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SAN CRISTOBAL (CHATHAM) |
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San Cristobal
Island is the fifth biggest and easternmost island of the Galapagos. It is
almost circular, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) long and 10
miles (16 kilometers) wide. The highest point is 2,395 feet
(730 meters) and its land area is 215 square miles (557 square
kilometers). San Cristobal is comprised of three or four fused volcanoes, all
extinct. The Ecuadorians named it San Cristóbal after Saint
Christopher, the patron saint of travelers. It is also called
Chatham by English after the Earl of Chatham.
San Cristobal is the only
island with permanent fresh water, located near the top of the
island in a small lake called El Junco. Because of the water,
the island was settled early in Galapagos history, and was the
home of the islands' governor when Darwin visited in 1835. This
was Darwin's first stop in the islands.
Though this island hosts the second biggest population besides
Santa Cruz, it's not often visited on cruises or by individual
travelers. San Cristóbal is charming and its capital, Puerto
Baquerizo Moreno, is the capital of the islands. About 5,400
people live here, and many work for the government, in
fisheries (the Galapagos' second largest income source) or in
tourism.
The Interpretation
Center is also located here, it is newly opened by the Galapagos
National Park, and is an extraordinary contribution to the
information and education of the island community and the
traveler.
There
is a bank and facilities for tourists, though is by no means
close to Puerto Ayora's amenities. Puerto Baquerizo has an airport with flights
from the mainland although most visitors land at Baltra.
On a trail that leads from the Interpretation Center, at a short
distance we find Frigate bird Hill. Here it is possible to see
Magnificent Frigate birds and Great Frigate birds in the same
colony. This is the perfect place to compare and learn to
distinguish them.
About
500 people live in El Progresso which has a rather sordid past.
In the mid-1800s a penal colony was established there for
prisoners from Ecuador. This was later taken over by Manuel
Cobos who treated the convicts as slave laborers.
Unsurprisingly, the convicts murdered Cobos during an
insurrection. Today the town is a sleepy farming community.
On
San Cristóbal we may be lucky to see the red footed
booby - the least seen of the boobies. It's also the home of the
Chatham mockingbird, only found here on the island. There are
many visitor sites, some of which can be reached by foot from
Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. It's a charming, peaceful island, and
worth the visit. Take your time in the village to get to know
the people. It's a great change of pace from the tourism in
Puerto Ayora.
Puerto
Baquerizo Moreno: Founded by the colonist General
Villamil in the mid-nineteenth century, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno
was named after Alfredo Baquerizo Moreno, the first Ecuadorian
president to visit the islands in 1916. Despite being the
capital of the Galapagos, it's a sleepy town, virtually lifeless
in the heat of the early afternoon, only coming alive fully when
the sun sets over the bay. It may not get as many visitors as
Puerto Ayora, but there is a burgeoning industry here: along the
waterfront, a glut of travel agents, cafes, restaurants and
souvenir shops all show a town keen to cut itself a larger slice
of the tourist pie. The town is a bit short of things to do, but
there's enough on the island to keep visitors busy for a few
days. Just outside the port, the Centro
de Interpretacion has great displays of the archipelago's
human and natural history. Puerto Baquerizo Moreno has also
become the focus of the Galapagos' growing reputation among
South Americans as a surfing hotspot, and the waves are best at
the beginning of the warm-wet season, when the water is warm
enough not to need a wet suit. Tongo Reef, west of town, is one
of the better places to go for this.
Puerto Baquerizo Moreno has three main streets: on the
waterfront, the Malecon Charles Darwin is where you'll find
several restaurants, souvenir shops and the hotel; running
parallel to it, a couple of blocks to the east, is the main
thoroughfare servicing.
Kicker Rock:
Off the coast of San
Cristobal are a number of steep, rocky islets that rise 500 feet
almost vertically from the sea. There’s good snorkeling around
the islet opposite Punta Pitt, but the most impressive of these
solitary, sea-girt towers is Leon Dormido
[Sleeping Lion], also known as
Kicker Rock. This twin-peaked cathedral of stone looks as if it
had been split by a divine karate chop
with vertical walls on either side of a canal through which
small vessels can navigate.
