Española is one of the oldest islands of the Galápagos Archipelago; it is a former shield volcano that after thousands of years of erosion has become flattened, mostly covered by dry zone vegetation. This is, however, the middle of the wet season, and the entire island looks emerald green. To the North we find Gardner Bay: with its turquoise waters and white sands, it is certainly one of the most beautiful beaches of the islands. A large colony of Galápagos sea lions inhabits this beach, with a few of them seemingly curious about our presence, while others were totally oblivious to us. Towards the South, the coast of Española has high cliffs that are favored by various marine bird species as well as marine iguanas. In this dramatic shoreline food abounds and foraging is particularly good, therefore Punta Suárez is considered one of the highlights of the Enchanted Isles.
5/9/2024
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National Geographic Endeavour II
Santa Cruz Island
We took a good look at a few giant tortoises in Urbina Bay, Isabela Island, but we all wanted a bit more giant tortoise information. These gentle giants are one of the most charismatic of the Galapagos characters. Where to start? At the Giant Tortoise Breeding Center managed by the Galapagos National Park Directorate in Puerto Ayora. Here, we saw them in all shapes and sizes, from babies a few months old to venerable reptiles older than all of us! Lindblad Expeditions supports local initiatives aimed at potentially diminishing the introduction of new invasive species. Granja Integral Ochoa is a place that provides this beneficial support. The hydroponic system is highly efficient and generates fresh vegetables without having to import them from mainland Ecuador. And the quality is so high we serve them to our guests and crew on an almost daily basis. Plus, the Ochoa family makes you feel at home with their warmth, freshly brewed coffee, and scrumptious empanadas. The day wasn’t over yet. Next, we went to Manzanillo Ranch for a meal and more interactions with Santa Cruz giant tortoises. Lunch was fabulous and the tortoises plentiful. It was another wonderful day in paradise!