next on Saturday a.m.
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Wednesday, November 4th and Thursday, November 5th - Days 38 and 39 of 40
Thursday, November 05, 2009
It is so surreal to know that my time in Galapagos is coming to an end. In many ways I am ready to come home. I have been away a long time. In other ways it is sad for me to leave this amazing place. I feel very connected to Galapagos thanks in a huge part to the many wonderful people that I have met along the way. Two very special people contacted me today to meet with me before I leave to discuss their interest and heart for the children of Galapagos in relation to arts enrichment. Juan and his wife Erica Salcedo. They are a blessing and I look forward to keeping in touch with them. If readers will recall, Juan was the naturalist guide for my 8 days on the Samba.
The past two days have been very, very good ones. Yesterday, I caught the fast boat from Isabela back to Santa Cruz. The send off crew were soaring Frigate birds and bobbing penguins in the bay. When I returned to Puerto Ayora I decided to stop in at the Sea Shepherd offices and was rewarded with a lengthy meeting and discussion with Marcel ______. Marcel was very informative and graciously shared much information with me regarding the operations of the Sea Shepherd organization’s work here in Galapagos. He allowed me to photograph some examples of seized illegal fishing materials but declined to be photographed with them. Anonymous informants are crucial to their operation and he shared many horrible stories of seizures.
I also met with Sarah from Angeliques Art Gallery on the main street of Darwin Avenue. She has been away the past 3 weeks and were are sad that we did not connect earlier. I will share more about my visit with this charming artist in my next entry.
Tomorrow, (Friday, November 6th), I will be flying to Quito where I will spend the afternoon and evening with Pilar. Then I will fly from Quito (at midnight!) to Atlanta. It is late tonight and I have to be up early for my ride to the Baltra airport. No time to elaborate here or upload photos but since I have a six hour layover in Atlanta on Saturday I will have lots of time to upload photos and more blog notes.
Thanks to all of you who have been following my journey and for your support. Please stay tuned because there is much more to come. Just because I am returning to Canada does not mean the journey is over. In some ways it is only just beginning..........
Talk to you again on Saturday a.m.
LINK OF THE DAY
www.seasheperd.org
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Day 37 of 40 - Tuesday, November 3rd
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
The sun finally reappeared today. It is gorgeous and warm. This morning the highlight of my explorations was finding a tiny octopus (squid?) while tide pooling. The body was about 3 inches across and from what I could see the tentacles were probably about 6 inches long each. It was a shy little fellow just waiting for high tide. I got better video I think of it than photos but if you look closely at the uploaded photo you can see its eyes and some of the little suction cups on it’s tentacle.
I also ran into my guide Julio from Sierra Negra. He was able to share the sad story with me behind the whale remains I found yesterday. It is a pilot whale. Two years ago, so the story goes, 13 pilot whales beached on that section of coast line. Julio was one of the many people who tried to save them. They brought buckets of water to keep them moist and dug out the lava and sand around them to fill with salt water. A boat even towed some several hundred feet out to sea but they would return to the beach to their companions. Sadly all 13 died.
Today, I went to an art exhibition! I found the signs promoting it yesterday and was determined to talk with some local artists. I enjoyed meeting one of the artists. A stay at home mom who was not comfortable selling her paintings as they were her first acrylics. It is very expensive for her to get her canvas stretched here so she has to bring it from Ecuador already flat. Attached are a couple photographs of some of the art exhibited.
I also talked with a young man from Santa Cruz who is a biologist here working on a project to do with population data. He has had involvement with research groups working with the penguins and flightless cormorants here as well so was very interesting to speak with.
Still have to pack up for my return trip to Santa Cruz tomorrow.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"The least movement is of importance to all nature. The entire ocean is affected by a pebble."
- Blaise Pascal
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November 1 and 2nd, Days 35 and 36 of 40
Monday, November 02, 2009
Sunday November 1st and Monday, November 2nd
The days have been dull and overcast, very grey. Basically I have explored just about every area that I can legally explore alone. I’ve hiked the length of the beach in both directions extending from the dock where I arrived to Muro de las Lagrimas (Wall of Tears). A historical site for this island, the prisoners (there used to be a penal colony here), as a form of punishment, where made to build a wall with enormous blocks of lava. I went as far as I could go, the trail ending at a restricted area....a hunting ground for introduced species.
I have tide-pooled at low tide. The beach is wonderful at early morning low tide as it is pounded hard and smooth and very easy to walk on. I've found interesting creatures, fish, some sort of blue crabs and other sea creatures stranded in the shallow pools. I've watched sea lions and giant rays skimming the surface of the ocean fishing along the shallow edges. Ascending further up from the coastal zone through the arid zone and into the Transitional zone I came across 5 small tortoises, obviously raised by the breeding centre and released.....probably somewhere between 10 and 20 years of age. Young as tortoises go! I observed several Galapagos Mockingbirds foraging. One busy eating the petals off an endemic Thin-leafed Darwin Bush. At least I am pretty sure it is the Thin-leafed one, I had observed a second one while at Sierra Negra on Saturday that had broader leaves...but will have to look this up. Also, observed the same bird eating something from a Radiate-headed Scalesia but will have to reference my video on the big screen at home to determine exactly what.
I also viewed some of my largest Marine Iguanas to date. Earlier today I had watched tiny young ones eating algae at low tide on the exposed lava. They are too tiny to swim out to sea and dive so count on low tide to expose their food. Among the largest iguanas warming themselves along the coast I and another hiker came across the remains of a dead whale laying on a collapsed lava tunnel (which I had entered earlier) leading to the ocean.
Tomorrow will be my last day here and then I return Wednesday a.m. on the fast boat to Santa Cruz.
LINK OF THE DAY
http://www.natureartists.com/artist_guestbook.asp?ArtistID=237
(This is the link to my AFC e-guestbook - just copy and paste or go to my site and click on guestbook - I would love to hear comments regarding my expedition blog from readers)
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Days 33 and 34 of 40
Sunday, November 01, 2009
The past two days have been great! I will recap them shortly but first I would like to share that I just ran into four of my volunteer mates from Jatun Sacha. Hailey from Norfolk Island, Australia, Joe from the U.K. and Jasmine from Alberta, Canada. They have all left the reserve ahead of their planned schedules as I did.
I had previously run into another ex-volunteer from Jatun Sacha when I was staying in Santa Cruz who had shared with me that the original Director had returned about a week after I left. Jasmine was able to confirm this for me and shared some valuable insights with me about her remaining experience at the reserve. She too left early and it would seem that even if I hadn’t I would not have overlapped with the regular Director. She has generously agreed to email me a summary of her perspective about the daily operations. I appreciate her willingness to share her perspective eventually on my AFC blog.
Now to back track....
Day 33 - Friday, October 30, 2009
After my briefing on my Saturday day trip...I decided to head out to explore the town. In order to have a break from scheduled traveling I deliberately did not take a map with me and just started walking. Spent a great day acquainting myself with this very peaceful community with white sandy roads. A relaxed saunter is the normal pace and everyone seems to be enjoying an ice cream bar of some sort. Along the beach I observed surfing sea lions, diving pelicans, whimbrels and other migratory birds. Sat for a long time waiting for ghost crabs to emerge from their beach tunnels and found a lovely lagoon with large beautiful dragonflys drifting and sparkling in the sun. Some were a lime green others a rich red.
Next I inadvertently came upon the trail to the giant tortoise breeding centre. Actually I was following a large marine iguana across a sandy road that happened to have a “Marine Iguana Crossing” sign when I found the path. After a very long walk through a beautiful arid forest zone I arrived at the breeding centre which I had completely to myself. It was most impressive. HUNDREDS of young tortoises! Very educational and I discovered another type of tortoise which I had not previously known about.....Cinco Cerros tortoises. The flat-shelled tortoises from Cinco Cerros look like no other kind of Galapagos tortoise. Only 70 flat-shelled tortoises exist, and 16 of them have lived here since 1998 when they were rescued from an eruption of the Cerro Azul volcano.
Fortunately, all the males are sexually active, and the females fertile. Therefore, only two years after bringing them to this centre, they had over 200 offspring. After talking with a naturalist guide today I discovered that including all the Isabella species the centre has over 800 young tortoises.
I returned to my hotel where, as you will have noticed I spent the evening uploading 10 days worth of photographs.