Huge, cackling colonies of sea birds nest in its vertiginous
walls, and it's a popular spot for scuba diving.
Interpretation
Center: Opened to
the Public in 1998, the Galapagos National Park Visitor Centre
in San Cristóbal presents a complete and documented history of
the Galapagos, its ecosystems, flora and fauna. It is also the
place where different cultural activities take place like
theatre, exhibitions and workshops (dance, painting etc). The Visitor Center is open to the
public every day from 7am to 12pm and 1.30pm to 5pm.
El Progreso: In spite
of a dire history, the island of San Cristobal has plenty to
offer visitors. El Progreso, as Cobos’ small plantation village
was ironically called, still exists and can be reached by truck
or bus from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, or by walking five mile
(eight kilometers).
El Junco lake: Six miles (ten kilometers) further
up the road is the beautiful crater lake of Laguna El Junco,
where you can walk around the rim, which is rich in plant and
bird life. From the crater you can look out over most of the
island, including the 900 meters (3,000 feet) peak of
Cerro San Joaquin. To the
northeast you can also see the cliffs of
Punta Pitt, the most spectacular visitors’ site on San
Cristobal.
Punta Pitt: As with most
visitors’ sites on the Galapagos, the only way to reach Punta
Pitt is by boat. Disembarking onto the small beach, visitors are
confronted by the strong stench and cacophony of barking sea
lions. At certain times of the year there are as many of these
beautiful beasts are as bodies on West Palm beach on spring
break. This is a bachelor colony, and most are exhausted from
fighting and mating. They won’t budge an inch as you approach so
you have to step around their basking bodies while being careful
to avoid the source of the strong stench. A steep gully leads up
the cliff to a breeding ground for boobies of all three
varieties: red-footed, blue-footed and masked. It’s the only
place in the Galapagos where you can see all three species
nesting together.
Galapaguera: The view from the top of the cliff
over the beach of sea lions is magnificent, as are the contours
of the barren, wind-eroded peaks of the island. The trail across
the Punta Pitt site offers a closer look at the hardy vegetation
that manages to thrive in this volcanic wasteland. From saltbush
and spiny shrubs by the beach the trail leads up to an area of
Palo Santos trees, big yellow-green shrubs, tiny cacti and, in
the dry season, carpets of red Vesuvius. A short distance
westward along the coast from Punta Pitt is the new visitors’
site of Galapaguera, where giant turtles can sometimes be seen.
Isla Lobos: Less than
an hour from San Cristobal, Lobos Islet is a seasonal
nesting location for the blue-footed booby, although it is
named for the sea lions sometimes present there.
Playa Ochoa: A small
Island just an hour from San Cristobal. A subtle
introduction to the Galapagos with a short trail leading to
a sand beach good for swimming. Pelicans and other Galapagos
sea birds fly up overhead.
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General
information |
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Area : |
215 square miles (557 square kilometers) |
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Maximum altitude : |
2,395 feet (730 meters) |
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Population : |
5,500 |
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Geographic features : |
Beaches,
islets, eroded tuff cone, official capital,
green beach |
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Getting there : |
Airline,
panga, private tour, ferry between islands |
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Getting around : |
Hiking, snorkeling, panga, bike |
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Major sites : |
Puerto Baquerizo Moreno
Kicker Rock (Leon Dormido)
Interpretation center
El Progreso
Junco lake
Punta Pitt
Galapaguera
Frigate bird Hill
La Loberia (Isla lobos)
Playa Ochoa |
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Observations : |
San Cristobal
is a settlement area and capital of the islands.
Here we find internet, post office, long
distance phone calls, hospital. airlines and
bank services. |
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Flora : |
Candelabra cactus
Prickly Pear cactus
Palo Santo
Salt brushes |
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Fauna : |
Sea Lions
Crabs
Giant Sea turtles
Boobies (blue footed, red footed and masked)
Frigates birds and Great Frigate birds
Chatham mockingbirds
Pelicans
Tropic birds
Sea birds |
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Activities : |
Walking
Snorkeling
Scuba diving
Bird watching
Cycling
Sun and beach
Bars, restaurants
Tours
Surfing |
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