Santa Cruz and Seymour Islands
What a wonderful day we are having! We started early in the morning with a trip to the highlands of Santa Cruz in search for the world famous giant tortoises. Today we will have the chance to share the same experience as the first visitors here on the islands so long ago. We will see these magnificent creatures in their natural habitat, roaming the islands just as they have done for hundreds of years amid the “garua,” a fine mist which lightly showers the highlands, and therefore green lush vegetation thrives for these enigmatic reptiles.
Soon after walking through a lava tunnel, a well deserved breakfast gave us extra energy to visit the town of Puerto Ayora and a chance to share such a wonderful day with the locals.
Everyone is back on board and off we sail for our next destination, Seymour Island, where swallow-tailed gulls and sea lions greet us at the dock. As we continue on we are rewarded by frigate birds at all stages; fluffy chicks, juveniles, adult females and like this picture shows, an adult bachelor male displaying its gular pouch to attract a mate for the season.
Just when we think our day could not be any better, the moon rises as the sun sets on the equator, and we realize what a truly extraordinary place we are in.
Our journey continues with many more surprises to come.
What a wonderful day we are having! We started early in the morning with a trip to the highlands of Santa Cruz in search for the world famous giant tortoises. Today we will have the chance to share the same experience as the first visitors here on the islands so long ago. We will see these magnificent creatures in their natural habitat, roaming the islands just as they have done for hundreds of years amid the “garua,” a fine mist which lightly showers the highlands, and therefore green lush vegetation thrives for these enigmatic reptiles.
Soon after walking through a lava tunnel, a well deserved breakfast gave us extra energy to visit the town of Puerto Ayora and a chance to share such a wonderful day with the locals.
Everyone is back on board and off we sail for our next destination, Seymour Island, where swallow-tailed gulls and sea lions greet us at the dock. As we continue on we are rewarded by frigate birds at all stages; fluffy chicks, juveniles, adult females and like this picture shows, an adult bachelor male displaying its gular pouch to attract a mate for the season.
Just when we think our day could not be any better, the moon rises as the sun sets on the equator, and we realize what a truly extraordinary place we are in.
Our journey continues with many more surprises to come.
