Today’s expedition to Santiago Island was a truly unforgettable experience. We began our day early with a visit to Espumilla Beach. As we walked along the sand we came across numerous sea turtle nests, while in the air blue-footed boobies engaged in a dramatic feeding frenzy just offshore — a fantastic opportunity for wildlife photography.
Afterwards, we navigated to Buccaneer Cove where we began our kayaking adventure along the base of towering cliffs. The geological formations were stunning, and the calm waters provided close-up views of green sea turtles, Galapagos sea lions, and even a few spotted eagle rays gliding beneath our kayaks. We then geared up for snorkeling in the same area, and the underwater world did not disappoint. Schools of colorful fish surrounded us, and we had several close encounters with whitetip reef sharks, peacefully patrolling the reef just meters away.
In the afternoon, we disembarked at Puerto Egas for a coastal walk through the intertidal zone. This area was rich in shorebird activity, and the terrain led us to the Grottos, a formation of collapsed lava tunnels. Here, we observed Galapagos fur sea lions, the rarer of the two sea lion species found in the archipelago.