Day 34 of 40 - Saturday, October 31st
Today was an amazing day!!!! Julio picked me up at 8:30. He is a relatively new naturalist guide with the National Park, he was a fisherman for most of his life and tells me that 10 years ago on Isabela that 98 % of the population were fisherman. About 4 years ago this began to change with a bit more tourism becoming popular (evidenced by the new hotels going up) although not to the extent that it is on Santa Cruz. Apparently this is lobster season (legally) at the present time. He tells me that last year Sea Cucumber quotas were abused so the National park has banned Sea Cucumber fishing for approximately the next 3 years to allow time to replenish. He also explained to me some of the courses and education that he receives through the GNP. Our day started off well with 2 separate occasions of young Galapagos hawk encounters.
We arrived after about a 40 minute drive through the different zones of the island. Starting in the coastal zone, thru the arid zone to the transitional zone, through the Humid Zone - Scalesia and another transition to the Humid - Pampa or Fern-sedge zone. This is where we met up with Johnie and our horses and headed to Cerra Negra and the fumaroles at Volcan Chico.
The day was sunny and clear affording us rich views of the entire island, the ocean and all neighbouring islands as far away as Santa Cruz. Vermilion Flycatchers were so plentiful that I lost count of how many we saw and I was also incredibly fortunate to observe at least half a dozen of the usually elusive male Galapagos Carpenter Bee. They were buzzing around Tournefortia rufo-sericea plants. The female is black and very common, the male is rare to see and is a beautiful rich golden colour. I was able to obtain many photographs of this beautiful insect...hopefully some that are not blurry :)
Galapagos Martins were another pleasant surprise as they numerously glided around the edges of the caldera.
We rode horseback up to and past the massive caldera of Sierra Negra. Julio pointed out the most recent lava flow from 3 years ago. I have some research to do about this caldera as I have obtained much conflicting information regarding its size in relation to other calderas around the world. We then left our horses to rest and continued on foot to the fumaroles at Volcan Chico (not really a volcano). The fumaroles were not steaming today but the landscape was incredible and I felt like I was walking on another planet. The lava crunched beneath our feet and the only sign of life the further we climbed was the occasional lava lizard and Candelabra Cactus. After several hours of exploring we hiked back to our horses and to Johnie and descended. My horse, Thunder, was beautifully behaved and sure-footed on the difficult, uneven and rutted paths.
Prior to returning to the hotel we stopped at the saline lagoons to watch the flamingos. Some of them wandered so close to me while that they were feeding I was spattered by water as they filtered it through their beaks. I was able to observe another favourite bird....black-necked stilts as they too fed in the lagoon. This is a place I will definitely be making a return trip to on another day.
All in all a very productive day. Julios has a special passion for plants and I feel I learned much from him. He was quite amused that I was equally as thrilled with the carpenter bees as I was impressed with the caldera and fumaroles.
The longer I am here the less I feel l know.....scratching the surface of Galapagos only reveals the depth. I will look at things very differently when I return to Canada. I am sure I will be much more aware of the extent of introduced species in my own homeland now as well!
Tomorrow I will start the day off doing some work on my camera equipment. The salt spray, sand, dust and moisture is taking its toll on them and I have a few malfunctions to sort out. The moisture has been an issue with my sketches as well as both pen and graphite want to resist application.
It is almost 11 p.m. here and I am about to turn in....can you believe that the roosters in this town are still crowing and will continue to crow on and off ALL night! Puerto Villamil must hold the record per capita for the highest number of roosters and dogs!
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"I can't conceive of anything being more varied and rich and handsome than the planet earth. And its crowning beauty is the natural world. I want to soak it up, understand it as well as I can, and to absorb it...and then I would like to put it together and express it in my painting. This is the way I want to dedicate my life."
- Robert Bateman
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Day 23 to 33 of 40
Friday, October 30, 2009
Day 33 of 40 - Friday, October 30, 2009
Restful sleep last night after much late night resizing of photos which I hope to upload today. Am waiting to hear from my ground operator regarding my trip to Sierra Negra. It was to be today but has been changed. Haven’t had a chance to explore the town yet as I am anxious to upload photos after so many days out of communication............my guide just arrived and has briefed me on my trip to Sierra Negra. It will be tomorrow and he happens to have a special interest in plants which will be very useful to me for my reference.
Day 32 of 40 - Thursday, October 29, 2009
10:00 a.m. Today I depart for Isabela Island. It will be my second trip there however this time I will be staying on the east side of the island in Puerto Villamil. Following is an overview of the events of the past 10 days starting back on Tuesday the 20th.
The time aboard the Samba was wonderful. So many amazing experiences all enhanced by our gracious and knowledgeable host, Juan Manuel Salcedo and crew.
8 p.m. Well, I have arrived on Isabela. Wow, what a trip. Three hours of bang, bang, bang as the small vessel motored across the ocean. Fortunately I did not get sea sick although that in itself is somewhat of a miracle as I did not take any gravol as a preventative before leaving. My trip from San Cristobal had been so smooth so I was not prepared for the intensity of the journey today. Except for the bone jarring pace I faired rather well. Isabela is such a contrast to the busy Santa Cruz. The streets are soft white sand with palm trees dotting the landscape. The village is bordered by a long white beach from which I was privileged to watch the sun set in all its glorious golden splendor. My trip to Sierra Negra Volcano has been moved to another day so I will have a nice day tomorrow to explore.
Now to back track......
Day 23 of 40 - Tuesday, October 20, 2009 - South Plaza Island
Today I boarded the Samba. Met my guide at the airport where we waited for other passengers to arrive from their flights on TAME. A quick bus ride to the vessel that will be home for the next week. Got acquainted with the Samba and our host and guide, Juan, who introduced us to the crew and then headed for South Plaza Island. I am most impressed already with Juan’s level of professionalism and knowledge and look forward to learning much about Galapagos from him. We were very blessed upon arrival at South Plaza to find at least 2 dozen red-billed tropicbirds congregating to socialize. These birds are in the order of terns with beautiful long tail streamers and an orange/red bill. Their anatomical weight is towards their head with their tail being a sexually selective feature as well as used for balance in flight. Apparently it is rare to see them feeding but when they do they exhibit a deep dive similar to a gannet.
Other observations, swallow-tailed gulls, Galapagos shearwaters, sea lions, lava lizards, marine and land iguanas, various finches etc.
Juan is impressively educated and it will be impossible for me to relay all the information he shares here in my blog so I hope to retain as much as possible to accompany my sketches in my journal for the duration of this week.
Day 24 of 40 - Wednesday, October 21 - Santa Cruz Island
Full day. Started at the Darwin Research Centre, headed to the highlands to visit a wild tortoise reserve, a lava tunnel and Los Gemolos. Observed a vermilion flycatcher (male!), roosting barn owls, Galapagos Rail and Paint-billed Crake and many tortoises etc, etc.
Tortoises are the only land herbivore here. They are the primary source of disbursement of seeds and are responsible for moving a great amount of biomass across the islands from the highlands to the lowlands. They open gaps in the forest and the seeds from their intestinal tracts germinate more quickly. They generate soil because their droppings decompose quickly.
Have been fortunate to have very soft seas which is unusual for this time of year. The movement of the boat does not bother me and I actually find it quite soothing.
Juan shared that one of the biggest threats to appear in the past year has been a bird parasite in the penguins of Galapagos. It is similar to the one that wiped out the population of birds in Hawaii. It is hoped that it has been caught early enough.
Basically the National Park areas in Galapagos are still very pristine. The real environmental threats/issues revolve around the towns. The problem is how and where changes have to be made to meet the needs of the population in order to advance towards being sustainable.
Day 25 of 40 - Thursday, October 22 - Espanola Island -Gardner Bay
Very long sea passage last night of 7 1/2 hours. The other passengers went for a snorkel while Juan arranged for me to kayak on the ocean! Next off to Gardner Bay.
Observed many sea lions. The most intense breeding season activity occurs between October and December. Many pups. Sadly, found one that had just been birthed prematurely. Espanola mockingbirds where busy picking away at the afterbirth of the dying pup. Scores of others, nursing, playing, sleeping, swimming while the beach master bulls busily patrolled their territories.
