Galapagos Island maps have a long history. The Galapagos Islands were first discovered in 1535 by intrepid explorer Fray Tomas de Berlanga. Berlanga was from Panama but set off on a voyage to visit Peru to investigate violations against the local people by the conquistadors. During this early voyage, Berlanga’s ship got carried off course and he came across the islands. The islands were named after the tortoises found there by the early explorers, and even back then, the visitors reported amazement with the wildlife, which was unafraid by their presence. Over time the islands became used most frequently by pirates as a place to hide out. However, the islands did not get properly mapped until the late 16th century.
In 1570, the Galapagos Islands first appeared on the map. The map they were found on was Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, prepared by a Flemish cartographer named Abraham Ortelius. Early maps of the Galapagos Islands were not very accurate, but at least gave explorers somewhat of an idea what to expect. Of course, it is important to remember that explorers back then did not have the technology that we have today to create maps, and they were reliant on the information that they did have, such as the position of the stars. From that time on, as visits to the islands became more commonplace, the Galapagos map got more firmed up and eventually started to resemble the maps we see today. In particular, by the 1790s, whalers were making more regular visits to the islands and refining the maps.
Modern maps of the Galapagos Islands are much more accurate. Galapagos maps are easy to find and buy from good map retailers, and various levels of detail are available. When going on a Galapagos Islands cruise or tour many visitors like to be aware of the Galapagos map.
Today, maps show Santa Cruz island roughly central among the islands, so it is no surprise that many Galapagos cruises start from Puerto Ayora. Furthest to the left (west) are the islands of Isabela and Fernandina. Isabela Island is the biggest in the Galapagos, and the way it is mapped makes it look like a leg with a foot at the end of it.
Galapagos - A Living Paradise!