With a relaxing hike in the morning at Cormorant Point, our day started with sightings of frigatebirds hanging around, ground finches looking for seeds, and a few flamingos in the distance. Later, we snorkeled off Champion Islet with a few reef sharks and sea lions swimming among us. The cherry on top of the ice cream came in the afternoon with some kayaking in El Mirador de la Baronesa and postcards being hand delivered in Post Office Bay.
3/18/2025
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National Geographic Endeavour II
Santa Cruz
Our day started with a heavy rain, but that didn’t stop our visit to the most populated island. Early in the morning some of us decided to visit the Charles Darwin Breeding Center to learn about the programs that the Galapagos National Park Service and the Charles Darwin Foundation share for the benefit of the wildlife in the archipelago. We observed the tortoise breeding program to recover populations that were decimated in the past due to human interaction (whalers, pirates, and introduced animals) that severely harmed this species to the point of extinction. After the visit, we gathered at a nice spot for a rehydrating drink and departed to different sites to get to know how Galapagueños make their living in agriculture. One group was taken to the hydroponic farm, and other groups were driven to El Trapiche, a sugarcane plantation. Once the visit was over, we had a wonderful lunch at another ranch in the highlands and afterward we took our official walk to observe the Galapagos giant tortoises in their natural habitat. Finally, back in town we had a few hours to explore and find some souvenirs to take home.
