Baltra Island, also known as South Seymour, takes prime spot in the middle of the Galapagos Islands. Yet it is not its geo-position that makes it worthy of notice. In fact, it is the topography that brings fame to Baltra. After all, it was a low-lying island created by uplifts of volcanic activity, that had spewed lava from under the ocean, until it had cooled, as the flat plateaus we see today.
The Building of Baltra Island Air Base
To the outside observer, Baltra Island remained a fairly non-descript place, until the infancy of WWII, when it was reputed that Franklin Delano Roosevelt showed up on the ship USS Houston and deemed Baltra to be a perfect base, in the Pacific, to protect the Western approach to the Panama Canal. The US forces needed an airbase to cover this angle and presto, Baltra became the arrow in their quiver.
Work began in February 1942 and by the end of May, two months later, Baltra had its own mile-long airstrip. Runways were soon joined by buildings, including hangars and barracks for 1,000 troops. Even an outdoor beer garden, bowling alley and cinema followed to appease the GIs.
This was no holiday camp. The conditions were incredibly harsh, as described by Elanor Roosevelt, after one visit, “deplorable”.
To the hardened fighters of the US Sixth Air Force, Baltra was simply known as “The Rock”. And they were deemed to be the toughest fighters in the force.
When the war ended, the military base was handed back to the Ecuadorian goverment. Every local head of household was gifted one building, many of which were then carefully deconstructed and moved to other islands, like San Cristobal and Santa Cruz. New homes suddenly began to evolve out of the building material.
As for the runway, it still retained its use as the main airstrip for the Galapagos Islands. However, it was not until 1963 before the first commerical aircraft landed there. Tourism to the Galapagos Islands had been born.
Today, Baltra Island still serves as a military base for both the Ecuadorian airforce and navy. But for the wider world for travel, Baltra is the primary fuelling station for the boats operating from Santra Cruz.