P.M. - Punta Suarez
Not one to bypass any unique observational opportunities, Juan had us start the trail in reverse as he spotted an adult male Galapagos hawk perched near the end of the trail. It was gone by the time we got there (later reappearing closer to the trail) but we were very quickly upon the nesting site of the critically endangered waved albatrosses. Spent a peaceful and enjoyable time sitting with them while they contentedly preened and dozed. Also had an opportunity to view approaching adults landing and taking off on their “runway”. Awkward on land but so graceful in the air. While posing with the AFC flag, one youngster became curiously and playfully attracted to the flag and to the straps on my backpack.
Hiked through a nesting colony of nazca boobies and also observed several nesting/courting blue-footed boobies. According to Juan the blue-footed booby has had a difficult season so he was relieved to see some successes.
Very large lava lizards on this island and the marine iguanas where beginning to obtain their breeding colours.
Day 26 of 40 - Friday, October 23 - Floreana Island
A.M. Punta Cormorant - Hiked to lagoons and observed flamingos..some with chicks and an egg. Back on board later it was exciting to have bottle-nosed dolphins piloting the boat at one point.
We found a young red-billed tropicbird just fledged stranded on the beach and unable to obtain flight. Juan assisted this bird with a lift and it successfully flew to the ocean and landed where it will have no trouble taking off on its own.
Had a waved albatross following behind the Samba fishing and gliding. Juan is suggesting I try snorkeling tomorrow. Juan has purchased all new snorkeling equipment recently and has a specially designed life jacket just for snorkeling....I am thinking about it!
We have an 11 hour sea passage tonight while heading to Isabela Island.
Day 27 of 40 - Saturday, October 24 - Isabela Island
A.M. Punta Moreno - hiked across lava fields to a beautiful lush oasis and observed many pioneering plants from the majestic base of Sierra Negra and Volcan. Observed flamingos, black-necked stilts, painted locusts, white-tipped reef sharks, white-cheeked pintails, lava herons etc. Even a purple martin!
Juan convinced me to go snorkeling and graciously towed me around in the ocean. The location could not have been more ideal for a non-swimmer such as myself. A calm labyrinth amidst walls of lava where the pangas were not allowed to go. Observed myriad colourful fish, numerous sea turtles, even an octopus! On the rocky shores clamoured colourful marine iguanas, cormorants and penguins!
P.M. Elizabeth Bay
Anchoring just off Mariela Islet we went for a panga ride through mangroves surrounded by porpoising penguins leaping and swimming like little torpedos while stirring up the fish they prey on. Some curiously pecked at Juan’s oar and attempted to peck his toes! Sea turtles all around us while pelicans dove and disgruntled lava and striated herons squawked and stalked while hunting in the mangrove roots.
Day 28 of 40 - Sunday, October 25 - Isabela Island - Urbina Bay and Fernandina Island
Woke up to a pair of lava gulls perched on the panga secured to the side of the Samba. From 7 - 9 a.m. we had a two hour navigation to Urbina Bay where we had a wet landing and a short hike (1 mile) through an uplifted area. The uplift occurred in the 1950‘s and the entire area had reforested quickly amidst the remains of what was once a mangrove. Unfortunately the walk was cut short from the usual 5 miles as the National Park had not maintained the thorn bushes encroaching on the trail. Juan has submitted a report to the G.N.P. regarding this situation. Observed many large land iguanas and burrows.
P.M. - Fernandina Island - Punta Espinosa
Juan took us on land early to be the the first boat to arrive. We had amazing opportunities to observe the marine iguanas swimming in and returning from the sea after feeding. 12 minutes of feeding per day! The rest of the time they face the sun to regain their body heat, initially clamouring on each other for warmth and then later raising their bodies up to cool and regulate their temperatures when necessary. The lava lizards here are the largest anywhere. Observed penguins, flightless cormorants, sea lions all feeding.
This evening we crossed the equator with much ceremonial fun initiated by Juan.
Day 29 of 40 - Monday, October 26 - A.M. Santiago Island - P.M. Bartolome Island
Visited the fur sea lion grotto this a.m. However when we first landed we came upon two fighting bull sea lions. One had inadvertently wandered into the territory of the beach master. Further down the beach we found the sleeping fur sea lions peacefully tucked into the shade of the grottos. They are very anatomically different from the Galapagos sea lions and I will illustrate these differences in my sketches. We were able to watch one sleeping pregnant female as the baby squirmed inside her.
Snorkeled for my second time today again towed by Juan. This time I was fortunate to observe my first white-tipped reef shark from the water as it glided silently underneath us. Sea lions also swam nearby and again the colours of the fish were beyond description. Juan takes many underwater pictures of which he is offering some to the passengers as downloads. I know he is hoping I will paint a scene from this enriching experience!
While navigating to Bartolome we had much excitement! Prior to lunch a pod of orcas followed the Samba and we observed big males, cows and calfs. One large one surfaced and I was able to photograph it’s notched fin. This particular male is one that Juan has been observing for 5 years and he was happy to download my photograph for his records. These whales are resident to Galapagos waters.
After lunch the excitement continued to build as another pod of bottle-nosed dolphins surrounded us. This time it was a HUGE pod of at least 200 and they were leaping several meters into the air ALL around us. Many piloted the boat and some even leapt so close that they sprayed us with salt water!!
P.M. Bartolome Island
We climbed to the top of a tuff cone for a spectacular view of Pinnacle Rock, beautiful moonscape/martian-scape! Afterwards others snorkeled while Juan had one of his crew navigated me in a panga along the coastline so I could photograph and observe the resting penguins at close range.
For our last supper Juan and the crew surprised us with a lobster dinner obtained from local fisherman. Juan explained how the Samba is operated and how it supports the local economy.
Day 30 of 40 - Tuesday, October 27 - Back at Santa Cruz
Early a.m. sunrise panga ride thru the mangroves at Black Turtle Cove. Water was a bit murky but did observe mating sea turtles, resting white-tipped reef sharks and many black-tipped reef shark babies. The mangroves act as a nursery for these pelagic sharks until they are large enough to head to the ocean.
One last photo opportunity with Juan and the wonderful crew of the Samba then headed off to Baltra Island to catch my ride back to Puerto Ayora for a couple days. Juan caught a ride with me to town and insisted that I borrow his cell phone to make a quick call to my husband Brad.
Now that I am back on dry land I expect the earth will rock for a couple days until I regain my equilibrium. Again, this is not a sensation that I mind at all and will miss the motion of the Samba rocking me to sleep each night.
I had planned to blog this evening but was surprised with a visit from Washington Ramos this evening to discuss my schedule for the school visits.
Day 31 0f 40 - Wednesday, October 28
Washington Ramos, who is responsible for Education y Culture in Galapagos arranged for a bilingual interpreter, Paola to escort me to Ecsuela fiscal mixta Oswaldo Guayasamin. This school has a population of 300 students with 80 being identified as high needs and 15 of these students identified as having developmental needs. The principal Vicente Logrono was very gracious and informative and I had a wonderful tour and opportunity to speak with many of the teachers.
From there I met with Roberto Proano Brovo at the Ministerio de Inclusion Economica y Social.
This afternoon I was accompanied by Marcelo to the future site of Metamorfosis. Again an interpreter accompanied me...a lovely young woman named Priscilla and her 1 1/2 year old son.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering the joy, excitement and mystery of the world we live in.”
Rachel Carson
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Day 22 of 40 - Monday, October 19, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
Today was my repeat excursion to North Seymour Island for additional observation of the flora and fauna. The iguanas were quite active feeding again which is fascinating to watch. They are quite agile and use their front claws skillfully to hold chunks of cactus steady while they bite off pieces. Some of the Frigate birds were still displaying, the chicks were busy preening, sleeping and or flapping their wings, a necessary exercise required to strengthen their growing wings.
Noticed many more things today that I had previously missed the first time around. Namely the cycle of life and death. Saw several skeletal remains and decomposing corpses - iguana, a fledgling blue-footed booby, a medium Darwin's ground Finch and a sea lion pup. Also found the molted shell of a sallylightfoot crab. A new sighting for today was a large green sea turtle swimming close to the surface.
Today will be my last blog entry until October 27th or 28th. I will be out of communication while at sea. In total I will be visiting 8 islands over the next week.
Adios for now!
LINK OF THE DAY
www.gct.org (Galapagos Trust)
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Day 21 of 40 - Sunday, October 18, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Today I boarded the Poseidon for a day trip to South Plaza Island. I will be going there again on Tuesday for my week long sea voyage on the Samba but wanted to maximize the experience as it is the best location for viewing Red-billed Tropicbirds. I figure if I go two times I’ll have a 50/50 chance of getting decent reference. These birds are a real aerial challenge to photograph and observe. They are one of the most elegant birds found in the islands.
