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Today we visited two totally different islands. In the morning, red, red red. Due to iron oxide and erosion over millennia, it has resulted in one of the few vibrantly red beaches in the world. We walked, photographed, paddled, and snorkeled among a landscape of greens, blues, and reds. The afternoon was filled with mostly water-based activities. Deep-water snorkelers saw whitetip reef sharks, guineafowl pufferfish, and penguins! Zodiac riders also saw them when the threesome briefly came out on shore. The grand finale was spotting bottle-nosed dolphins and following them in our Zodiacs, to great excitement.
Today we anchored in Academy Bay on Santa Cruz Island. During the first part of the morning, we went to Fausto Llerena Giant Tortoises Breeding Center. This is where some species of giant tortoises are bred in captivity. After walking through the center and observing young and adult tortoises, we enjoyed exploring the largest town in Galapagos. We had lunch at a charming local restaurant, and from there we went to the highlands where we had a great time observing wild giant tortoises in their natural habitat. This afternoon we found several tortoises feeding, while others were enjoying a great volcanic mud bath.
We spent the entire morning and part of the afternoon exploring Sierra Negra, specifically the sulfur mine area in the southwestern corner inside the caldera. The caldera is considered one of the largest in the world. It was an adventurous ride up the flank of the volcano in a local chiva (open-sided bus used all over Ecuador in rural areas). Then we walked, one way two kilometers, which included a descent of 320 feet, then an ascent to the sulfur fumaroles of another 200 feet. On return, we did it all again!
This morning, we embarked on a scenic hike at Punta Pitt, San Cristóbal Island, where we found all three booby species - red-footed, blue-footed, and Nazca. We also took a Zodiac ride along the rugged coastline for close-up views of dramatic cliffs, surrounded by seabirds and sea lions basking in the sun. In the afternoon, we kayaked around Cerro Brujo’s golden cliffs, followed by a relaxing stroll along its pristine white-sand beach. Some even enjoyed a refreshing swim in the turquoise waters. This perfect day ended with a cruise around Kicker Rock, lit in the golden light of sunset.
The day was filled with activities. The morning was spent paddling within the Loberia of Post Office Bay, while others explored by Zodiac. We saw sea lions, turtles, and Floreana cacti inhabiting the lava islets. All of this was separated by shallow, tranquil lagoons during this exceptionally low tide. The visit to the barrel at Post Office Bay was successful (postcards taken for future delivery) and ended with intrepid swimmers and snorkelers who ventured from beach to ship. The afternoon was filled with snorkeling among gorgeous pastel, iridescent parrotfish. We had a shark sighting, and playful sea lions popped by unexpectedly.
