We had an amazing day on Santa Cruz Island. We started the morning with a stretching class led by our wellness specialist, Diana. After breakfast, we went to the giant tortoise breeding center, and we learned about conservation efforts to preserve the islands. We visited the fish market before we went to El Trapiche Ecologico, an old-fashioned farm that is reminiscent of the first farms on the islands. We learned about the processes for making coffee, chocolate, and sugar. We continued our adventure at Manzanillo Ranch, where we walked amongst the giants of the Galapagos. We observed dozens of tortoises. We had plenty of fun today, and we cannot wait for another magical experience in the archipelago.
4/28/2024
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National Geographic Endeavour II
Española Island
Española Island is considered the oldest of the Galapagos Islands. This island is home to diverse and abundant species, even if from afar it looks like a deserted island. Mockingbirds, endemic to this islands, lava lizards, and large colonies of sea lions are a few of the species that we observed today. Our morning took us to one of the most wonderful and pristine white sandy beaches in the world, Gardner Bay. Here we could try out our snorkeling gear and practice some snorkeling among curious baby sea lions that swam by. We couldn’t miss the opportunity to take our guests on a boat ride to observe the breathtaking coastline of Española. Its dramatic cliffs make the perfect runway for waved albatrosses to take off, as they are a very heavy bird. This species of albatross only nest on this tiny island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and our guests were lucky to observe the first albatrosses of the season, as April is the month in which they return to breed.