Another bird that was a challenge to photograph was the Galapagos Shearwater. I had great opportunities to view them returning to their nest cavities on the cliffs. The land iguanas here were a much darker colour than those at North Seymour. I also had opportunities to view at close range several large bachelor sea lions.
The other passengers on these day trips have been amused/intrigued as to why I have my own lifejacket. Since life jackets weren’t offered or worn again today I am confident I was prudent in bringing my own. One passenger’s perception was that I must be an eternal pessimist. In addition to having an automatically inflatable mustang survival pfd, I also have a re-arm kit. This individuals tongue in cheek comment was that not only do I think I might drown once but that I think I might drown twice! Laugh if you will but I am secure and free to obsess on birds to my hearts content while bobbing around on the ocean. If I do happen to fall over board then I will have a definite advantage for observing other FLOATING oceanic species at eye level!
Mid-way Musings
The past 21 days have been a real comfort zone curve for me. Similar to when I went to India with the Rankins but different in that this is the 1st time I’ve ever traveled completely alone. My first trip was to Kenya in 2005. I naively left Kenya thinking I had seen the country when in truth my experience was mediated. It was designed to avoid the most poverty stricken areas, it was a shaped and controlled world. Tourists get their stereotypes confirmed, tasting the other world, but never really immersing themselves. On the other hand, traveling brings a degree of discomfort, risk and personal investment to even make the trip possible. It pushes the traveler to think outside the box, outside assumptions and outside stereotypes. The gains are adventure, an expanded awareness, a deeper appreciation of and connection to our world.
This trip is paralleling my walk of faith in many ways. Being on my own is forcing me to a place where I am increasing in my dependency on God. I want my faith and witness to be that of a traveller in this world and not that of a tourist. Ultimately I hope that my journey will inspire others to get to know this precious world in which we live in a more spiritually intimate way as the responsible stewards we were created to be.
LINK OF THE DAY - www.darwinfoundation.org
QUOTE OF THE DAY - Psalm 24:12
The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it; for He has founded it on the seas and established it on the rivers.
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Day 19 and 20 OF 40
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Day 19 OF 40 - Friday, October 16, 2009
Woke up early to the sound of pouring rain which quickly cleared giving way to bright sunshine. Hired a taxi to drop me at a place called Playa El Garrapatero. Had previously gone there with Brad on our scouting missions and had enjoyed a twisted trail through Prickly Pear Cactus and Poison Apple Trees to get to the coast. When I arrived I found the beautiful natural trail gone and in it’s place an interlocked brick walkway complete with a 2 foot high lava and cement edging amidst chopped trees. A lot can change in 10 months! This trail is very much like the one at Tortuga Bay which the locals say was put in because of tourists.
Seemingly oblivious to the brick and cement, numerous Galapagos flycatchers, Darwin’s finches and Galapagos mockingbirds sang and lava lizards flitted in and out of the scrub. Many birds curiously followed me down the path with the Flycatcher being the boldest often going just ahead of me and then turning to fly directly into my face before veering off to land in a branch in front of me.
The sounds of the waves increased in intensity as I neared the water. The beach was oddly isolated and the tide very high when I came into view. Sightings in my first couple hours amounted to - 1 marine iguana, 1 diving pelican, 1 soaring frigate bird, 1 sallylightfoot crab and 1 ghost crab. I was beginning to think I was only going to see one of everything when I heard a rustling in the debris and dead leaves under the poison apple trees (these trees secret a milky substance which can cause skin irritation and the apples are toxic). Surprised to have heard anything over the roar of the waves I investigated and found several semi-terrestrial hermit crabs scavenging under the roots.
The only other wildlife I saw along the coast was a nasty feral cat skulking around, spooked by my presence it dashed off through the undergrowth.
Behind the beach is a saltwater pond where I was able to observe several pintail ducks, ruddy turnstones and 2 black-necked stilts foraging in the shallow water.
I had deliberately not paid my taxi driver when he dropped me to ensure his return at 3 p.m. He was prompt and chatty. He did not speak any English and my Spanish is next to nil but we were able to determine where we each lived, whether we were married with or without children, how long I was in Galapagos and that neither of us like disco!
Once back in town, I picked up my laundry and wandered down to Pelican Bay where I watched the fishermen pulling out their daily haul amidst the army of hungry pelicans. Later I watched the evening game of Ecuadorian volleyball at the Bay before heading back to blog and journal.
QUOTE FOR THE DAY
“If future generations are to remember us with gratitude rather than contempt, we must leave them more than the miracles of technology. We must leave them a glimpse of the world as it was in the beginning, not just after we got through using it.”
- Lyndon B. Johnson
Day 20 of 40 - Saturday, October 17, 2009
Hard to believe I am on the halfway point, on the equator of my journey in more ways than one!
Started the day off early visiting the Darwin Centre. George was very active and visible today. Lonesome George is the last surviving Pinta Island Tortoise. After consulting with some naturalist guides at the centre I headed up to the highlands to the National Park area to spend another day looking for wild tortoises. It was a very rewarding excursion. Unlike the tortoises at the Research Centre, these highland tortoises are not as sociable and will withdraw quickly into their shells when approached.
There were many of the black smooth-billed ani flying around. These birds are an introduced species. But I was rewarded with a couple more uncommon sightings. On two occasions I flushed a dark-billed cuckoo, once successfully snapping a quick photo.
The second sighting was of a Galapagos Rail, also known as the Galapagos Crake. However, this small, secretive bird was too quick for me to photograph.
I spent the evening picking up another water jug supply and reorganizing my luggage (I change hotels tomorrow), had dinner at a local restaurant and then got yesterdays shoes out to take to the bay and clean the (now) hardened dog crap off them. On the way home from the laundry on Friday night I had unwittingly trudged through some. Ugh! Why is it that today I could trudge through ample amounts of tortoise manure and even photograph it with pretty yellow warblers perched on top and not find it in the least offensive! Now dog doo doo on the other hand......well, that is just gross!
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"God writes the gospel not in the Bible alone, but on trees and flowers and clouds and stars.'
- Martin Luther
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Day 18 of 40 - Thursday, October 15 - North Seymour Island
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Had an amazing day today. Caught a bus across Santa Cruz to Baltra Island. It takes 45 minutes to cross the island coast to coast. At Baltra I boarded a panga to take me to my boat for the day, the Santa Fe. Again very glad to have brought my own PFD as none of the other 9 passengers were offered a lifejacket. For those of you who don’t know .... I never learned how to swim which makes this an ironic expedition for me :)
Unfortunately due to the nature of a one day excursion of this type I did not take my flag journal as I knew the outing would not be conducive to sketching. The day was gorgeous, warm and sunny though which was a nice change from the usual grey overcast of the cold Garua season. There are two seasons in Galapagos, the cold, dry season called Garua from July to December and the warm, wet season from January to June. The currents during Garua are very cold which brings an abundance of marine life. This in turn provides a feeding bounty for oceanic creatures. The seal lions and oceanic birds are all breeding and nesting currently. The landscape of the coastal, arid and transitional zones are very brown and dry...very few leaves on trees at this time. From January to June everything will be a lush green. The Scalasia zone through to the Miconia zone and Pampa zones in the highlands are the most humid environments and are characterized by cloud, mist and rain throughout the year.
My day on North Seymour Island was rich with activity. It is the one island where one is able to observe the differences between the Magnificent Frigate Bird and the Great (Common) Frigate Bird. How wonderful to see them nesting side by side for comparisons of adult males vs females and juveniles of each species. The guide seemed to be fairly knowledgeable, however before journaling I will double check my information against other sources to confirm accuracy. Saw many chicks at different stages of development. Even though most where already nesting, there were still a few adult males puffing up their throat pouches in attempts to impress females. I was certainly impressed!
Several of the land iguanas that I observed today where actively feeding on the Opuntia cactus pads. I was also blessed to observe my first Hammerhead sharks. The remainder of my bounty of observations today will be recorded in my flag journal entry.
In the meantime I am tired and heading off to bed soon to recharge for tomorrows adventures. I haven’t quite decided yet what I am doing tomorrow. I have a couple options which will depend on the weather. We shall see!
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“I want to know how God created this world. I am not interested in this or that phenomenon, in the spectrum of this or that element. I want to know His thoughts; the rest are details.”
