A Unique 6-Day Insular Inspiration Session with Charles Darwin on Santiago Island!

The Galapagos Islands honor the discoveries made by Charles Darwin

 Charles Darwin’s travels to the Galapagos Islands on the survey ship HMS Beagle were the subject of a recent lesson. On the Yacht La Pinta, we even hosted memorial events. 

 After traveling for over three weeks, Darwin had already had the opportunity to visit an island that would later provide the foundation for his theory of natural selection. This island is none other than James Island (Santiago-San Salvador). During this time, Captain Robert Fitzroy and his officers had begun to plan their epic expedition, which would take them from the eastern end of the Pacific Ocean to the western Society Islands (Tahiti). This is something to keep in mind. The 3,200 miles (5,100 km) of open ocean that make up this significant crossing mean that having enough supplies, such as food, water, and other items to last the lengthy trip, is essential. 

A Journal and Analysis of Charles Darwin’s Stay on Santiago Island 

Out of all the entries in his diary, nothing compares to the over ten thousand words that Darwin was able to write on his experiences on James Island; in layman’s terms, there is no greater example of Darwin’s astounding ability to create one basic idea. The archipelago is a small world within itself, or rather a satellite attached to America, from where it has drawn a few stray immigrants and has inherited the overall character of its indigenous productions, according to a letter he sent on October 8, 1835, on Voyage of the Beagle. 

 His use of magic to convey a concept at the end of a journal paragraph, “Seeing every height crowned with its crater, and the boundaries of most of the lava-streams still distinct, we are led to believe that, within a period of geologically recent activity, the unbroken ocean was here spread out,” further demonstrates his ability to think beyond conventional wisdom. Thus, we appear to be getting closer to that tremendous fact—that secret of mysteries—connected to the initial arrival of new beings on our Earth, both in space and time. 

 Come explore the same islands that Darwin explored on board our opulent yacht, the Yacht La Pinta! 

Charles Darwin’s Experience on Santiago Island 

During this planning meeting, Charles Darwin and a few other crew members decided to spend a few days away from their ship. While the ship was returning to San Cristobal, Captain Fitzroy gave the go-ahead for a six-day mission to James Island. It turned out that Fitzroy and Darwin had not explored this area together. 

 Darwin’s party was abandoned on a dark beach not far from Puerto Egas, a popular tourist destination for contemporary explorers. Darwin’s group cautiously crossed a freshly produced lava flow and made their way to the brink of a crater containing a salt lake. They arrived at the highlands about a day later, when they reported of several enormous tortoises, land birds, and distinctive plant zones. Darwin eventually accumulated so much stuff here that, because of the limited storage capacity, Fitzroy struggled to let him carry anything he had on board. Ultimately, the HMS Beagle had a full year of exploration left before returning to England. 

But Darwin was able to convince the Captain, and the entire load was loaded

 Darwin was progressively able to cultivate a notion that deviated slightly from the conventional wisdom of the time thanks to the written chronicle of these days spent on James Island. Darwin may not have been a scientist, but he was nonetheless the best observer on Earth. 

Galapagos: Then and Now with Charles Darwin 

Just as the Islands were for Charles Darwin in 1835, they are now again prepared to give 182 years later. Which island exploration schedule would you pick right now? Charles Darwin traveled to the Galapagos Islands, which comprise San Cristobal, Floreana, Isabela, and Santiago (James). Thus, choose the route that would allow you to follow Darwin’s path while he was traveling aboard the HMS Beagle. Our Expedition Leaders provide informative lectures that enhance this amazing tale and seamlessly integrate historical context into your vacation. 

Text and photos by Francisco “Pancho” Dousdebés, Expert on the Galapagos Islands, James (Santiago) Island, October 8, 2017: Position: 0°24′ S / 90°86′ W