Fritts, Patricia R.

Fritts, Thomas H.

English

Aquatic Commons

4With no hope of saving the vessel, what remained
to be done was to salvage the remaining records,
equipment, and supplies and to post an around-the-
clock guardo A comprehensive accident report was
assembled, insurance claims were filed, and all
property was inventoried. Although the vessel was
insured, the final cost of buying a replacement suited
for today's needs will be nearly twice that of the
insured value of the Beagle IV. Finding an appropriate
vessel, outfitting it to meet Galápagos needs, and
transporting it to the islands will be a significant
financial drain on both resources and personnel.
The Beagle IV arrived in Galápagos in August 1980
and served a large number of visiting researchers,
Station staff, and Park personnel. Originally
purchased as a utilitarian replacement for the Beagle
111,the Beagle IV was faster, cheaper to operate, and
better-suited for carrying personnel and research
equipment than her predecessor. Beagle IV greatly
facilitated research efforts in Galápagos, and she will
be sorely missed.
Anyone wishing to contribute funds or guidance in
securing a replacement vessel is encouraged to contact
the President of the Charles Oarwin Foundation, Craig
MacFarland, Box 36, Arlee, Montana 59821, USA or
the editor.
"
~
.--=' ='~~~s.
? ~.
i
=--~
The Beagle IV on the coast of Santa Cruz where she
went aground near Punta Nuñez on 30 August 1987
(photograph by P.R. Fritts). Beagle IV en la costa de
Santa Cruz donde se varó cerca Punta Nuñez 30 de
agosto de 1987.
Noticias de Galápagos, No. 46, May 1988
~#-;
Corley Smith at his home Greensted Hall in Ongar,
England. Corley Smith en frente de su casa, Greensted
Hall, Ongar, Inglatera.
RETIREMENT OF G.T. CORLEY SMITH
AS EDITOR
By: Patricia R. Fritts and
Thomas H. Fritts
The retirement of G.T. Corley Smith from the
editorship of Noticias de Galápagos culminates his
major 14 year contribution to the publication.
Corley's editorship of Noticias began with Volume 22
published in 1974, but his contributions to the Charles
Oarwin Foundation began much earlier. His first
association with Galápagos came in 1964 while serving
as British Ambassador to Ecuador even before he
became formally affiliated with the Foundation. He
joined the Foundation's Executive Board after his
retirement from the British Foreign Service, and by
1973, beca me the Board's primary administrator as
Secretary General.
The first formal meeting of the Foundation that
Corley attended was held at the home of Charles
Oarwin in England. Corley enjoys recounting the story
of that first meeting. He was seated under a portrait
of Thomas Huxley and several people present at that
meeting commented that he bore a striking
Noticias de Galápagos, No. 46, May 1988
resemblance to the painting of Huxley. With a wry
smile, Corley says he has often pondered whether this
resemblance to the famous evolutionist prompted his
election to the Foundation Board! However, one only
needs to know Corley for a short period of time to
realize that the energy, style, dedication, and tenacity
he evinces have been of far greater value to the
Foundation than his distinguished resemblance to
Huxley. Anyone not familiar with the depth of
Corley's involvement with Galápagos is encouraged to
consult the 1987, Volume 45 article in Noticias
entitled "Looking Back."
Although less involved with Noticias, Corley still
plans various activities related to Galápagos. He will
continue to act as a representative of the Charles
Darwin Foundation in England and to receive
contributions from European supporters. He also plans
to work on a history of Galápagos, and we sincerely
hope that he will regularly contribute articles to
Noticias. We wish him the best in all of his endeavors
and wholeheartedly appreciate his unselfish
contributions to the Foundation and to Galápagos over
the years.
SANTA CRUZ FACT SHEET
Text By: Amrit Work Kendrick
Map By: Heidi M. Snell
Size.--Second larg~t of the Galápagos Islands,
surface area of 986 km , nearly one third the size of
Luxembourg, and nearly twice as large as Cura!1ao.
