Day 4 Galapagos (morning): Bachas Beach, Santa Cruz

Each of the larger islands of the Galapagos typically has more than one name. Typically there is a Spanish name as well as an English name. For some islands, there is an additional official name. Even the name Galapagos is shrouded in a bit of historical confusion. My “Lonely Planet” guide says that when the Bishop of Panama reported his discovery of the archipelago to the King of Spain, he provided a description of the giant Galapagos (tortoises in Spanish) he found there, and the name stuck. Our cruise ship program director, Philippe, told us that the name came from the Spanish verb for galloping - galapagar. They used the term galloping in reference to the saddle-back tortoise, whose shell looked like a saddle. Later the term Galapagos came to mean tortoise.

You-Gotta-Love-It Aside: I used to think the study of history was tedious - learning a lot of dates and the names of kings. Now, I find the true study of history engaging, in which dates and the names are secondary, but how things came to be the way they are is primary. I love that history is a jumble of interpretations and theories, many times with conflicting evidence. Picking it apart and knitting it back together is both challenging and rewarding. The name Galapagos is certainly a minor point. However, there are many stories and legends emanating from the Galapagos, and it seems many interpretations and variations, depending on who tells the tale.

So what does this have to do with Bachas Beach, our first excursion of the day? Philippe told us last night that “Las Bachas” was a mispronunciation by the local residents. Some World War II barges came loose in the 1950’s, grounded on the beach, and their remains lie there to this day. Bachas was the local pronunciation of the word barges. However, I heard today that it was the English “spanishization” of the word beaches, as it is a popular swimming and sunbathing spot with the locals.

We took a short walk along the beach and saw lots of sally lightfoot crabs (named after English dancing girls),










marine iguanas scampering across the sand,






a couple of flamingos, sea birds, empty sea turtle nests, palo santo trees, beach vegetation,










and a pretty rocky shore.






We had a beautiful morning at the beach, full of photo-ops , but not much more. Perhaps the cruise planners didn’t have anything else that fit in the itinerary.