Overnight we sailed over 80 nautical miles, to get to the most mysterious and fascinating part of the Galapagos Archipelago, the geologically young western islands. Still actively being fed by the Galapagos mantle plume, signs of their young age are everywhere as we hike over lava flows and cruise along volcanic structures of different origins. Situated at the edge of the Galapagos Platform, this area is also where the cold, productive waters of the Equatorial Undercurrent upwell, bringing an abundance of marine life to the area, much of which was seen during our sailing, Zodiac riding and snorkeling activities.
9/26/2022
Read
National Geographic Islander II
Santa Cruz Island
We started our day early on Santa Cruz Island, located in the center of the archipelago. We passed through town, the biggest settlement in the archipelago, on our way to the highlands, where our visit took place. We visited El Trapiche farm, where we met a family that farms coffee and sugarcane. We learned how the people of the highlands live, and we also tried some of the products they grow. Afterwards, we visited Los Gemelos, big geological formations in the middle of a Scalesia forest. Surrounded by this special vegetation, we explored the ecosystem, birds, and epiphytes. To end the morning, we visited El Manzanillo Ranch, where tortoises are found everywhere. The ranch is located right in the middle of the migration route of these prehistoric animals, so we had the opportunity to see them up close and learn all about them while they were feeding, sleeping, and walking around. In the afternoon, we visited the Charles Darwin Research Station and the National Park Headquarters. We walked on a special path created to educate visitors about the projects these institutions are working on. We explored a small part of town and the fish market, where we saw the catch of the day on display.
