Protected: Halloween’s frights amid Lodi’s beautiful tombs
Posted by Adam Jadhav | Filed under india
Tags: costume, halloween, lodi gardens, photography, sari, shenanigans
Nowhere to land but also no need
Posted by Adam Jadhav | Filed under ecuador
Wonderful waters
The rock known as Daphne, north of Santa Cruz, the main island of the Galapagos chain, is one of the archipelago’s easiest and yet most productive dive sites. Often visited in conjunction with another site, Daphne offers something other dive sites in the Galapagos can’t: relaxing dives are almost guaranteed.
The dive trip here is an easy, easy cruise along sloping shelves or dramatic walls. Sea turtles are cheap and prolific; manta rays drop buy frequently; white tip reef sharks hang out lazily; sea lions come down to check out and play with humans who are thoroughly out of their element.
The rock offers no convenient landing spot for a boat; but then none is needed as Daphne’s spectacular wildlife is underwater.
Tags: daphne, ecuador, environment, galapagos, ocean, photography, scuba diving, tourism
One heckuva beach
Posted by Adam Jadhav | Filed under ecuador
Lava rocks and white sand
Los Lobos, a stop on most tour visits to Kicker Rock near San Cristobal Island in the Galapagos is an absolute afternoon treat. Sea lions laze in the shade or play in the water. The waters, though cold, are crystal. Those famous Galapagos finches flit and flutter everywhere.
See below. Continue reading this entry » » »
Tags: beach, beautiful, ecuador, environment, finch, galapagos, los lobos, san cristobal, sea lion, wildlife
Hold still, you big lummox
Posted by Adam Jadhav | Filed under ecuador
I move very slow
Meet the Galapagos giant tortoise. There are actually a number of species, all with somewhat different shell patterns and all of them under aggressive conservation problems.
They are apparently tasty, as human consumption was one of the reason that many were driven to the brink (or over it) of extinction. And while they have no natural predators, they were also threatened from introduced wildlife: goats that competed for vegetation, rats that steal eggs.
Today, however, they’re a huge tourist attraction. Safaris go looking for them in the wild and plenty are available for viewing in conservation reserves or on private farms (as above and below). Continue reading this entry » » »
Tags: ecuador, environment, galapagos, photography, santa cruz, tortoise, wildlife
Lazy Galapagos wildlife
Posted by Adam Jadhav | Filed under ecuador
Sea lions meet the definition of sloth
The Galapagos Islands are famous for their wildlife, which while not tame, is mostly unafraid of humans. They’re really quite lazy when it comes to any sense of fear.
One reason: most native animals are protected by National Park rules (invasive, imported goats, for example, are practically shot on sight). The island system also lacks major predators other than people. Above, sea lions chill out on a buoy in the Baltra channel. Below, a marine iguana sits passively on a seawall. A Sally Lightfoot crab hunts in the blurry background. Continue reading this entry » » »
Tags: baltra, ecuador, galapagos, marine iguana, photography, sea lion, wildlife
Messing around in the bay
Posted by Adam Jadhav | Filed under ecuador
Island goofing off
Crystal bay waters of the Galapagos make for a fun afternoon, after the catch has been brought in. Here a Styrofoam box becomes a makeshift boat. This was just before the kid got tipped over and went into the drink.
Tags: ecuador, galapagos, kids, photography, puerto ayora, shenanigans
Sea lions and fishmongers
Posted by Adam Jadhav | Filed under ecuador
Begging for scraps
The small-scale fish market in Puerto Ayora draws a crowd every day as fishermen bring, gut and hawk in their catch. And that’s not just a crowd of people.
Sea lions and pelicans also gather to pilfer and pinch scraps and sometimes whole fish. It’s a comical scene, as the fishermen are not technically allowed — National Park rules — to swat or otherwise harm the pesky-but-cute critters.
This is small-scale fishing that is generally far more sustainable (and in the Galapgos, more regulated) than elsewhere in the developing world. It’s also a significant part of the local economy, one affected by tourism, as restaurants and, at least, boats buy locally.
But having been underwater for many hours in the islands and having talked to a number of activists, it seems clear that the ocean flora and fauna remain under significant pressure.
More photos of the fishmongers below. Continue reading this entry » » »
Tags: economy, ecuador, environment, fishing, galapagos, market, photography, puerto ayora, sea lion, wildlife
One smelly, ugly, cute mug
Posted by Adam Jadhav | Filed under ecuador
The Galapagos version of a street dog
All over the Galapagos Islands, sea lions enjoy a special place of privilege. On the one hand, they’re protected native wildlife; on the other hand, they’re everywhere and a regular feature of docks and marinas and empty boats and piers and beaches, well, anywhere they can flop about.
They really are a bit like stray dogs or cats in any major American city, except they’re far more prominent. I spent more than a little bit of time goofing off and photographing the lazy but cute-in-an-ugly-sort-of-way bastards.
Tags: ecuador, galapagos, photography, puerto ayora, santa cruz, sea lion, wildlife
Welcome to Darwin’s laboratory
Posted by Adam Jadhav | Filed under ecuador
Isla Baltra
To wrap up my Ecuador trip, I spent two and a half weeks in the Galapagos Islands, the famous island chain almost 1,000 kilometers west of continental Ecuador. The islands are famous for their wildlife and the part (though relatively small) they played in helping Charles Darwin formulate his theories on evolution and natural selection.
I spent most of my time alternating between reading, reporting and scuba diving. I spent far too much money, nearly destroyed one camera and came close to hypothermia a few times, but it was truly the trip of a lifetime.
The coming days will feature photos from my wanderings there.
Tags: ecuador, environment, galapagos, isla baltra, photography, wildlife
The last time I ate meat
Posted by Adam Jadhav | Filed under ecuador
Ceviche wallah
Ecuadorian ceviche — basically lime, seafood soup — was the last time I had meat. After this $5 bowl of shrimp ceviche, I swore off the whole process, particularly seafood as it’s simply unsustainable and bycatch is disturbing. Continue reading this entry » » »
Tags: ceviche, ecuador, food, montanita, photography, shrimp
