We begin today’s expedition at the northern coast of Santa Cruz Island. Our previous exploration of the highlands of Santa Cruz from the southern coast revealed lush and green landscapes, however now we are faced with arid land and a forest of white Palo Santo trees, which are found in the rain shadow of Santa Cruz Island. Dragon Hill or “Cerro-Dragon” has had some success in terms of conservation, as various institutions have been able to protect and repopulate the population of land iguanas in this area. On this unique island, we encounter interesting landscapes as a result of three different ecologies: the coastal region, a brackish lagoon and the Palo Santo forest with Opuntia prickly pear cacti.
We are able to watch as four greater flamingoes slowly feed in the shallows, as black-necked stilts follow behind. Red volcanic soil mixed with green carpetweed lines our path as we head inland. Galapagos cotton with bright yellow flowers give some color to the scenery, as we search the inlands for the land iguanas. Various iguanas pass as we come to a ridge, revealing an incredible view of the surrounding islands. Santiago, Isabela, Pinzon, Bartolome, and Beagle rocks standout under a blue sky full of puffy clouds.
The water calls to us, and we return to the ship and prepare ourselves for a snorkeling excursion. Guy Fawkes is a small group of eroded tuff cones with an incredible vertical wall that is a plethora of colors, with soft and black corral below and large schools of razor surgeon fish graze over the reef.
Upon our return, Ecuadorian cuisine is served for lunch, including ceviche, fish encocado, and roasted pig. We spend the afternoon navigating towards Isabela Island. Onboard we hold various lectures and recaps as we reach our next destination, while searching for the last remnants of the recent volcanic event and of course crossing the equator. Our guests are excited and ready to participate in our celebratory activities out on deck.
Tonight we are having dinner and offering a movie-night for our young explorers, as we return to the center of the archipelago for our next exploration.
