Early in the morning, we visited San Cristobal Island. It was a windy day, but disembarkation was easy at Punta Pitt, a nice greenish beach with particles of olivine that sparkled like little diamonds. What a fantastic landscape we had during the walk inside a volcano. Along the trail we founded blue-footed boobies, and eventually red-footed and Nazca boobies as well. Afterward, we had a nice breakfast followed by snorkeling on a beautiful morning. Next, we sailed south for two hours to get to Cerro Brujo, one of the most amazing beaches of Galapagos, with sand like soft flour that never gets hot. It is also home for many sea lions and birds. The end of the day also meant the end of this Galapagos escape as National Geographic Islander II circumnavigated Kicker’s Rock.
12/30/2024
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National Geographic Islander II
Santa Cruz Island
Santa Cruz Island means a day with giant tortoises. Today is the day to see the enormous reptiles, survivors from the time of dinosaurs. The morning started with a visit to El Trapiche Ecologico, a traditional farm that shows us how the settlers managed to produce the basics in the olden times, without electricity but with lots of wit and determination. Next, we headed for Los Gemelos, a pair of massive sink holes surrounded by the remains of the original forest and found in the highlands of Santa Cruz prior to the arrival of the first settlers. After Los Gemelos, it was about lunchtime, so we rode towards El Manzanillo, a private giant tortoise reserve that happens to serve amazing meals. Finally, a small group of us decided to visit the Rearing Centre for Giant Tortoises back in Puerto Ayora before returning to National Geographic Islander II for dinner, our evening briefing, and some live music.