-Albert Einstein
LINK OF THE DAY
http://creation.com/book-review-the-beak-of-the-finch
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Day 17 of 40 - Wednesday, October 14
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
I am currently sitting behind the counter in the lobby of my hotel. The wifi was down so the owners insisted that I plug in directly. Have been having a lovely visit with the neice of the owner who speaks excellent English. She has been enjoying watching some of my Youtube video footage and visiting my AFC website.
I went for a short walk this a.m. to buy supplies, had a late breakfast and then uploaded photos to my email program and sent them off to Yasaman Whiting at the AFC headquarters. I have been having a bit of difficulty downloading so AFC will download this bunch for me and hopefully I can resume in a day or two.
This afternoon I had a laid back time visiting the Darwin Research Centre again and the fish market and Academy Bay. I have been really pushing it lately so decided to take a day to pace myself. I also needed to arrange/book my excursion for tomorrow to North Seymour Island. I am really looking forward to this as it has the only Frigate Bird Colony that I will have a chance to see while here. I am hoping that the sun comes out tomorrow as it has been very drizzly and grey today, the seas have been rough too.
LINK OF THE DAY
http://creation.com/qa (bad arguments creationists should not use)
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"Keep your love of nature, for that is the true way to understand art more and more."
- Vincent Van Gogh
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Day 16 of 40 - Santa Cruz - a.m fish market - p.m. Tortuga bay
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Woke up still feeling a heavy burden of disillusionment regarding the Jatun Sacha Biological Reserve. Fortunately I start my day off with devotions and by reading some daily notes that a dear friend wrote for me. She actually wrote 40 individually wrapped short notes and mailed them to me to bring on my journey. I open one each morning. Todays note is worth making my quote for the day. The timing was perfect considering my mood. Needless to say I was very encouraged so started out with a visit to the fish market. Where else can one see a great blue heron, lava gulls, frigate birds, pelicans, lava herons, boobies, sea lions and marine iguanas all in an area less than 50 feet across. All (with the exception of the marine iguana) were competing for scraps of fish from the counter. Hilarious antics and really close models.
After lunch I hiked to a beach on the coast called Tortuga Bay, 10 kl’s return in all. The day was gorgeous, sunny and warm. Galapagos Mockingbirds sang cheerfully in the cactus forest on the way there and the beach itself with the crashing waves and mile of white sand was soothing and refreshing.
Sightings and some sketches for today were various shorebirds, marine iguanas, ghost crabs, seabirds, yellow warblers, Darwin’s finches etc. The most unique thing I observed was a large marine iguana eating the white sand!
P.S. am having trouble uploading photos...hope it improves soon as I am eager to share them with everyone.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Remember God never closes a door without opening a window! I hope you are having a great time. The Lord has all in his hands. I pray for contacts for you that would allow you to fulfill your visions. If something doesn’t work out He will provide a better alternative or something entirely new.”
- Lorna H.
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Day 7 0f 40 through to Day 15 of 40
Monday, October 12, 2009
Day 7 of 40 through to Day 15 of 40
Hard to believe it has been over a week since my last blog entry. I will try to muddle through filling in the blanks as best I can!
Day 7 of 40 - Sunday, October 4th - My first full day at the JSF Biological Reserve. Spent most of it alone as the other volunteers (13) where in town and did not return until dinner time. Explored the immediate area and my accomodations. Very rustic, elevated barn like structures built with bamboo and wood and a mix of concrete. No screens, open air, mattresses filthy and hollow but the mosquito bed nets were in good repair. A necessity to protect one from the mosquitos and carmelita flys - an introduced species with an insatiable and persistent bite. Amused myself following San Cristobal mockingbirds around photographing and sketching them in between the misty rain showers of the highland rain forest. Everything is a beautiful, lush dripping green.
The other volunteers returned and we spent the evening getting acquainted. From all over...Germany, England, Australia, U.S.A. and Canada. The average age is under 25 and it would seem most are on a break from school and using this stop as a cheap means for traveling. Some seem to have strong environmental aspirations others are just trying to "find themselves". I am old enough to be their mother! Fortunately there was one other volunteer in my age range and quite frankly he was relieved to have me show up!
At this point I have not met any researchers, I am assuming they will be here on weekdays???
Day 8 of 40 - Monday, October 5 - Director/volunteer meeting occurred after breakfast. Volunteers were divided into two groups and sent off on two tasks. One group hiked out to attempt to solve a water problem with the outhouses to clear a clog. The other group was sent out to pick oranges for the kitchen. Machetes were taken for chopping a way through the Mora - a type of very invasive black raspberry. Strangely this was the only planned activity for the morning and the rest of the day was considered a "free" afternoon? First inkling that perhaps all is not as it appears to be. I occupied myself with bird observation, photographing and sketching in my journals and a slippery hike down a mudslide to a gorgeous tiny waterfall amid dripping moss and ferns. Other volunteers spent their time napping in hammocks and chatting or listening to ipods etc.
Slept surprisingly soundly snuggled in the hollow of my mattress. (In my sleeping bag). My roommates consisted of 5 very large spiders of assorted species. Apparently of no danger to humans so I did my best to not disturb them. Also, one cockroach and a scuttling rat.
Day 9 of 40 - Tuesday, October 6th - Poured rain again all night, the director designated (through a volunteer interpreter) 2 groups again for the morning. Half to go to (again) pick oranges and the others to the Highland Tortoise Breeding Reserve to plant seedling Matazarmo trees (native species) to naturalize the area. 6 volunteers (including me) were transported to the Reserve with a total of 24 small trees. This activity took no more than an hour and a half after arriving and then the rest of the a.m. time was spent independently touring the reserve. I also managed to squeeze in a hike to the northern most side of the island.
Again, the remainder of the day was designated as free. After interviewing several of the other volunteers it is becoming apparent that this lack of a structured work schedule is an ongoing pattern.
Day 10 of 40 - Wednesday, October 7 - I am on kitchen duty today. One half of the group went to the greenhouse today. This is a large covered area that has been established with the agreement that the local farmers will assist with production and that eventually it will be turned over to them and meet the needs of the community to help with a reduction in the number of imported vegetables. Problems they are facing is that the locals are not showing up to assist with the project and although they appreciate the "occasional" assistance of J.S. volunteers it is not enough to efficiently run the facility. Again, the frustration today for some of the more motivated volunteers is that only a short time was spent on this project with again the remainder of the day "free" time despite several requests for more work. A shame considering there was so much more work that could have been done.
Day 11 of 40 - Thursday, October 8 - A decision I am not taking lightly is to depart the Reserve earlier than planned. It would seem the only project I have not observed so far is the occasional assistance to local farmers for harvesting and roasting coffee. After interviewing many volunteers it would appear that the J.S. Reserve is a revolving door of disheartened souls. From those whom I interviewed I ascertained that no one had ever seen the elusive biologists, scientists or researchers. Although the Director was willing to provide me with a guide to get to certain locations, the guide was not educated in as many of the names of the flora or fauna that I need to learn about. Todays activities again consisted of volunteers gathering oranges that basically provide juice at volunteer juice breaks and meals.
The weekly schedule consisted of sporadic periods of activity (no more than 1 1/2 hours consecutive in the a.m.'s) with most afternoons and all evenings free with the majority of volunteers visiting the local farmer’s bar to drink beer and moonshine. A travel operator from the island capital comes up once per week to book volunteers on excursions and 4 day boat trips generally starting on a Friday.
Taking all of this into account I have decided that to maximize my time in Galapagos it is best if I head to Santa Cruz earlier than planned. Very disappointing but I will have the advantage in Santa Cruz of already knowing my way around.
Hired a taxi and headed down to town, found a hotel and I spent the rest of the day exploring the shore line, observing sea lions, marine iguanas and sea and shore birds.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself in any direction you choose.
You're on your own.
And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy,
who'll decide where to go.”
- Dr Seuss
Day 12 of 40 - Friday, October 9 - Hiked to La Loberia today. Woke to pouring rain but decided to go anyway, knowing that the weather would clear intermittently. Followed the lava boulder shoreline until I came to a steep cliff. Managed to climb to the top and then hiked for another mile along the top. Did not see another soul for the entire trek. At least not human :) Wonderful opportunities to observe Galapagos sea lions with pups, swallow-tailed gull colonies, marine iguanas, a variety of Darwin’s finches, yellow warblers, pelicans, blue-footed boobies, sally-light foot crabs and various shore birds including ruddy turnstones. The hiking conditions were treacherous and rivaled any conditions in the Himalayas minus the altitude. I was careful though and with no pressure from ahead or behind was free to take my time.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So... get on your way.
