Today we disembarked in the north part of Santa Cruz Island and boarded a bus to visit the highlands and search for Santa Cruz giant tortoises. This morning was special because we observed these reptiles in their natural environment. Guests enjoyed great opportunities to practice photography skills on one of the most iconic reptiles found on these islands. We enjoyed amazing talks about the natural history of giant tortoises in the Galapagos Islands, and their role as ecosystem engineers. We ended the first part of our day with a delicious lunch at “El Manzanillo,” a farm owned by a local family. In the afternoon, we had the chance to enjoy the beach at Bowditch Bay. Some guests had a pleasurable time walking the sandy beach while others went swimming and snorkeling along the rocky shore. There, they observed whitetip reef sharks and green sea turtles.
3/27/2024
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National Geographic Endeavour II
Santiago Island
We are having fun exploring the Galapagos Islands. Today we arrived at the center of the archipelago to explore two magical visitor sites, Buccaneer Cove and Puerto Egas. Early in the morning we explored the shoreline in our Zodiacs and we saw many marine turtles mating and blue-footed boobies diving or resting on the rocks. We also saw frigates, pelicans, terns, and more. After breakfast some of our guests went kayaking for a closer encounter with nature. The snorkeling was also spectacular. We saw three different types of sharks, including a hammerhead. We found a school of eagle rays, a wide variety of multicolor reef fish, and a zebra moray. In the afternoon we explored the coastal line of Puerto Egas. This destination is full of wildlife and along our walk we saw red neck lava lizards, finches, land iguanas, mockingbirds, and hawks. At the intertidal zone we found sea lions, and many migratory birds such as plovers, whimbrels, and ruddy turnstones. We had an amazing day!