This morning National Geographic Islander II anchored near two uplifted islets located on the eastern side of Santa Cruz Island. We started our day with an early morning walk on South Plaza, a .13 km2 islet with a 1-km trail that includes a 30-meter cliff. Here we explored the unique ecology, which included prickly pear cactus, the endemic Galápagos land iguana, pillow lava, and uplifted coral from the islet’s creation. We also witnessed a conservation program by the Charles Darwin Research Station called “Green Galápagos 2050.” This project aims to recover the opuntia plant species.
Afterward, our ship navigated for about one hour and 45 minutes towards Santa Fé Island, which was named after a city in Spain. On the way, we received our snorkeling equipment and safety briefing. Soon, we were immersed in warm waters and observing the amazing marine diversity at this heavenly site. Lastly, we concluded the day with a 300-meter walk along a dry forest and we got the chance to admire the endemic Santa Fé land iguana among the tall cacti.
