If Charles Darwin had a Camera – Galapagos Islands Photo Essay
In 1831, at the young age of 20, Charles Darwin first set foot on the Galapagos Islands where he spent an informative 5 weeks of his life.
“I never dreamed that islands, about fifty or sixty miles apart, and most of them in sight of each other, formed of precisely the same rocks, placed under a quite similar climate, rising to a nearly equal height, would have been differently tenanted; but we shall soon see that this is the case.” Voyage of the Beagle
One might even say that his time on the islands was pivotal for everything that came after…especially his most famous works On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection (1859) and The Descent of Man (1871). Darwin made extensive drawings of the tortoises, birds, and marine iguanas while in the Galapagos – but what if Darwin had a camera? A fancy DSLR with multiple lenses? Imagine the photos he would have taken!
The first sighting of a Blue-Footed Booby!
“My mind has been since leaving England a perfect hurricane of delight and astonishment.“
A sleeping baby sea lion?
“The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man.”
A tiny finch that would share his name for ever.
“It is very remarkable that a nearly perfect gradation of structure in this one group can be traced in the form of the beak.”
Colorful crabs painted with Mother Nature’s most vivid paint brush!
Crab attack!! If the first bruiser doesn’t get you, his backup will! Sally Lightfoot Crabs #galapagos A photo posted by What Boundaries (@whatboundaries) on
“It is the fate of most voyagers, no sooner to discover what is most interesting in any locality, than they are hurried from it; but I ought, perhaps, to be thankful that I obtained sufficient materials to establish this most remarkable fact in the distribution of organic beings.”
A giant tortoise who holds the wisdom of the ages within his wizened head
The Giant Tortoises of the #galapagos can live to be over 120 years old! Must be the vegetarian diet and low levels of stress ? #ecoventura_ec A photo posted by What Boundaries (@whatboundaries) on
“Oh misery, misery…we have left perhaps one of the most interesting places in the world, just at the moment when we were near enough for every object to create, without satisfying, our utmost curiosity.”
Charles Darwin’s legacy lives on even 200 years later. His discoveries on the Galapagos Islands continue to intrigue us. We know some of what he saw based on hist sketches and drawings. If only Charles Darwin had a camera, what wonders we might have seen?
Now, we have to go to see it for ourselves and take our own pictures. Our adventure cruise on the Galapagos Islands was provided courtesy of Ecoventura Yachts. We spent 7 days aboard the Flamingo I with an incredible staff, as well as our knowledgeable (and fun!) naturalist Gabby. Every day brought a new discovery and was truly an epic experience. Darwin was right, the Galapagos Islands are indeed “one of the most interesting places in the world”!
Your adventure cruise looks wonderful! Amazing photography~
Irene S. Levine recently wrote an awesome post…Only read this if your name is Patricia…
Gorgeous photos! I especially love the pic of the red crabs which really captured my attention along with the marine iguanas and, of course the comic sea lions when we spent several days in the Galapagos Islands last October. We had an amazing time learning about the occupants of the different islands and hiking about. It looks like you also had a great experience! Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
Anita @ No Particular Place To Go recently wrote an awesome post…Transitions, Changes and Americus the Beautiful
Gorgeous photos. I love the sleeping sea lion and the blue footed booby.
Donna Janke recently wrote an awesome post…A Day In Bath
Wow, fantastic captures, looks so amazing and I have yet to visit this stunning landscape….maybe in 2016?
noel recently wrote an awesome post…Waikiki weekend at the Holiday Inn Beachcomber
Great photos! They really took us back to one of our favorite places on Earth. We had almost forgotten about the Sally Lightfoot Crabs. Thanks.
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Wow, what amazing photos. I love the picture of the seal just lounging around on the bench!
Tamason Gamble recently wrote an awesome post…9 Things To Do in Nantes, France
Thanks! The sea lions would very often be laying in our path as we hiked the islands. We had to go around them because they were quite content to just keep on lounging!
Lovely pictures! I haven’t been to the Galapagos (yet!) but it’s on my – very long – bucket list.
Karen Warren recently wrote an awesome post…The Long History of Birdoswald Roman Fort
Thanks Karen! We highly recommend the Galapagos Islands for a visit. Whether you like snorkeling to see the amazing marine life, or hiking to see some of the most unique animal life in the world!
I have to admit that “adventure” trips never really get my attention but if seeing all these beautiful animals are included on the Galapagos Islands on an adventure cruise, sign me up! Your photographs are outstanding!
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Wonderful photos! Baby sea lions are pretty irresistible.