Capital of the Galapagos Islands

Area: 557 km2 or 215 mi2
Maximum Altitude: 730 m or 2395 ft
Population: Approximately 6000

HISTORY

San Cristóbal is the fifth largest and easternmost island of the Galapagos. It is comprised of three or four fused volcanoes, all extinct. Its name comes from the Patron Saint of seafarers, “St. Christopher.” Its older English name of Chatham is named after William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham. It is home to the oldest permanent settlement of the islands and is the island where Darwin first went ashore in 1835. El Junco, a small lake located near the top of the island, is the only source of permanent fresh water in the islands. This resource led to the early settlement of San Cristóbal, which was home to the islands’ governor when Darwin visited the archipelago in 1835. In 1858, Manuel Cobos and José Monroy formed the Orchillera Company to harvest orchilla moss (a lichen), which was used at that time as a dye. Cobos later formed an agricultural center called “El Progreso” inland from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, which produced leather from feral cattle, and fish and tortoise oil. A penal colony was built on San Cristóbal Island in 1880 for prisoners from mainland Ecuador. This was eventually run by Cobos. By 1891, sugar cane plantations were established and a sugar factory was put into operation. Cobos ruled “El Progreso” with an iron fist, treating convicts as slaves. Cobos was assassinated by a group of his workers on January 15, 1904, and the prisoners escaped. A fishing company, called “The Predial” flourished from 1952 to 1960. The company stored fish in large refrigerators before shipping them to the continent. The business eventually fell into ruin due to its excessive costs.

TODAY

The town of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno on San Cristóbal is the capital of the Galapagos province. It is home to many government offices, an Ecuadorian Navy facility, and an airport with daily flights to the mainland. There are approximately 5, 400 residents, making it home to the second largest human population in Galapagos, after Santa Cruz. The majority of inhabitants make their living in government, tourism, and artisanal fishing. The port town is home to the Galapagos Academic Institute for the Arts and Sciences (GAIAS) of the Universidad San Francisco de Quito. This institution serves as a base of operation for local university students to carry out thesis work, and for international students to participate in semester abroad programs. The GNPS Interpretation Center is located near town and provides an excellent source of information for the local community and visitors.

CONSERVATION CHALLENGES

Having a port town with an airport, San Cristóbal is especially susceptible to the potential of new introductions of exotic and sometimes aggressive species. Several of the more serious introductions have occurred first in San Cristóbal, including the black fly (Simulium bipunctata), which was introduced in 1990. This fly has caused problems for farmers in the highlands where it is most common. It sucks blood from both humans and farm animals, leaving a poison that in some cases has resulted in the death of animals. San Cristóbal also has some of the more aggressive introduced plants, including guayaba and blackberry. San Cristóbal is also home to the largest of the fishing fleets in Galapagos, represented by two separate fishing cooperatives. Fisheries and conservation have been at odds at times in the recent history of Galapagos; the challenge today is to work with the fishermen in establishing management strategies for the Marine Reserve that will conserve Galapagos biodiversity and provide a sustainable resource to a portion of the population.

City: Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Founded by the colonist General Villamil in the mid-nineteenth century, the town was named after Alfredo Baquerizo Moreno, who in 1916 was the first Ecuadorian president to visit the islands. It is the second largest community in Galapagos, after Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz. The majority of the residents of San Cristóbal live in the port city. Puerto Baquerizo Moreno is the capital of the Galapagos province. It has two main streets, the Malecón Charles Darwin, which runs along the waterfront, where visitors can find restaurants, souvenir shops, and hotels. Parallel to it and a couple of blocks to the east is the main thoroughfare. From 1991 to 2006, the number of hotels in San Cristóbal increased from only 6 to 23. During the same period, the number of restaurants and bars increased from 9 to 35. Puerto Baquerizo Moreno has also become the focus of the Galapagos’ growing reputation among South Americans as a surfing hotspot. The waves are best at the beginning of the warm-wet season, when the water is warm enough not to need a wet suit. Tongo Reef, west of town, is one of the better places to surf.

City: El Progreso

El Progreso is the oldest surviving settlement in the Galapagos, established in 1869. About 500 people live in this small farming community, located on the side of an extinct volcano about 8 km (5 mi) from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. In the mid-1800s a penal colony was established there for prisoners from Ecuador. This was later taken over by Manuel Cobos who treated the convicts as slave laborers. Unsurprisingly, the convicts murdered Cobos during an insurrection. Today the town is a sleepy farming community.

Visitor Site: Sea Lion Rookery

This coral sand beach is located about 10 minutes from the airport. A large number of sea lions rest in the sand and rocks along this coast. In addition to sea lions, birds such as Yellow Warblers, frigatebirds, and numerous species of finches can be seen.