At the Gate - Galapagos 2011

After a very long two days working in final preparations for this trip, I have finally made it to the airport (JFK) and am catching my breathe with an adult beverage and some wings at Buffalo Wild Wings (Terminal 4 – B25).

I have played this game before (quite a few times), and showing up early and settling down before getting on the plane is a great idea (flying in the “front” of the plane is also a good idea if your wallet can handle it). This is a very special trip for me, and though I love to fish, I will be spending most of my time helping everyone else catch fish and shooting loads of photos and video.

Getting to the Galapagos

There are no direct flights from anywhere that matters. There are two ways to get to San Cristobal: you can either take a charter plane (provided by a company like Jettly) or you need to fly into Ecuador (typically Guayaquil or Quito) and then connect to this island. Regardless of your preferred method, reaching this island as soon as possible is usually the main objective. My favorite airline is Aerogal (though other airlines fly there as well). Setting up a round-trip flight just takes a quick call to the Aerogal offices in Miami (ask for Cecilia, she is amazing).

My Aerogal Flight Crew

At them moment there is “red eye” that gets you in at dawn and a few hours later you connect to San Cristobal and arrive in time for a late lunch. The way home is a bit tougher and requires an overnight in Guayaquil. My choice there is the Hilton (casino, great food, pool, etc.) and it is a great way to start the getting used to the real world again. My close friend Steve Palmo has tried for years to get back in a single day, but the airline gods just keep kickin’ him in the teeth (way too funny). I am nearly convinced it can’t be done. Either way, Guayaquil is a blast and well worth a night.

Getting a Boat

In my opinion there is only one guy to call; the incredible Pete Santini (Fishing Finatics in Everett, MA). It would take at least a thousand words to describe this guy and you still wouldn’t get it right. If I only had four words to describe him, I would have to say “out of his mind”. His passion for fishing is legendary and his kharma doesn’t suck. Combine those two things and you end up with a guy who catches loads of big fish and has just too many friends to count. His funeral will certainly be SRO (though I suspect his sins ensure that he lives forever!).

That is all for now, hopefully I will put together a post late tomorrow for San Cristobal, Galapagos, Ecuador.

Learn more about travel and fishing in the Galapagos at World Explorer Notebook