Screen shot 2011-12-25 at 11.37.22 PM.png    

旅伴用Sony 浮潛專用相機幫我拍下的照片,我後來用這張照片當賀年卡,寄給不同的朋友們。當時附近有12隻海龜,由於水流很強,我很怕無法控制自己會撞上牠們,後來證實我跟本多慮了,人類在水裡的速度哪裡能跟這些混海裡的生物相比,面對這些笨手笨腳的人類,牠們自然而然會跟你保持適當距離。在Galapagos之旅觀察了那麼多生物,我覺得,人類大概是唯一會想用手摸其它動物並且說「好可愛」的古怪族群。

由於水域溫度低,在這裡浮潛的重點並不在五彩繽紛的珊瑚或熱帶魚,而是不經意出現的水鳥,企鵝,海龜和海獅們。我和澳洲來的旅伴很快就覺得無聊,因為跟我們習慣的海域相比,下水能看的東西不多,而且一天要下水兩次,每次都被低水溫冷得吱吱叫,並不如想像中的好玩。但對於沒有浮潛經驗的其他美國旅伴來說,光是浮潛本身就夠有趣了,他們是最興致勃勃拍水底照的一群。

 Screen shot 2011-12-25 at 11.43.46 PM.png 

圖說:圖中的魚鰭好像是翻車魚的樣子。浮潛時還看過鯊魚,兩隻躲在岩石下睡覺,留心觀察的話可以在水裡發現很多隱藏起來的生物。

回紐約後回味大家分享的照片,我忽然頓悟到,每個地方好玩的地方都不同,並不是浮潛就一定要看珊瑚礁。這些不經意出現的動物們也很美呀!旅行時還是不要把其他的經驗拿來做比較好,到Galapagos islands就是要看物種的獨特性,別管它的海域有沒有珊瑚礁,因為那不是重點。我們之所以選Ecoventura船公司的原因就是因為他們的行程包含做多的島嶼,而每個島嶼都有它獨特的生物。我們的行經路線如下,每天晚飯前都有隔日行程的簡報,非常專業又仔細。

090212_darwin_galapagos_ms.jpg  

圖說:有些生物在A島看到就不會在B島出現。由於強勁海流的分隔,經過千萬年的隔離演化,各島的生物便演變出自己的獨特性。由於在船上沒事我就會讀他們的圖書資料,才知達爾文1859年發表的「物種原始」其實只有1%提到Galapagos群島。但因為這裡的生物沒被人類獵殺過(巨龜除外),不知道要害怕人類,給了世人「失樂園」的印象,這個群島才會這麼出名。當年達爾文可是在海上航行五年,事隔數十年的研究,才累積出他的驚人學說喔!紮實的學問都不是隨隨便便長出來的。

我們的航行行程如下:Galapagos-Islands-Map.jpg


Sunday – San Cristobal

When you arrive at the airport at San Cristobal, the crew of the live-aboard Galapagos Sky will personally meet you, help with your luggage, and escort you to the Galapagos Sky. Your dive bags will be delivered to the dive deck, and personal luggage to your cabins. After everyone is on board, we will introduce you to the boat and do our mandatory safety briefings and drill. Next, we cruise to Los Lobos for our check-out dives. This will be your first underwater introduction to Galapagos sea lions and fur seals! As the sun sets, you'll enjoy cocktails and appetizers on our shaded, open air, upper deck as "Sky" circumnavigates the amazing twin-rock formation ofKicker Rock (Leon Dormido). Two inspiring towers of volcanic rock soar 500 ft. above the ocean and point directly to the sky. Blue-footed boobies, masked boobies, and magnificent frigate birds nest here on the vertical cliffs.




Monday – Highlands, Santa Cruz & Cousins Rock 
This morning we disembark on shore on the northern part of Santa Cruz Islands, from here we travel through the highlands of SANTA CRUZ. The scenery gradually changes as we wind our way through several vegetation zones found in Galapagos. Here, we visit the tortoise reserve at one of the private farms in the highlands where we encounter giant tortoises in their natural habitat. We visit Los Gemelos, Spanish for “The Twins”, a pair of large pit craters where we find the bright red male vermilion flycatcher. We stop at "the tunnels", the largest lava tubes found in Galapagos. In the afternoon, there are two dives at Cousins Rocks where we have a beautiful wall that allows for viewing opportunities for coral, frog fish, sea horses and octopus. Sea lions will also be your companions on the safety stops. Overnight, the Captain and crew motor Galapagos Sky north. 



