For most of human history in the Galapagos Islands, visitors have sailed here. It’s how the naturalist, Charles Darwin, made the trip and many pirates did before him. Sailors called the islands bewitched because when enshrouded in mist they were difficult to find, and the gentle winds made it appear that the islands instead of their ships were moving. Because fresh water was intermittent, most of the people who sailed to the Galapagos did so to hide. Some of the most famous pirates and their successors, the privateers, sailed here including Sir Henry Morgan who pirated other countries’ ships sanctioned by the British government.
Darwin’s ship, the 90-ft HMS Beagle, began as a brig-sloop, belonging to the Royal Navy. The two-mast vessel was converted to a three-mast bark before Darwin’s eventful trip. The expedition not only circumvented South America, and visited the Galapagos, it also helped Britain take control of the Falklands along the way.
Then as now, when sailors go boating, they want to sail. In the Galapagos, almost all of the vessels that navigate through the archipelago are motorized yachts, some small, some large, plus the bigger-still cruise ships. For people who want to sail the Galapagos, we have four options for them to consider, that all offer week-long and 10-day itineraries. Passengers should understand that they do not crew on these boats, and the boat itinerary begins in the Galapagos, not on the Ecuador mainland. On Galapagos tours, much of the time a motor is also needed. But when conditions are right, you get to experience sailing in this enchanting place. Whether on a sailboat or motorized vessel, passengers come ashore on small crafts, called pangas.
Darwin’s ship, the 90-ft HMS Beagle, began as a brig-sloop, belonging to the Royal Navy. The two-mast vessel was converted to a three-mast bark before Darwin’s eventful trip. The expedition not only circumvented South America, and visited the Galapagos, it also helped Britain take control of the Falklands along the way.
Then as now, when sailors go boating, they want to sail. In the Galapagos, almost all of the vessels that navigate through the archipelago are motorized yachts, some small, some large, plus the bigger-still cruise ships. For people who want to sail the Galapagos, we have four options for them to consider, that all offer week-long and 10-day itineraries. Passengers should understand that they do not crew on these boats, and the boat itinerary begins in the Galapagos, not on the Ecuador mainland. On Galapagos tours, much of the time a motor is also needed. But when conditions are right, you get to experience sailing in this enchanting place. Whether on a sailboat or motorized vessel, passengers come ashore on small crafts, called pangas.