Galapagos: A megapixel evolution

Staff · Issue 16, Dec/Jan 2003 · pp. 21–25

Products mentioned: Nikon D1X, Nikon D100, 12-24mm D lens, 18mm f2.8, 16mm f2.8 fisheye, 24mm f2.8, 28-70mm f2.8, 80-400mm f4 ED, Ikelite S200 strobe, Seacam S45 viewfinder, XDrive, IBM Microdrive, Bibble software

21 On a windy September morning I arrive on Baltra Island, some 1000 km west of the South American coast. This is my fourth trip to the enchanted islands of Galapagos. It has cost megabucks to come, but these far-flung equatorial islands of Ecuador are celebrated as the world’s greatest natural history asset, unique diversity of marine and land fauna providing a living textbook for ecologists, scuba divers and naturalists alike. What makes the Galapagos outstanding from other wild places I have known is that not only can I feel and see wilderness right on the street of populated islands, but that I become part of wilderness. Isolated from the mainland of South America, Galapagos creatures lack an instinctive sense of fear for humans and will allow interaction with benign curiosity both above and underwater. For this beyond-the-ordinary tour, I have made up a mega shooting list comprising…