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WHAT'S NEW IN GALAPAGOS

Highlights and news, from the Islands

We bring you recent news from the Galapagos Islands. Like all places on the planet, the Galapagos is in constant change and undergoing continual challenges. INCA strives to provide the most ecologically-friendly Galapagos travel experience for our guests, as we have since 1976.

Aftermath of Tsunami in Galapagos

Reports from the Islands

Islands Update

The Tsunami originating off the coast of Japan arrived in the Galapagos Islands about 5:30 PM on March 11.

In precaution, President Rafael Corea ordered the evacuation of the Galapagos coastal areas. Power to the coastal areas was cut for safety reasons. In addition, flights to the Islands were suspended and all tour yachts were ordered to at least five miles offshore.

The tsunami waves arrived in conjunction with high tide, and waters in Puerto Ayora came as high as six feet into some hotels close to shore. However, overall damages were not significant.

All flights to Galapagos resumed on Saturday and tourist yachts were back on their itineraries, including the Integrity and Reina Silvia.

INCA guests aboard the Integrity on Friday were out about 15 miles from land and were unaffected by the tsunami.

Because the Galapagos flights were canceled, INCA guests due to arrive in the Islands on Friday missed their overnight at the Royal Palm Resort in the highlands of Santa Cruz, about 10 miles from the coast. After a city tour of Quito and environs, they flew out to Galapagos on Saturday, toured the highlands and the village of Puerto Ayora, then boarded the Integrity without incident.

We can't wait to see their pictures!

Report from the Director of the Charles Darwin Research Station

March 14, 2011

The tsunami waves were far more intense than during last year's tsunami alert. Wave amplitude at Santa Cruz was 1.77 meters (nearly 6 ft) and the arrival time of the tsunami waves coincided with the high tide. It proved a destructive mix.

The Biomar Building at the Charles Darwin Research Station suffered serious damage in Friday's tsunami. Clean-up has already begun in this photo from the station's Director, J. Gabriel Lopez. (Dirección del Parque Nacional Galápagos)

The waves at intervals of 26 minutes reached to 1.40m above the level of the Biomar pier. The CDF Marine Sciences (Biomar) building suffered considerable damage to its first floor installations which includes the laboratories. The waves completely destroyed a concrete pump house and broke massive wooden doors, flooding laboratories, workshops, and storage facilities, scattering furniture and equipment despite advance emergency preparation prior to evacuating the premises. Oxygen tanks and other equipment were widely scattered and found buried in sand and vegetation as far as 200m away.

Other low-lying areas of the Station were spared. Seawater came very close to entering the directors house - right to the edge of the veranda and around the eastern side of the house within a few centimeters. Large piles of debris blocking parts of the path to the house and the front garden. The A frame house was spared. The duplex house near the Station beach suffered modest damage to the wash room and surroundings.

It was a challenging Friday night as electricity was out and phone communications were difficult or nonexistent.

Electricity and water was restored to the Station by late-morning Saturday. Everyone is safe but a bit battered by the experience.

Our staff has again performed admirably and mingas (voluntary work parties) were organized to clean up at Biomar and where needed.

The Finch Bay Hotel and the destruction to it's boardwalk.

The low-lying areas of town also suffered significant damage. Scuba Iguana, Red Mangrove hotel, Banco del Pacifico and the area around the Parque San Francisco in particular. The Hotel Finch Bay on the western side of the Bay was heavily damaged; the lobby filled with more than a meter of seawater. The board walk along the beach completely ripped out.

Reports from the Park indicate that their dock suffered damage.

With regard to the flora and fauna, the impacts are being assessed. According to Galapagos National Park reports, some marine turtle nests at Garrapatero Beach on Santa Cruz were destroyed. We had significant damage to the vegetation along the shore of the Research Station. The marine iguana nests that we have been monitoring within the area around my home seem fine. We will be learning more in the next day or so on the full extent of the damage.

Dr. J. Gabriel Lopez
Executive Director
Charles Darwin Foundation

Galapagos National Park Evaluating Tsunami Damage

March 12, 2011

The Galapagos National Park Service is evaluating damage caused to the protected areas of the archipelago, especially tourist sites, by strong waves associated with the Tsunami that originated in Japan. The primary objective is to determine the condition of infrastructure at visitor landing sites.

The Garrapatero visitor site was damaged by the tsunami on March 11, 2011

The visitor sites closest to the populated areas were not seriously affected by the waves and will remain open to visitors.

The Giant Tortoise Breeding Center and the dock of the Galapagos National Park Service in Santa Cruz will remain closed because of damage caused by the waves. The tortoises from the Breeding Center will remain in their temporary corrals in the highlands until repairs can be made to the Center.

Preliminary reports indicate that the southeast coastline of the island of Santa Cristobal was among the areas most affected in the archipelago. The Islas Lobos and Manglecito visitor sites are located in that area.

In Santa Cruz, the infrastructure and coastline of Garrapatero Beach suffered damage. A channel formed linking the lagoon, known for the presence of flamingos, with the ocean. This is also a nesting area for sea turtles whose nests were destroyed by the waves.
Wardens are also evaluating the status of iguana nests in the principal nesting areas.
Park personnel are clearing up public and park areas affected by the waves.

The Emergency Operations Committee is currently meeting to evaluate damage in populated areas.

Park and station personnel clear the road leading to their offices near Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz

Public Relations - Galápagos National Park - Ecuador For more information, write to: comunicacion@spng.org.ec, or visit www.galapagospark.org

Galapagos National Park Service Prepares for Tsunami

March 11, 2011

The Park's Giant Tortoise Breeding Center, as well as its main offices, is located only a few meters from the coast.

In response to the State of Emergency associated with a tsunami alert for the Pacific coast, the Galapagos National Park Service, working in close communication with tour operators, has closed all visitor sites in the archipelago to ensure the safety of the tourists in the islands.

Park wardens are providing logistical support for the evacuation of coastal communities, moving residents and visitors to the highlands to ensure their safety.

Additionally, the Park ordered the evacuation of species held in the Park's captive breeding centers. Lonesome George, the last known Pinta tortoise (Geochelone abigdoni) is among the individuals relocated early this morning to special corrals in Santa Rosa in the highlands of Santa Cruz.

Following orders of the Ecuadorian Navy, the ships belonging to the National Park have relocated to deep water five miles from ports on each of the islands.

Lonesome George is carried by Park rangers before being relocated to the Santa Cruz highlands