Ole Begemann
Galápagos Dry Season Vegetation
"Nothing could be less inviting than the first appearance. A broken field of black basaltic lava, thrown into the most rugged waves and crossed by great fissures, is everywhere covered by stunted, sunburnt brushwood, which show little sign of life."
--- Charles Darwin, Voyage of the Beagle, 1833.
Before I arrived at the Galápagos, I hadn't realized how bleak the place can be. Looking at the islands' location on the map, right on the equator, I had expected a paradise of lush green vegetation, palm trees, etc. Instead, the primary colors were grey and brown and the vegetation was rarely as tall as in this shot. At the end of the dry season, all the green was gone. A surprise to me but it all makes sense: not much can grow on the harsh volcanic rock.
Location of the picture: near Bachas beach on Isla Santa Cruz. The trees are Palo Santo trees, endemic to the islands.
Galápagos Dry Season Vegetation
"Nothing could be less inviting than the first appearance. A broken field of black basaltic lava, thrown into the most rugged waves and crossed by great fissures, is everywhere covered by stunted, sunburnt brushwood, which show little sign of life."
--- Charles Darwin, Voyage of the Beagle, 1833.
Before I arrived at the Galápagos, I hadn't realized how bleak the place can be. Looking at the islands' location on the map, right on the equator, I had expected a paradise of lush green vegetation, palm trees, etc. Instead, the primary colors were grey and brown and the vegetation was rarely as tall as in this shot. At the end of the dry season, all the green was gone. A surprise to me but it all makes sense: not much can grow on the harsh volcanic rock.
Location of the picture: near Bachas beach on Isla Santa Cruz. The trees are Palo Santo trees, endemic to the islands.