So be sure when you step.Step with care and great tact and remember that life's a great balancing act.
- Dr. Suess
Day 13 of 40 - Saturday, October 10 - Spent a lot of time today observing very young marine iguanas feeding on algae at low tide. Attended to some business and had my speed boat trip rescheduled for Santa Cruz. Had some interesting conversations with local business owners about their impressions of Jatun Sacha. They all share the same general perspectives.
Day 14 of 40 - Sunday, October 11 - Caught the speed boat to Santa Cruz at 7 a.m. Of the other 17 passengers not one wore a lifejacket. Very glad I brought my own pfd with me. 2 1/2 hours went by smoothly and was rather restful. Only one passenger got sea sick and it wasn’t me!
Headed to the Darwin Research Centre for the afternoon and spent an enjoyable several hours observing the captive tortoises and breeding pens. Also, found it fascinating to listen in on the various tourist groups that came through. Although all the guides are trained by the Galapagos National Park, they seem to have many discrepencies in their information.
For dinner I headed out to a local kiosk. My Spanish is terrible so the woman taking orders ended up dragging me to the kitchen were she made me point at my dinner choice! How embarrassing! The food was fabulous though :)
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“We need to find God, and He cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass - grow in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence.... We need silence to be able to touch souls”
Mother Teresa
Day 15 of 40 - Monday, October 12 - Spent the a.m. writing this blog and resizing these photos! For the afternoon I hired a driver to drive me up to the highlands. Spent a couple hours hiking through Scalacia forests around the perimeter of two craters. Observed many Darwins finches...(will I.D. which ones later) and several Galapagos doves flying through the crater and landing on the inner walls.
From there I headed to another area of the highlands which borders on the National Park. It is illegal to travel in the Galapagos National Park without a hired naturalist guide however there are several private ranches in the highlands which will allow independent admittance for a nominal fee. This is where I headed and spent the remainder of the afternoon until dusk observing wild dome-shelled tortoises peacefully grazing and mudpuddling.
I am getting quite good at using my tripod and remote to photograph myself with the AFC flag! Of course whenever I can I ask a favour of a fellow traveler and in exchange offer to take theirs.
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DAY 7 of 40 - San Cristobal Island
Sunday, October 04, 2009
Am currently at an internet cafe and unable to upload pictures. I will have to upload those in a couple weeks when I get to Santa Cruz.
Have had an enjoyable day and a half exploring in town and out. Just within the town limits along the bay walk spotted numerous Galapagos residents. Blue-footed Boobies diving in the water, snoozing Galapagos Sea Lions strewn on docks, beaches and lava rocks, tiny Darwins Finches and yellow warblers hopping on the interlocked brick walk ways, pelicans and frigate birds soaring overhead.
Decided after looking at a map not to go to El Junco Lagoon. It is located near the reserve in the highlands so I will head there another day. Instead I hiked to a place called Frigate Bird Hill. At one time both species of Frigates (Great and Magnificent) nested here in large numbers but it is said that pressure from the town is driving them away. I found about a dozen of them resting in trees along the cliff but no evidence of any nests. They were cooperative models though ...posing for sketches and photographs. Also, had ample opportunity to observe at very close range a pair of Blue-footed Boobies on a single egg.
I should mention also that I was very pleased to spot my first San Cristobal Mockingbirds before I had even left the town limits. Of course there were numerous S.C. lava lizards darting from underfoot just about everywhere.
Two of the most unique observations today where a large female Galapagos Centipede burrowing and two male San Cristobal Lava Lizards fighting.
Today I head off to the San Cristobal Biological Reserve. I hope to get to internet next weekend on my day off.
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Day 5 of 40 - Flight to San Cristobal Galapagos
Friday, October 02, 2009
Today I am off to the airport. Raphael will be picking me up at 7:10 a.m. (8:10 a.m. at home!). Not sure whether I will have internet access at my hotel in San Cristobal. I will be staying there for two nights, I will have some free time to explore independently on my own and then will hire a truck to drive me to the San Cristobal Biological Reserve on Sunday. I will not have any internet access, phone access etc while at the reserve. It is located in the highland region about a 45 minute drive from Puerto Baquerizo Morena. The reserve is 200 hectares.
Hopefully I will have internet before Sunday a.m. so I can share my pre-reserve explorations with everyone. I am hoping to get up to El Junco Lagoon. It is the largest freshwater lagoon in the archipelago and I will have a good chance (anyway that is what I've read) of seeing the San Cristobal Mockingbird there. It is currently IUCN red-listed as vulnerable.
Adios!
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"To understand a people, you must live among them for forty days."
- Arab Proverb
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The Jatun Sacha Foundation - Orientation - Day 4 of 40
Thursday, October 01, 2009
My driver, Raphael, picked me up today for my meeting at the Jatun Sacha Foundation offices. Raphael is a welcome familiar face because he is the same driver my husband and I had during our December scouting mission. According to Raphael the general consensus seems to be that the current heatwave that Quito is experiencing is unwanted. Me, I'm thoroughly enjoying the high altitude heat. Mid-70's, no humidity. Awesome weather. Quito is approximately 10,000 feet in altitude.
We arrived a bit early for my meeting which gave me some extra time to chat with Santiago and Laura...the foundation's volunteer coordinators. I was very pleased to hear that they had already checked out the AFC's website and were "amazed".
My orientation consisted of signing a contract/waiver, a slide presentation and the presentation of a JSF t-shirt, hat and orientation package. I was assigned a ID card and then shared the AFC's brand spanking new fold-out brochure with them. Copies will be passed on to the JSF Quito Director and I have additional copies to give to the Station Director when I arrive at the reserve on San Cristobal Island.
Volunteers are extremely important to them, volunteer work keeps the station operating on minimal labour costs. The fees generated help with the reserve's budgets and insure future conservation of forests. A one-month salary of a reserve employee is the equivalent of one hectare of rainforest land.
Oh yeh, and I get to use a machete while at the reserve!
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"One touch of nature makes the whole world kin."
- William Shakespeare
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Metamorfosis - Wednesday, Sept. 30th DAY 3
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
What an exciting day I've had. I met with founder and president Pilar Garcia of Metamorfosis. Metamorfosis will provide free arts education for the children of Galapagos.
Pilar and I spent several hours together over dinner and in her personal studio. She shared with me her vision for the project beginning with the experiences that led to the very birth of the project idea.
I was privileged to see the first precious scribbles that Pilar put on paper and to see the sophisticated progression of the project over the past three years, including architects plans which included computer generated images of what the finished facility will look like.
Based on the principals of minimal ground intrusion, on-site power generation, concealed utilities, solar shading, solar heat sinking, breeze-channeling, warm air siphoning, on site waste re-use and the use of environmentally friendly materials, Metamorfosis will become a model of sustainability for the entire Galapagos!
They are very near to their goal of beginning construction and I hope to make a trek to the site at some point in the next few weeks.
Another unique feature of the structures is that they will be elevated to respect existing vegetation and ensure that Giant Tortoises, occasional visitors to the site which is located next to the National Park, may continue their journey unheeded through the area.
Pilar has arranged through the Mayor of Santa Cruz and Washington Ramos who is responsible de education y culture in the Galapagos, a bilingual guide to escort me to the primary schools on Santa Cruz. Through the eyes of an artist I will be assessing and gathering information which will help Pilar identify children that would be eligible for her program in terms of cultural arts enrichment.
To read more about Metamorfosis please visit my "about" link. Pilar will have some wonderful opportunities for artists to partner in projects benefiting the children of Galapagos. Pilar believes as I do that our gifts are meant to be shared.......otherwise what's the point!
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The AFC flag arrives in Ecuador - Day 2
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
I arrived late last night to my hotel in Quito. All went smoothly ...no glitches. A great feeling though to see my driver waiting at the airport holding up a sign with my name on it. Got checked in, had a restful sleep and am just spending my second day on route relaxing and acclimatizing.
Had breakfast on a lovely outdoor enclosed patio. The only birds that I could hear singing over the traffic sounded so familiar....I finally spotted them, on the balcony of an adjacent apartment building. Two pet budgies chattering away in a cage!