Tuesday to Thursday - Diving Wolf and Darwin 
You'll spend the next three days diving the legendary islands of WOLF & DARWIN. Most experienced divers will agree, Wolf and Darwin are the best diving sites in the world! Whale Sharks are common here, particularly from May through November. At the Northern Arch at Darwin, you will see Hammerhead sharks either individually, in small groups, or large schools. Bottlenose dolphins are not uncommon. The reef contains many warm water varieties of fish found nowhere else in the Islands and is the most consistent place to see Hammerheads. 

Darwin Island: 
Considered by many experienced divers as the very best dive site in the world, The Arch at Darwin Island honors its reputation. It is warmer by a few degrees than the central islands. In one single dive you can find schooling hammerhead sharks, Galapagos sharks, large pods of dolphins, thick schools of skipjack and yellow fin tuna, big eye jacks, Mobula rays, and silky sharks. From June to November, we can almost guarantee whale sharks in numbers of up to 8 different individuals in one single dive. The presence of occasional tiger sharks, black and blue marlin, and killer whales add on to this amazing diving experience. If you still have time to look for smaller stuff, you’ll find octopus, flounders, and an enormous variety and abundance of tropical fish. Darwin Island is the biggest jewel on the Galapagos Crown. 

Wolf Island: One of those magical islands, with several dive sites to choose from. If you want to see sharks, you are at the right spot. This is a place for schooling hammerhead sharks, large aggregations of Galapagos sharks, and occasionally whale sharks. Seeing dolphins, large schools of tuna, spotted eagle rays, barracudas, sea lions and sea turtles is common. The bottom is littered with hundreds of moray eels, many of them free swimming. Being several degrees warmer than the central islands, you can look for many representatives of the Indo-Pacific underwater fauna. 


Friday – Roca Redonda & Vicente Roca 


On our morning dive at Roca Redonda, we will encounter Hammerheads, Wahoos, big eye Jacks, and at times you can see the underwater volcanic vents which release warm water bubble streams. The afternoon dive including 2 dives at Punta Vicente Roca, includes colorful sites with many marine invertebrates, anemones, lobsters, shrimp with occasional Mola Mola sightings. We also offer a dingy ride and snorkeling.



Saturday – Marshall Island – Albany Islet (Jan to May)

At Cape Marshall, on the eastern side of Isabela, we have 2 dives, where can encounter rocky volcanic cliffs which drop down to the ocean floor as an almost vertical wall. You may see large marine life such as manta rays, marble rays, hammerheads, mola mola and marine turtles. Also keep an eye out for Chevron barracuda, snappers, yellow fin tuna, rainbow runners, wahoo and groupers. There are also smaller fish, such as creole, parrot, scrawled filetfishes, pacific box fishes and tiger snake eels.

Saturday – Marchena (Punta Espejo) (June to December)
At Marchena Island, one of the northern most Islands, there are two dives where you might encounter cow nosed rays, turtles, schooling hammerheads, schools of Blue-striped snappers, grunts, surgeonfish, spotted morays, scorpion fish and in the shallows be on the look-out for red lipped bat fish.

Passengers who have chosen to extend their trip will disembark here at the Itabaca Canal in northern Santa Cruz Island as the Sky returns to San Cristobal late Saturday evening.



Sunday
This morning, we visit the Interpretation Center to learn more about the natural history of the Islands before returning to town to connect with your flight back to the mainland.


 

 

20人的包船費用開銷$64410美金,對大多數的我們來講,都是這輩子最貴的旅行(去過南極的那三個澳洲人除外,那個旅程開銷更高,搭船往返就要花掉五天。)

$4004.42 x 1 Dolphin single
$3393.58 x 2 Booby double   
$3393.58 x 2 Booby double  
$3732.93 x 6 Dolphin twin  
$3054.21 x 8 Iguana twin  

當然也有其他更便宜的船公司,我覺得如果不是跟這些Google科技新貴去,$2500的行程應該就很舒適了,不必花到$3359。不過,很多時候旅行之所以好玩,是因為旅伴。跟年齡相仿,程度相當的旅伴一起經歷「重新看世界」是錢也不見得買得到的。

 

Screen shot 2011-12-22 at 11.42.49 PM.png

圖說:我是人群裡最右邊那個。傳說中的巨龜很大吧!?相傳E.T. 的造型就來自牠們的頭部。

arrow
arrow
    全站熱搜

    ECO123 發表在 痞客邦 留言(0) 人氣()