A contrast in colors and climate is seen as we awaken along the northern coast of Santa Cruz Island. Our previous exploration of the highlands of Santa Cruz from the southern coast was lush and green, however we are faced with arid land with a forest of white Palo Santo trees, which are found in the rain shadow of Santa Cruz Island. Dragon Hill has small success in terms of conservation, as various institutions have been able to protect and repopulate the population of land iguanas in this area. As we land we encounter an interesting landscape of a forest of Opuntia prickly pear cacti and a small brackish pond. A single greater flamingo slowly feeds 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 gives some color as we search for the land iguana’s inland. Various iguanas pass as we come to a ridge and have an incredible view of the surrounding islands. Santiago, Isabela, Pinzon, Bartolome, and Beagle rocks standout under a clouded blue sky. The water calls us as we return to the ship and we prepare to snorkel. 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. A couple of large Golden Rays gracefully swim pass and a single Galapagos penguin rests along the coast. A white tipped reef shark slowly swims past below and large schools of razor surgeon fish graze over the reef. Upon our return, Ecuadorian cuisine is served for lunch as we try ceviche, fish encocado, and roasted pig.
Into the afternoon we navigate towards Daphne Major Island which has had continuous scientific studies done here for the past forty years. As we circumnavigate this small island we hear the interesting story of finches and marked evolutionary changes that have occurred here among the Darwin finches of the island. As the sun sets in the distance, we are content in this “world among itself …”