Tomorrow is my meeting/visit with Pilar of Metamorfosis. She has emailed to let me know that the mayor of Santa Cruz has arranged a bilingual interpreter for me during my visits to the primary schools. We will discuss more of the details regarding my collaboration with Metamorfosis during our dinner meeting. It is hard to believe I am finally going to meet her in person. It will be a great visit!
LINK OF THE DAY
http://richardlouv.com/ (author of Last Child in the Woods...saving our chlldren from Nature-deficit disorder)
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Adios....I'm on my way! Day 1 of 40
Monday, September 28, 2009
Was up very early today at 5:30 after a great weekend of camaraderie at the AFC “The Art of Conservation 2009” It was wonderful to see our fellow AFC friends and to say good-bye in person. Friday evening consisted of a wonderful presentation by Jeff Whiting about his vision for the AFC and fascinating talks and slide shows by fellow Flag Expedition artists David Rankin and Terry Woodall. Saturday night was the VIP reception dinner and awards ceremony. Following dinner Jeff Whiting, Cindy and Guy Combes, presented the Simon Combes Conservation Award to John Banovich. All enjoyed John’s informative, encouraging and inspirational words. Sunday afternoon marked the well attended official public opening of the show.
It was a very emotional good-bye to all on Sunday evening after kicking back with lots of laughter and good-bye “flag” photos with dear friends.
An even more emotional good-bye this morning to my husband Brad at the airport after our drive to Laguardia Airport in New York City. I am currently sitting in the Atlanta airport waiting for my connecting flight to Quito. Can hardly believe the big day has arrived. Feeling many conflicting emotions but mostly just trusting that everything happens for a reason and am anticipating many adventures in the coming 40 days and nights!
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Be strong and courageous and get to work!
Don’t be frightened by the size of the task for
the Lord my God is with you.
He will not forsake you. He will see to it that
everything is finished correctly.”
- Unknown Priest
1 Chronicles 28:20
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Anticipated Observations - FOUR more days to departure!
Friday, September 25, 2009
I am currently making this blog entry from my hotel room in New Jersey. Brad and I arrived yesterday as did many other AFC members. Most are out today touring the Bronx Zoo. I decided to just chill out and relax at the hotel. This evening will be an informative evening with special slide presentations by two past AFC flag expedition artists. My good friend David Rankin will be presenting regarding his expedition in June 2007. I accompanied David and Deanne to India on this expedition so am really looking forward to his talk.
Regarding my own expedition, today I thought I would share with everyone a few of the species I am anticipating encountering, beginning with perhaps the most famous Galapagos resident. When my husband and I were last in Galapagos for my pre-proposal scouting mission, we were honoured to view “Lonesome George”. George is the last remaining Pinta Island Tortoise. If this isn’t tragic enough George had just found out that the eggs laid by one of his female companions were infertile. This was the first time in the 36 years since he’d been in captivity that he had mated. This past July 20th, 5 eggs were again found in George’s pen and promptly placed in an incubator. The incubation period is 120 days. The eggs are scheduled to hatch just 9 days after I return home in November. We can only hope that this time the eggs are viable!
Another species I am most excited about encountering and artistically documenting is the Waved Albatross. The worlds entire population of Waved Albatross live on Espanola Island. My husband and I were blessed to observe the few remaining adults and young in December 2008. Usually by the end of December the majority have left for sea. Albatross are pelagic and only return to land to nest. I am very much looking forward to seeing the young a full 9 weeks younger! It will also be an opportunity to see adult interactions and courtship displays. I've included a few photos here of the young we observed in December.
Just a few other samples of species I expect to encounter are:
Galapagos Penguins - endangered
San Cristobal Mockingbird - vulnerable
Flightless Cormorant - endangered
Waved Albatross - critically endangered
Galapagos Sea Fur Lion - endangered
Sadly this list goes on with many more Galapagos creatures that are at risk.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“ The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature. I firmly believe that nature brings solace in all troubles.”
Anne Frank
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Charles Darwin
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Well, one can hardly do an expedition to Galapagos without mentioning Charles Darwin. The 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth is just one of four major anniversarys for Galapagos this year. 2009 is also the 50th anniversary of the founding of both the Galapagos National Park and the Charles Darwin Foundation. This November will be the 150th anniversary of the publication of “On the Origin of Species” which was inpired by Charles Darwins visit to Galapagos in 1835. Darwins length of stay in Galapagos was a brief 5 weeks (Sept - Oct). I guess this is just a bit of trivia that I find interesting because my length of stay corresponds with the exact same time period but I will be a staying a full 10 days longer!
I’ve had a few artist friends express their humour that I, being a Christian, (who is firmly rooted in biblical creation) has chosen as the subject and location of my expedition the very place that inspired Darwins theory of evolution!
For my “link of the day” today I’ve chosen to include information about origins from leading sources of both view points. Just cut and paste into your web browser to visit the sites if you are so inclined.
Creation
www.creation.com
Evolution
www.about-evolution.info
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"The longer I live under God's providence, the more readily I can trust Him when it comes to my unfulfilled longings and life's unsolved mysteries; the more joyfully I am able to love and worship Him and to be satisfied with that which He supplies; and the more patiently I can wait for that day when faith will be sight and all that made no sense to my limited frame of reference will be made clear."
- Nancy Leigh Demoss
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Flag Journal
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
I had a lovely interview with Werner Bergen from the Peterborough Examiner yesterday. They are interested in receiving updates from the field while I am away. It is great to have such support from my community. For those of you locally who are following my blog the article should be out this Wednesday or Thursday.
Strangely it was a bit traumatic actually putting a mark in my journal this week. All those very blank pages! I want my journal to be a working reference journal for myself while I am away so needed to prepare a few pages in advance. Two of my most useful pre-expedition pages are my “Route Map” and my "At a Glance" calendar. I need to know WHERE I am going and WHEN I am going so these two entries will provide me with a quick reference!
In addition I have penned a few pages about the IUCN Red List. The IUCN Red List is the world’s most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of plant and animal species. It uses a set criteria to evaluate the extinction risk of thousands of species and subspecies worldwide. Users are granted a license to use and print the materials contained in The Red List solely for conservation purposes, scientific analysis or research. There are nine categories in the IUCN Red List system: Extinct (EX), Extinct in the Wild (EW), Critically Endangered (CR), Endangered (EN), Vulnerable (VU), Near Threatened (NT) and Least Concern (LC) or Data Deficient (DD) and Not Evaluated (NE).
Throughout my flag journal I will be labeling each species I observe and sketch, draw or paint with its current IUCN Red List classification and the most recent year of assessment.
LINK OF THE DAY
www.iucnredlist.org
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“God is really another artist. He invented the giraffe, the elephant and the cat. He has no real style. He just goes on trying other things.”
- Pablo Picasso
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Gear
Monday, September 21, 2009
Well, my packing is complete! After much jostling, rearranging, editing, cutting and cramming I have managed to pack everything that I think will be necessary for my journey. It would appear that I was overly optimistic about fitting it all into one suitcase so I've had to purchase a second smaller piece for checked luggage. It was either this or spend a fortune on “overweight” luggage fees! Oh well, it is with a sigh of relief that I restore our tiny spare bedroom back to its original uncluttered state!
For my first two weeks at the Biological Reserve on San Cristobal I need a variety of work clothes ranging from work trousers “that will get super wet and super muddy” to long sleeve light coloured work shirts (to protect me from the sun and the mosquitos) to tight fitting rubber boots and a mosquito head net. Funny but mosquitos are not something I equate with Galapagos but then again I did not previously spend an entire two weeks in the highland cloud forests. Sounds like I am going to be getting a bit dirty!
For my ocean travel portion I need on deck sandals. This protects the deck as well as preventing transfer of seeds etc between islands. Since I will virtually be on the equator for the entire 40 days I want to make sure I am well protected.....lots of sunscreen. Finally, I am taking lots of ziplock baggies to reuse over and over again. They will serve multiple purposes ranging from storage to the important job of protecting my camera equipment from the salt spray and windblown sand particles.
My carry-on consists of primarily art supplies, my AFC journal and flags and camera equipment. I have pre-cut sheets of my favourite pastel papers. For my plein air pieces I will mostly be working in pastel and prefer a paper that has a solid tooth. Pastel paintings are made by dragging the pastel pigment (usually in the form of a rolled stick) across the nap of the paper thus embedding the pigment into the surface. I will then adhere my finished artwork to the journal pages. For the balance of my journal sketches and field studies I will work directly in either pencil or ink with occasional coloured ink washes.