E levati O n .--Highest point is Cerro Crocker at
864 m. Unlike some of the major islands and
volcanoes in Galápagos, Santa Cruz lacks a central
caldera.
Geographical and Geological Features.--
This island occupies a central position in the
Archipelago and from appropriate vantage points it is
possible to see the islands of Santa Fe, Floreana,
Pinzón, Santiago, Rábida, Isabela, Baltra, Seymour,
Plaza Sur, and Plaza Norte. The oldest rocks of Santa
Cruz were formed 0.98-1.03 million years before
present.
Ecology.--Santa Cruz has a diverse flora with all
six vegetation zones recognized in Galápagos occurring
on the island. At low elevations are the Littoral, Arid,
and Transition Zones. Moist winds from the south
produce the Sca/esia Zone at 200-500 m where
rainfall and garúa are greatest. The Sca/esia forests
were devastated by the heavy rains of the 1982-83 El
Niño, but are now recovering. Higher yet on the slopes
of Santa Cruz are the slightly drier Miconia and Fern-
Sedge Zones. The Miconia Zone is better developed on
Santa Cruz than elsewhere in the islands. At the
5
highest elevations, sedges and ferns are predominant
because they tolerate the extremes of temperature
and humidity found there. Low elevations and northern
exposures that receive less moisture from the winds
out of the south are driest with abundant cactuses,
deciduous trees, and spiny shrubs. The fauna of Santa
Cruz is rich and includes eight species of finches, a
mockingbird, both vermilion and broad-billed
flycatchers, yellow warblers, Galápagos hawks, two
species of owls, and a variety of sea birds. The Santa
Cruz tortoises are among the largest of the dome-
shaped tortoises. The tortoises can be seen in their
native habitats within the Tortoise Reserve and
occasionally along roads in the colonized areas.
Introduced predators such as pigs, dogs, and cats have
created special conservation problems for tortoises,
land iguanas, and dark-rumped petrels.
Human Population.--The largest
concentration of Galápagos inhabitants is in Puerto
Ayora, adjacent to Bahía Academy, and near the
headquarters of the Galápagos National Park Service
and the Charles Darwin Research Station. Several
smaller villages exist in the humid climates of the
agricultural zone further from the coast: Bella Vista,
Santa Rosa, El Carmen, and El Cascajo. Coffee,
papaya, avocados, and a variety of other fruits and
vegetables are grown for local consumption. A
significant cattle industry exists which depends in part
on artificial insemination to avoid the importation of
breeding stock which might carry diseases and
parasites. Cattle are exported to other islands and to
the mainland, but most of the beef and dairy products
Santa Cruz produces are consumed on the island. The
settlement of the island (primarily for agricultural
purposes) began in the 1920s, but since the
establishment of the Galápagos National Park in 1959,
the principal industry has shifted to tourism and
activities that support tourism.
Current Problems.--Santa Cruz is a major
population center and the hub of most tourist traffic.
Cargo brought by air (via Baltra airport) and by sea to
Santa Cruz presents a continual danger of introducing
plants and animals to the Galápagos ecosystem.
Problems exist at present with the introduced fire ant
which destroys native invertebrates; the smooth-
billed ani which may impact native finches; and
introduced plants including: Lantana, Cinchona, and
Psidium (the guayaba), all of which are aggressive
plants that have displaced native species.
Sites of Interest.--Bahfa Tortu<;1a - A 1 km
beach of fine white sand reached from Puerto Ayora
via an easy to navigate 5 km foot trail through a
variety of Arid Zone vegetation and lava formations.
Bahía Academy
- This picturesque anchorage which
is home to many tourism boats was named in honor of
Academy, the ship used by the California Academy of
Sciences Expedition in 1905-06. Marine


Retirement of G.T. Corley Smith as editor

http://aquaticcommons.org/4749/1/NG_46_1988_Fritts_Retirement_of_Corley_Smith_as_editor.pdf

Retirement of G.T. Corley Smith as editor

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Aquatic Commons