Santa Cruz Island, 3/14/2024, National Geographic Endeavour II
Aboard the
National Geographic Endeavour II
Galápagos
Today we spent a full day on the second largest island of the archipelago, Santa Cruz. We had a great introduction to the natural history and conservation of the Giant tortoises of the Galapagos by visiting the headquarters of the National Park and the Darwin Center and exploring their migratory route in the highlands. It was impactful to see them in their natural environment.
We also had the opportunity to visit the town and farms to learn about the human history of the islands.
Karina López was born in Guayaquil, Ecuador where she received her bachelor’s degree in Tourism and Hospitality, a second technical degree as a Professional Guide of Ecuador, and a third diploma in French language at the Alliance Francaise.
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The Galapagos never ceases to amaze and today was no exception. We began our morning with a landing at Bartolome Island, where we climbed the iconic boardwalk to the summit. Along the way, we spotted lava lizards basking in the sun and took in the breathtaking views of Pinnacle Rock standing tall against the deep blue water. The highlight of the day came in the afternoon as we explored Chinese Hat, a small cinder cone with striking lava formations. A Zodiac exploration took us along the shoreline where we spotted three Galapagos penguins resting on the lava rocks. These unique seabirds, the only penguins found north of the equator, stood side by side, preening and occasionally glancing towards the water as if contemplating their next dive. Guests also enjoyed snorkeling in the turquoise waters where sea lions twisted playfully and whitetip reef sharks swam through the currents. As the sun dipped below the horizon, we reflected on another extraordinary day in one of the most unique ecosystems on the planet.
What a wonderful day we had. Santa Cruz kept surprising us. Today we explored the northern side of the island to find the impressive Galapagos land iguanas. We rode the Zodiacs along the coast and saw green sea turtles and dozens of baby sharks. At sunset, we had a wine tasting activity as we navigated around the beautiful Daphne Major Island. What a day full of wonders, and now we’re on our way to our next destination.
We started early in the morning and made our way to the Charles Darwin Breeding Center in order to learn about the tortoise breeding and repatriation programs. The tortoise populations were decimated during the previous centuries by whalers and pirates who took them as a source of food. It is an admirable conservation and restoration project that the Galapagos National Park Service runs in coordination with the Charles Darwin Research Center. After the walk, there was a nice cool drink waiting for us followed by a bus ride to the highlands. Some of us had the opportunity to visit a hydroponic farm and others a sugar cane plantation that was established in the early 60’s where we had some coffee and tried the moonshine that is still made there. Next, we visited El Manzanillo Ranch for a delicious lunch. Moreover, we observed the giant tortoises roaming in their natural habitat, and we learned about the function they have in this unique ecosystem.
