Galapagos 2013 Part I

Posted: January 19, 2014 | Author: emmyshea | Filed under: Love, Photography, Uncategorized | Tags: ecuador, emelyn shea inc, emelyns, emmy shea, galapagos, galapagos photos, national geographic, nature photography, Photography, travel, travel photography | Leave a comment

December was insane. As the dust settles, I finally have the chance to review my adventures in South America.

Initially, I was less than thrilled to leave the “life” routine in which I was addicted to. The thought of being crammed on to a plane and later a fishing boat with my loving (and tolerant) family along with a group of random people to see Darwin’s paradise made me claustrophobic. I wanted to bash my head into a wall. Paradise to me was a state of mind, not a place. I had stuff to do. Real life had a choke hold on me. Hooray for reality.

Packing my 5D Mark III, 60D, half a dozen lenses, batteries, memory cards, etc only angered me more. What would I do if the Galapagos destroyed the equipment I had worked so hard to build my company on? I envisioned the wrath I would bestow upon someone if they tried to take my red carry on. I saw myself being featured on an episode of “locked up abroad”. The  interview as follows: “He didn’t look like a bell boy to me. He looked like thief in a ridiculous outfit. No one really knows for sure if he worked for the hotel. I stand by my actions.” Clearly, my priorities were in the right place…I need my stuff, I need my frigid life, I need my anger.

We arrived at the Philadelphia airport a day late due to a snow storm. My father made sure we were there six hours before our flight. Greg is a professional traveller. Seriously- only the military rivals his expertise in moving “troops”. Greg. Gets. It. Done. I was handed a folder of papers in the cab. Copies of everyone’s boarding passes, itineraries, copies of passports, contact names, numbers….You would think I was being sold down there. No “Taken” kit this time- just lots of MACE. We watched him as he broke personal records going through security. It had begun.

I let it go. This trip was the essence of process. The final destination was only as good as the struggle I went through to get there. By the end, I had given it all up. Live your damn life Emmy. It’s good for you.

Quito…I could have gone with out this city. Everyone had altitude sickness. A nice curve ball for the group. 8000+ feet above sea level in a city where cocaine leaves are sold as the remedy. Asprin it is.

First morning Mer and I are greeted by this man outside the elevator. Rapper: “Don’t you want your picture with me?” Us: “Uhhh….we guess so, Who are you?” *Man scampers off*

I was in conditioning for a Muay Thai fight which meant I had to suck it up and get in the gym. Apparently women in other countries don’t work out. My sister and I received some really weird looks going into the hotel gym. She is a avid traveler and assured me that we have now officially been labeled as Americans. The fitness center was all men, a lot from Africa, just staring. As if their eyes could force me back into my “place”. I glared right back. I was on the fast track to that “locked up abroad” episode.

Greg kicked us off with a packed tour schedule. Ecuador is all about churches, so that is what we saw. Despite the fact the Spaniards introduced this to the country centuries ago, it became ever clear how much Ecuadorians hated Spain. Oppression is a tricky one.

It was hard to snap candids. My blond hair was a magnet for attention. I had an entire parade and marching band wave to me. It ain’t easy being green.

Day 2 we headed up to the cloud forrest- since we really wanted to torture ourselves with more altitude. It was a nice change from the city. I had really missed being outside in the “wilderness”. The air was lovely.

Greg in his natural habitat.

Day 3- woke up at 4am. Drove an hour to the airport. Got on another plane. I got sick and spend the plane ride buckled over and disgruntled. On to the Galapagos!

Landed. Plane and bags were sprayed. The airport officials made my sister take her shoes off and “professionally cleaned them” in a restricted area. i.e. We heard them clap her sneakers out for 3 minutes. No contaminants allowed in, no animals allowed out. We were good to go.

Welcome to Galapagos camp. No one had locks on their doors. There was a speaker next to your bed. Every morning at 7am the GM, Paula, would wake everyone up. At 7:30 she would call us to breakfast. At 8am we would be called to the lounge to talk about the activities. At 9am we would be called to “disembarkation”. Paula shut the damn thing off around 8pm. There was no mute, or volume control. We were at the mercy of Paula’s sweet voice. It was like being in SAW…minus the whole murder part.

The average age of the people on the ship was 65. Basically it was Mer and I who were under 40. We were with the 50th anniversary group. The first day a lady came up to Mer and I while we were sunbathing wearing a full spandex suit. She warned us about dengue fever. Great. We have established the boat looney. Greg hadn’t given us a medical packet so we dismissed this “threat”. Later that day, there was a lengthy group discussion on “buoyancy”. What is it? What does it mean for me? Do I float? Does my husband float? Does it affect my swimming? Sweet, everyone just wear your life jackets if the ship sinks. Got it?

First beach walk with Rully. We maybe went half a mile- no one could put their camera down. It became apparent that we were visitors in a world not dominated by humans. Wild Life:1, People:0. Something was happening here- and it had been going on a long time.

“Sally Crabs”- named after a pirate prostitute. I found this hilarious. They are black before they reach sexual maturity.

Day 4: The bird island…I can still remember the smell. I have never seen so many birds in my life. Poe would have lost his marbles with this place. He perhaps never hit his full avian potential. It was a deserted landscape- dead. Plants were starving for water, cracked and dried out. Skeletons that were ultimately responsible for the lives of  thousands of bird colonies. Funny where we choose to live. I loved the harshness contrasted with the unexpected breadth of life.

That afternoon we had a sunset walk on a beach with SEA LIONS…..!!!! They were, by far, the coolest animal we saw on the trip. They had no fear of humans. The babies would waddle right up to us and roar: WELCOME TO MY HOME! The mothers would grunt and sigh at the commotion as if to say “damn kids never let me have my siesta”. I have never laughed so hard.

Moral of the trip: Nature is Perfect. It knows when to give life or take it away all with a sense of humor. You just have to be able to see it.

Day 5: Youngest island of the trip. Hosts an active volcano as well as a lush terrain.

The Sea Lion goodbye party

After my initial camera freakout, I let my sister rock my 60D. Nothing like a big camera around your neck to add some substance.

Sunset on the equator was unreal- I have never seen light like that.

Where am I again?

This look…

These people…

Night lights on the open sea

Day 6: Oh boy- another island 🙂

Reminded me for the bird island. It had a “dead” look.

Welcome to Paradise

50 yards away…a unfazed sea lion naps.

Napping terrain…snuggle up!

Sunset on yet another island! Anthony led us to the center. We called him Smeagol.

THE BLACK GATES ARE NEAR

Another professional napper…

Day 7: Overcast skies on a jungle island

The difference between new and old guides was their footwear. The new age ones wore shoes. The old school ones didn’t. After I saw a guide going barefoot, I abandoned my shoes. The guide scolded me and told me to put them back on. Acting as if I wasn’t grown up enough to make the decision to lose my own shoes. My foundation flashed before me- that whole growing up in a barn part or running through thistle in the pastures all in hopes of perhaps mounting the loose horses. Those summers I spent swimming in murky Vermont ponds, having sweaty winded polo ponies rub their white lathered heads into my body, and sitting on porches with a marlboro red watching the afternoon storms go by. My father, without missing a beat, said “She’s fine.” And we moved on.

Ladies and Gentlemen, my infamous parents.

I am working my way through the video footage. Coming soon…Galapagos: THE MOVIE

Until then, GoPro Screen Shot

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