It was the twenty-fifth of January of 1991 when Jonathan Weiner came to Daphne Major for the first time. There were 400 finches on the island, and Peter and Rosemary Grant knew every one of them. The number has fluctuated over time, depending on variations in the climate. The tendencies towards larger or smaller beaks have shifted as well. The Grants have seen the role of natural selection with their own eyes, within a period of almost 3 decades. Jonathan met them nearly 10 years ago, when he came to Daphne Major in a little fishing boat crowded with bananas and fish.
He is back now, for the first time with his wife, Deborah (also in the picture); to share with her, their children, and all of us on the Polaris, his knowledge of evolution and his passion for Darwin's islands. He points to us the only one way onto the island, this tiny volcano with very steep cliffs. It is hard to land on Daphne Major, as lots of things are hard to obtain in life. But what a fabulous feeling when one gets to the top of the cliff's rim of the islet, or when one conquers a seemingly insurmountable obstacle.
Jonathan Weiner was happy to be back, and brought us content in our first day of the millenium. Happy New Year to you all!
