ZECO TRAVEL TALK

During the 1982 - 1983 El Nino event, sea surface temperatures were exceptionally high in the entire eastern tropical Pacific. In the seas around the Galapagos, they reached levels as high as 86F. There were dramatic changes which took place in the Islands; waterfalls developed, plant life abounded and the impact of soild erosion was obvious. Beneath the surface of the sea, the population dynamics of many species of fish and invertebrates was also altered. One species of fish that seemed unable to cope with the unusual marine conditions was the Blackspot Damselfish, Azurina eupalama. First described by Edmund Heller and Robert Snodgrass (1903) their illustration of the Blackspot Damselfish, is included the Fishes of the Galapagos (Grove & Lavenberg, 1997).

It has now been twenty five years since the ENSO event of 82-83; there have been no photo or observation records of this damselfish since that time. Is it possible that this species disappeared as a result of an El Nino? Not likely, because it must have survived many similar events throughout it evolutionary history. But if that were the case it would be an important discovery. It sure is fun to look for this “Missing Damsel” during our Zegrahm Expeditions trips to the Islands. If it is the case, that the fish disappeared, it would be the first documented “natural extinction” of a fish caused by an El Nino. During the many, many hours I have spent in the waters leading snorkelers and divers in the Galapagos, in the wake of that historic El Nino, not one of these damsels has been seen. So, if you are going to snorkel or SCUBA in the Galapagos keep an eye out.

The cover story for Smithsonian Magazine’s July issue is the Casbah of Algiers, a World Heritage Site. This fascinating story details the Casbah’s intriguing history, and the need to preserve the place. Zegrahm travelers will have a good look at the Casbah of Algiers on our April 2008 voyages aboard Wind Spirit.

If you find yourself with a long layover in Singapore’s Changi Airport (5 hours or more), you can take one of the free city tours sponsored by the Singapore Visitors Centre. The tours operate on a first-come, first-served basis, last about two hours, and are conducted in English. There are six tour departures daily, starting at 9 a.m. The last one leaves at 5 p.m.

To reserve a time slot, stop by one of the Singapore Visitors Centre tour counters in Terminal 1 (next to the Nexus Lounge at Transit Mall East, Level 2); or in Terminal 2 (near Sweet Treats at Transit Mall North, Level 2). The tour counters are open daily from 8 a.m. to 4:25 p.m. This is a wonderful, visitor-friendly way for the city to promote itself and a great way to while away those long hours of waiting in-between flights.

As the ornithologist and birding leader for Zegrahm Expeditions, one of my greatest joys is the start of a trip. The air is charged with anticipation with people arriving from all corners of the globe. There are smiles, handshakes, and humorous banter as you meet previous traveling companions and relive previous adventures shared together. However, despite all this fanfare, what you really are eagerly awaiting is the start of the next great adventure.For one couple, Don and Donna, the start of our recent Azores to Gibraltar expedition was filled with even more excitement and anticipation than usual. Keen birders, they have traveled the world in search of birds and had arrived at São Miguel in the Azores on April 13th, 2007, poised to break the 5,000 barrier. For the uninitiated, the 5,000 barrier may not mean that much. However, to a birder it is one of life’s mega-events. Managing to see your 5,000th bird species puts you in a class all on your own. With 10,068 known species that means that you have seen just about half of all of the bird species that inhabit our planet. Read more

A massive landslide covered portions of Russia’s Valley of the Geysers on June 3, 2007. The valley is located within the Kronostsky Nature Reserve and comprises part of “The Volcanoes of Kamchatka,” a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The slide was more than a mile long and over six hundred feet wide and moved within a three-minute interval. The front of the slide stopped only several feet from a helicopter on the ground near the only tourist hostel in the Reserve. Nineteen tourists and six park personnel were evacuated but no injuries were recorded. The cause of the landslide is uncertain. Initial reports of an associated earthquake have not been confirmed. Volcanic rocks underlying the steep slopes of the Valley have been extensively altered chemically during a long history of penetration by hot, acidic geothermal fluids that characterize the area. This combined with water saturation associated with spring snowmelt could have influenced detachment along already unstable steep slopes.

Tatiana Ustinova, a geo-hydrologist, first described the Valley in 1941. The area was a popular tourist destination during the Soviet era but was closed to foreign visitors until 1990. The Valley is one of only five regions in the world with significant geyser fields, including the United States, Chile, Iceland and New Zealand. Within the Valley, an area of 2.7 square miles hosts more than 20 large geysers, 200 thermal springs, vapor-steam jets, thermal pools and boiling mud-pots. Read more

Calf of Man, Circumnavigation of Ireland

We were greeted by an unusual welcoming committee as we sailed toward the Calf of Man this morning: sharks! About a dozen basking sharks, a couple up to 30 feet long, surrounded the ship as they fed on the surface plankton and everyone rushed to get their cameras. Some of us took Zodiacs out to see them at close range… where one Zodiac had stopped, a shark swam right beneath it and surfaced at the bow for the perfect cameo close-up!

Our clients are a loyal and tight group. They are also our friends. New travelers come on our expeditions meet these travelers, get to know them, and then become one of them… We at Zegrahm & Eco Expeditions are very, very lucky and we know it.

For several years we have been considering different ways to create a space where our travelers could communicate with each other—after an expedition. To protect your privacy while on our trips we don’t give out contact lists. This means you are frantically going around on the last few days of your trip collecting e-mails and addresses of these new found friends. We hope Zegrahm Travel Talk will be a community space where our travelers can find each other again—and be a place to share those perfect photos you took of that penguin on the beach… you and your new friends at sunset on the top deck… You promised to share those photos and now we hope we’ve made that easier for you. Read more

In May 2007, I represented Zegrahm Expeditions at an annual conference of the International Galapagos Tour Operators Association (IGTOA) in Guayaquil, Ecuador. “IGTOA is a nonprofit association of travel companies, conservation organizations, and other groups that seek a lasting protection of the Galápagos Islands. We lobby for conservation, fund projects, and promote and practice sustainable tourism.” http://www.igtoa.org

The conference involved several presentations, conservation workshops, and funding proposals for the Galápagos Islands (the islands are considered a living marvel of evolution and are located approximately 600 miles directly west of Ecuador following the Equator). Most importantly though, and preceding UNESCO’s recent World Heritage in Danger declaration, the meeting involved heated debates on what the travel industry can do to alleviate the surmounting threats towards the conservation of the “Enchanted Isles.” Read more