Cerro Dragon & Chinese Hat
This week we have on board a few people who call the Galápagos Islands home. We have two teachers from San Cristobal Island, who are part of our “Teachers on Board program”. One of them, Franklin Salgado, who was born in the islands, worked for the National Park Service for 24 years, has raised his 5 kids, and 6 grandkids on San Cristobal, and had never been on an expedition ship before. Same for Hugo Calderon, teacher of Environmental Sciences since 1989; this is his first occasion ever visiting the National Park sites. Sometimes we take for granted what we have, but through the excitement of these two gentlemen, when they come back from snorkeling among penguins and sharks, or walking through Fernandina iguanas, we realise that not many, not even people who live on the islands, have the privilege of exploring this amazing place. That’s why I am so proud of Lindblad Expeditions and its Teachers On board Program, extending the possibility of discovering their own islands to teachers from the Galápagos.
The other “Galápagenians” accompanying us this week are two researchers from the Charles Darwin Station. They are working hard each night, collecting the insects that are attracted to violet light lanterns designed for this experiment. They want to survey how many insects, and what kinds, can be transported by ships within the islands. The National Geographic Polaris is a pilot ship in this research, giving full support to the study.
So our guests are not only enjoying the Galápagos archipelago, they are also learning through natives about life in this part of the world, and they are involved in research at work. What can be better than being immersed within Galápagos as a whole. In the daytime we saw land iguanas at Cerro Dragon, and penguins underwater in Chinese Hat, and in the evening we took pleasure in the company of people from this enchanted world.
This week we have on board a few people who call the Galápagos Islands home. We have two teachers from San Cristobal Island, who are part of our “Teachers on Board program”. One of them, Franklin Salgado, who was born in the islands, worked for the National Park Service for 24 years, has raised his 5 kids, and 6 grandkids on San Cristobal, and had never been on an expedition ship before. Same for Hugo Calderon, teacher of Environmental Sciences since 1989; this is his first occasion ever visiting the National Park sites. Sometimes we take for granted what we have, but through the excitement of these two gentlemen, when they come back from snorkeling among penguins and sharks, or walking through Fernandina iguanas, we realise that not many, not even people who live on the islands, have the privilege of exploring this amazing place. That’s why I am so proud of Lindblad Expeditions and its Teachers On board Program, extending the possibility of discovering their own islands to teachers from the Galápagos.
The other “Galápagenians” accompanying us this week are two researchers from the Charles Darwin Station. They are working hard each night, collecting the insects that are attracted to violet light lanterns designed for this experiment. They want to survey how many insects, and what kinds, can be transported by ships within the islands. The National Geographic Polaris is a pilot ship in this research, giving full support to the study.
So our guests are not only enjoying the Galápagos archipelago, they are also learning through natives about life in this part of the world, and they are involved in research at work. What can be better than being immersed within Galápagos as a whole. In the daytime we saw land iguanas at Cerro Dragon, and penguins underwater in Chinese Hat, and in the evening we took pleasure in the company of people from this enchanted world.
