Six hundred miles off the coast of Ecuador, smack dab on the Equator, is an archipelago the first explorers called Hell. It is also a natural monument to the power of evolution; a monument to the adaptability and malleability of creation. The Galapagos Islands owe their existence to the conveyor belt of plate tectonics. As the Nazca Plate drifted several inches to the southeast every year, new sections of crust were positioned over a stationary lava plume and new islands were created, and are still being created. Empty real estate always attracts its share of colonists, but their distance from the mainland severely limited which species and how many individuals would ever reach the Galapagos.

In the ages since the original species became marooned here, the powers of creation have been at work on them, fitting them to their ecological niches like a locksmith making keys for different locks. As the islands slowly changed from piles of solidified lava to landscapes of mangroves, giant cacti and palo santo trees, a very few species evolved to take advantage of every ecological niche on the islands. In the absence of large, land herbivores, tortoises assumed mammoth proportions and are now the size of small cows. Iguanas adapted to feed on the nutritious algae growing in the cold currents that flow around the Galapagos. Darwin's famous finches (although he spent much more time studying mockingbirds) went from a single species to more than a dozen, filling every niche from seed eater to insect eater to woodpecker.

Today one of the most surprising aspects of these islands is that they teem with wildlife. Surprising because the islands are not very hospitable. With the exception of a few of the taller ones, these islands are hot, dry and much of the sparse vegetation is shorter than a standing human, making it difficult to find much shade. With so many creatures waiting to greet visitors, it's easy to forget how harsh this environment is. Watching the mockingbirds drinking dew drops that condense on a cold water bottle though, even if the visitor is drinking out of the other end, shows the lengths to which the island residents will go to survive. The Galapagos are ideal for those who want to get close their subjects, and bringing and ultra-long lens is wasted effort. We alternated between a 100-400mm zoom, a 28-135mm zoom (until I dunked it in the ocean) and an 18-55mm zoom. The animals here evolved without two-legged predators, and consequently they have no fear of two-legged predators. They pay absolutely no attention to photographers standing close enough to touch them. Many of the creatures, especially the sea lions, will often walk or swim right up to the photographers to check them out.

Before I visited the Galapagos, I wondered if all the hype could possibly be true. It is. I'm sure part of the magic was the result of living aboard a 16-person yacht for a week on the equator, but the kaleidoscope of wildlife activity going on all around also contributed. Whether on land or in the water, photographers don't have to worry about finding their wildlife subjects. All we have to do is worry about composing our images. There's no guaranty you'll capture the behaviors you want--the dancing blue-footed boobies, displaying albatrosses or mating sea turtles--but it's much easier when you don't have to search for your subjects. Even if I had no camera, there's nothing I enjoy half so much as being a member of the rookery, herd or covey, and it makes no difference whether it's an iguana or a booby or a sea lion. Just the opportunity to watch the interactions as the animals go about their daily business is a treasure beyond all riches. Whether you travel with us or make some other arrangements, be sure to visit the Galapagos before too many years go by. The important thing is to go with a photo tour. It's worth the extra money for the smaller group size and additional time spent with the wildlife.

After visiting the Galapagos, you may understand the thoughts going through my mind after a hard day of snorkeling and pointing my lens at the locals. As I relax on the upper deck with a cold drink in hand, watching the setting sun put on a light show of unparalleled magnificence, I can't help but think, "If these islands truly are Hell, I've got to start sinning more."

Whether snorkeling or relaxing on the beach, Galapagos sea lions are curious about visitors and will often come over to check you out.

On the Galapagos, iguanas evolved into two species, one dependent upon cacti and another that is dependent upon marine algae.

A mockingbird on Espanola Island is drinking drops of condensation off a water bottle being carried by a visitor.

Hard to believe the first tortoises to reach these islands were only about a foot long. Time and genetics have been at work on these creatures, and tortoises are now the largest land herbivores on the islands, weighing hundreds of pounds and taking the place of deer and cows in the ecosystem.

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