Finally, I have also packed a temporary weekend bag because Brad and I are off to the Art of Conservation at the Hiram Blauvelt Art Museum in New Jersey. We are looking forward to seeing lots of great art and lots of old friends. It will be nice to say good-bye in person to everyone before I fly out of New York on the 28th. Brad will then return home to hold down the fort while I am gone.
QUOTE OF THE DAY!
“How strange that Nature does not knock, and yet does not
intrude!”
Emily Dickinson
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Field Communications and a distant Galapagos relative
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Part of my expedition will involve field communications. Whenever I can access internet service I will be continuing with my blog updates and photographic uploads. Other uploads that I hope to share with everyone will be short video clips of some of my daily expedition activities and the wildlife I encounter in the Galapagos.
AFC Flag Expedition Officer, Yasaman Whiting, has emailed me a detailed overview regarding the "how to's" of field communications
and has suggested I test the system by posting some Youtube video.
Well after a couple days of playing around with my computer software I have managed to step out of my comfort zone and piece together some footage that I hope everyone will enjoy. The scenes are everyday life at my backdoor; a little taste of what I am leaving behind and a little something I can pull up on Youtube should I get a tad homesick while away!
The clip shown here is a wild painted turtle whom I've nicknamed "Hector". Hector showed up in my pond this summer and I managed to entice him with some live mealworms. If you've never seen a turtle come when called .......well you're in for a treat. Just click on the link below to watch the footage. To see a larger version, click on the words Youtube in the bottom right hand corner anytime during playback. This will take you directly to Youtube where you can view other backyard clips (click on "More From: kellydodge") of some of the feathered friends I hand-feed and of course ultimately paint!
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"In all things there is something of the marvelous"
- Aristotle
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10 days to departure!
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Ten more days and I will be on my way to Quito, Ecuador. I will be spending a few days there before flying to the archipelago. While in Quito I will be meeting with my volunteer co-ordinator at the Jatun Sacha Foundation for an orientation meeting regarding my time at the San Cristobal Biological Reserve. In addition I will be meeting with the President of Metamorfosis, Ms. Garcia. It will be lovely to finally meet these wonderful people that I have been corresponding with for so many weeks and months. To read more about the Jatun Sacha Foundation and Metamorfosis please visit my “about” link to the left of this page.
On occasion over the past few months I have also been privileged to correspond with Dr. Chantal Blanton. Chantal was the director of the Charles Darwin Research Centre from 1992 - 1996. She has shared some encouraging words and insights with me which she has graciously given me permission to reproduce here for all my blog guests.
Greetings Kelly,
I do not know Pilar Garcia, but her work certainly sounds
interesting. I firmly believe in the power of art in conservation.
One only need recall the impact of the "Crying Indian" PSA of
1971, to recognize that art can engage individuals in ways that may actually change behaviors or, at least, increase awareness. Opening a mind, through art or any other means, opens the door to great possibilities.
An advantage in Galapagos is that hard data are available from
scientists to show how humans impact the islands. Those hard data can, and should, be used to underpin messages relayed to inhabitants and visitors about mitigating the negative, and increasing the positive actions that can be taken.
It will be important for artists seeking to work with children
in Galapagos to familiarize themselves with those hard scientific
data and to find ingenious ways to incorporate that information to raise consciousness about human impacts on the archipelago. Would it not be a worthy accomplishment if a child, trained in Pilar's program and nurtured by artists and grounded in science grew into an honest, capable, conscientious adult with the vision, passion, and savvy to forward an enlightened model for management of the archipelago?
Ultimately, simply because the place is so magnificent, it is
relatively easy to achieve notoriety working in Galapagos. What is difficult is finding ways to effectively leave the archipelago somehow better, more protected, less endangered, in the wake of one's footsteps.
And that is what I wish for you, for Pilar, and all those who have
the high privilege to work in Galapagos.
- Dr. Chantal Blanton
(Former Director - Charles Darwin Research Centre - 1992 -1996)
I share Chantal's sentiments and hope that as blog guests you too are inspired by her words. I am going to take the opportunity now to share a link to a program that is quite inspirational. This will be the first of many links and inspirational quotes "of the day" that I intend to sprinkle throughout my blog entries.
LINK OF THE DAY!
http://www.gettoknow.ca - The Robert Bateman "Get to Know Program" Inspiring connections between children and nature.
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Preliminary Scouting Mission - December 2008
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
In December 2008, my husband and I traveled to Galapagos. Our reasons for going were two-fold; to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary by making our first trip away together since our honeymoon in 1988 and to assess the realities of a possible AFC flag expedition.
I had many goals with respect to determining if Galapagos would be a compatible expedition destination for myself as an artist, conservationist and naturalist in terms of my self-awareness regarding my strengths and limitations. I was essentially able to determine many factors beforehand that impacted directly on itinerary, budget, supplies, inter-island travel etc. I have established an excellent rapport with my Ecuadorian ground operator; owned by a long standing, respected family of Galapagos and a reputable, conservation minded company. They have worked closely with me on my expedition thereby insuring that I can devote much needed quantity and quality time to my artistic field research.
I am in position to return to Galapagos with essentially a “shopping list” of AFC Flag Expedition goals and objectives. I have successfully eliminated any chance of culture shock and I can approach my research passionately yet methodically and in a controlled manner. The bottom line is that I won’t obsess over the first lava lizard that I see because I know I will see a hundred more!
I expect that the advantages of this preliminary scouting trip will enhance my vision and result in a much richer and more meaningful outcome for my flag expedition.
I am really counting down the days now. Only 14 more to go till my much anticipated departure! :)
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Introduction
Tuesday, September 08, 2009
Well, it is hard to believe that I am actually “penning” my first official expedition blog entry! This entire idea regarding a Galapagos expedition was but a tiny seed back in 2006. Yes, it has been over three years since the fantasy of actually one day applying for the AFC flag fellowship grant entered my mind....obviously inspired by Flag Expedition # 1 in December of 2005. Timing is everything and as the months and years unfolded the many steps involved in an expedition of this proportion unfurled and the idea became more and more of a possible reality. Throughout it all I must say that I knocked on a few locked doors, barked up a few wrong trees and kissed a few frogs (which will come as no surprise to some of you) but in the end the doors that I am meant to walk through have opened wide and I am most excited to share my journey with you.
There are many components of my expedition that I am excited about and hope that you will be too. In addition to the privilege of carrying the AFC flag and of being able to artistically document the unique animal and plant species living in the highly sensitive area of Galapagos I have secured a 2 week volunteer position with the Jatun Sacha Foundation at the San Cristobal Biological Reserve and will also be collaborating with Pilar Garcia, Founder and President of Metamorfosis - Community for the Arts for Youth in Galapagos. To read more about these organizations please visit the “About” section of my Flag site. I will of course be updating from the field with additional information as my adventure unfolds.
I’ve had all my vaccines updated and fortunately most of them were current. I’ve had a few itinerary tweaks to do, my emergency contact list has been compiled and for the ocean travel portion I have obtained copies of my vessels certification with the Ecuadorian Navy (Armada del Ecuador).
Currently, I am up to my eyeballs in packing. The packing has been somewhat challenging. I tend to travel very lightly and a 40 day and 40 night expedition is providing me with some unique opportunities to test my organizational skills. I have reluctantly resigned myself to the fact that I will not be able to squeeze all my supplies into the old blue duffel that I have such fond memories of ....it has previously accompanied me to both Kenya and to India. As of today I have a brand new, extra super-light weight suitcase which when fully packed weighs 46 pounds. Combine this with my carry-on art supplies at 23 pounds, my camera gear pack at 23 pounds and my own body weight :) and I am packing a solid 199 pounds! More about what I’ve actually packed for gear in another blog entry.
In closing I would just like to add that it was a privilege for me to have the AFC flag presented to me early enough to display at the Buckhorn Fine Art Festival in Buckhorn, Ontario, not far from my home. Bill Whiting, managing director of AFC is shown in the attached photo posing with me for a local newspaper article.
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DISCLAIMER: The views, images and figures
expressed in this web log are those of the artist
and do not necessarily reflect those of the Artists
for Conservation Foundation (formerly the Worldwide
Nature Artists Group). |
