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a ride, but | would not recommend it. One thing you will quickly get used to (or not) is the stench of hundreds of sea lions basking on the warm rocks (sea lions have ears, seals don't... who knew?). George, the 150- WEES turtle who could not find a mate. Turtles and tortoises have inhab- ited these islands for millions of years (turtles go in the water whereas tor- toises live on land). In the days of pirates these mammals were nearly hunted to extinction, as they possess a unique ability to live six months or more when confined to the hull of a ship. Having them on board would ensure sailors were always guar- anteed fresh meat. Fortunately the species has made a comeback and is starting to thrive once again. -Checlt These. Of = The Darwin Centre is located on Santa Cruz Island and is a refuge and sanctuary for creatures that make their home on the Galapagos Islands. Until recently it was also the home of ‘George’ a 150-year-old turtle who was the last of his species. A$10,000 reward was offered by the Centre to any organization, country or person who could find a success- ful mate for George, but, alas, none was found and when George passed on last year, so did his bloodline. | had the pleasure of visiting Daphne Island. There are only ten trips per year and they have to be groups of 5 or less. After circling the island several times in an effort to find a place to land, the captain finally launched a small dingy and we pad- dled our way to the shore. The sight of the shark fins in the water was shock- ing, but quickly overcome by the two meter slopes we had to climb to get onto the island. It was an adventure, but one well worth the effort. Daphne Island is covered in masked Boobie birds, which simply sit on the ground and stare at you with a ‘what on earth are you doing here?’ expression. The island is also the nesting ground for the red throated frigate bird. The climb was steep and the crushed lava made walking treacherous, but it was all worthwhile, with memories to cherish forever. The longest trip | took was three ae, Upcoming Cruise ated Dhenartures to... South Pacific & Fiji - Oct 21, 2015 Crises New Zealand - Nov 2, 2015 Panama Canal - Apr 11 Canada-New England - Sept 4, 2016 oy > ita quick sanity break is) needed, join our group to RIU Paradise Island, Nassau Bahamas Oct 25-29, 2015 The blue footed Boobie bird lives in the Galapagos. and a half hours to San Cristobal Island. The waves were a good 5 to 6 meters high, but the visit was amaz- ing. Unique rock formations and hun- dreds of marine mammals made this a paradise, a meaningful visit. 1 seldom promote personal ac- complishments in this column, but for those who are interested | have published a 60 page colour book with the story of the Galapagos as well as dozens of my photographs. | mention this because a portion of the profit goes to the Darwin Centre. For more information please email me at jon@photosntravel.com. on Celebrity Solstice on Celebrity Solstice on Celebrity Infinity on Celebrity Summit FOCUS - JUNE 2015 39