Santa Cruz Island
Today we woke up filled with good expectations for finding lots of things. With the hint of rain to come we disembarked at 8:00am to visit the Charles Darwin Research Station, but the rain never materialized. Our visit to this famous institution provided us, the visitors, with good new knowledge to further our understanding about the special nature and situation of the Galápagos archipelago.
We learned, in particular, of the fate of the giant land tortoises that for centuries were taken as food by passing ships. Many of the remaining populations only still exist thanks to the tireless efforts of Galápagos conservationists. Individuals from 5 islands now call the breeding centre home, and from here have begun the rewarding task of repopulating their home islands, since freed of introduced pests.
We came to these islands with the intention of finding unique wildlife, and here in this centre we have begun to find it.
Some time was offered after our visit to walk through the bustling town of Puerto Ayora, giving us a chance for shopping and supporting the local economy, as well as the opportunity to bring home part of the heritage of Ecuador and the Galápagos. The morning was also a great opportunity for our guests to interact with some of the members of the local community.
Later in the morning, we gathered by the main town park to take a 45-minute ride up into the lush green highlands, where the vegetation is completely different from everything that we’ve seen so far.
This island is home to a healthy population of wild giant tortoises that were so abundant we soon started to see many by the side of the road, before even reaching our destination. Once we arrived to the local farm on which the lands of the tortoise migratory route belong, we made a stop for a delicious lunch and the chance to get into rubber boots - part of the workout as these are often required due to the muddy trails at this time of the year.
Before lunch, our fearless staff led us through a curious geological formation: a lava tunnel. These spectacular hollow tunnels riddle Santa Cruz and it is always exiting to walk in the wake of great rivers of lava – an experience even we, as naturalists, never tire of. This visit was a very different and unexpected experience, and inspired the question: “How long will we see all this beauty that has remained in this place for almost 2 million years?” We exited the depths of the earth, surrounded by walls of lava, through an explosion of green light, and came out just in time for a delicious buffet lunch.
The afternoon was spent walking among fields full of giant tortoises, and then another ride up to a set of twin pit craters, “Los Gemelos,” where a short walk gave us a good opportunity to appreciate the endemic Scalesia cloud forest abounding with Darwin finches.
We returned at last to Puerto Ayora and its sparkling blue bay where we headed back aboard the National Geographic Islander, thus ending a wonderful day on an island that sure offered us a lot in return for just a little walking.
Today we woke up filled with good expectations for finding lots of things. With the hint of rain to come we disembarked at 8:00am to visit the Charles Darwin Research Station, but the rain never materialized. Our visit to this famous institution provided us, the visitors, with good new knowledge to further our understanding about the special nature and situation of the Galápagos archipelago.
We learned, in particular, of the fate of the giant land tortoises that for centuries were taken as food by passing ships. Many of the remaining populations only still exist thanks to the tireless efforts of Galápagos conservationists. Individuals from 5 islands now call the breeding centre home, and from here have begun the rewarding task of repopulating their home islands, since freed of introduced pests.
We came to these islands with the intention of finding unique wildlife, and here in this centre we have begun to find it.
Some time was offered after our visit to walk through the bustling town of Puerto Ayora, giving us a chance for shopping and supporting the local economy, as well as the opportunity to bring home part of the heritage of Ecuador and the Galápagos. The morning was also a great opportunity for our guests to interact with some of the members of the local community.
Later in the morning, we gathered by the main town park to take a 45-minute ride up into the lush green highlands, where the vegetation is completely different from everything that we’ve seen so far.
This island is home to a healthy population of wild giant tortoises that were so abundant we soon started to see many by the side of the road, before even reaching our destination. Once we arrived to the local farm on which the lands of the tortoise migratory route belong, we made a stop for a delicious lunch and the chance to get into rubber boots - part of the workout as these are often required due to the muddy trails at this time of the year.
Before lunch, our fearless staff led us through a curious geological formation: a lava tunnel. These spectacular hollow tunnels riddle Santa Cruz and it is always exiting to walk in the wake of great rivers of lava – an experience even we, as naturalists, never tire of. This visit was a very different and unexpected experience, and inspired the question: “How long will we see all this beauty that has remained in this place for almost 2 million years?” We exited the depths of the earth, surrounded by walls of lava, through an explosion of green light, and came out just in time for a delicious buffet lunch.
The afternoon was spent walking among fields full of giant tortoises, and then another ride up to a set of twin pit craters, “Los Gemelos,” where a short walk gave us a good opportunity to appreciate the endemic Scalesia cloud forest abounding with Darwin finches.
We returned at last to Puerto Ayora and its sparkling blue bay where we headed back aboard the National Geographic Islander, thus ending a wonderful day on an island that sure offered us a lot in return for just a little walking.
