Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/561260
38 G O I N G P L A C E S | F A L L 2 0 1 5 istock "Why aren't they afraid?" "No predators." "But what about us?" I knew that 18th-cen- tury pirates and 19th-century whalers had decimated the islands' population of land tor- toises and sea mammals. "It's weird, I know. In fact," he joked, "I find the animals' reaction insulting. Everywhere else, animals are afraid of us." But the question remained: Why are there so few places on earth where the wild animals show such utter disregard for human intrud- ers? For Darwin, the creatures' behaviour was an enigma. But to me, it was something well beyond delight. In hundreds of face-to-face encounters with the Galapagos animals, I'd find myself muttering: "I don't believe this!" Fo r e x a m p l e , stepping ashore at Floreana Island's Post Office Bay, I wandered through the leaf less palo santo trees and 4.5- metre-tall prickly pear cacti to a roofed and post-mounted b a r r e l t h a t h a s served as a Pacific voyagers' mail drop since 1773. Adult sea lions sprawled on the sand nearby, sunning themselves contentedly. Their inquisitive pups a p p ro ach e d a n d tried to untie my shoelaces. And one- metre-long iguanas l ay i m pa s si ve ly, almost comatose, as if the set of pale human ankles before them were of no more consequence than the legs of flamingos feeding at the nearby salt lagoon. It was here Darwin learned from encamped British pirates that the archi- pelago's land tortoises looked and tasted dif- ferent from one island to the next. It was an oddity to him then, but of utmost importance when he published On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection 24 years later and used it as a clue to solve what he'd later call "the mystery of mysteries": how life on earth evolved. J ust off Floreana's coast, Devil's Crown, a craggy volcanic islet, juts from the Pacific. With blue flippers and snorkel, I'm trans- formed into a clumsy imitation of one of the islands' best-known creatures, the irre- pressibly friendly blue-footed booby. e Galapagos shore- line is a world of wonders: dolphins, penguins, humun- gous manta rays, schools of iridescent fish and massive green sea turtles with heraldic patterns on their shells glide past. I can't resist sneaking a brief ride on a metre- long turtle that rises directly beneath me. Into this underwater world plunge pelicans, whose targets are instantly engulfed i n s i d e the bird s ' saclike beaks. But nothing I've e x p e r i e n c e d i n nature prepares me for the antics of the sea lions. Lured from Inclusive Land and Cruise Tour of Peru, Ecuador and Galapagos Islands: 13 days (February 29-March 12, 2016). Walk in the footsteps of Charles Darwin on the majestic volcanic islands of the Galapagos. The archipelago is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, rich with fearless and curious wildlife unique to the islands. Come face-to-face with giant tortoises, scuba dive in clear, turquoise waters and explore ancient lava tubes and volcanic formations. You'll also visit Ecuador and Peru, including a trip to legendary Machu Picchu, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, as well as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. To book this Galapagos tour or to have a vacation personalized for you, contact a CAA Travel consultant. In Winnipeg: 204-262-6000 In Brandon: 204-571-4100 Toll-free: 1-800-CAA-HELP (1-800-222-4357) www.caamanitoba.com/travel Playful, fearless sea lions.