Today we explored the northern side of Santa Cruz Island. In the morning we hiked inland to Dragon Hill, a place known for the dragon-like reptiles in the zone, the Galapagos land iguana. We disembarked on the rocky shore, walked along the beach towards a brackish water lagoon to finally reach the hill, where observed these remarkable land iguanas in their natural habitat. In the afternoon we navigated to Borrero Bay for kayaking and paddleboarding while surrounded by mangroves and rocky shores. What an adventure we had today.
9/16/2024
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National Geographic Endeavour II
Floreana Island
This is an incredible island with its natural history and a deeply seated human history. Floreana was the choice for many visitors due to its fresh water source and giant tortoises that were used as a food source from the 18th century on. We visited Cormorant Point early in the morning and witnessed Galapagos sea lions playing on the beach and American flamingos in a brackish pond actively feeding. These are two beaches with a drastic contrast of volcanic sand with olivine crystals and an organic white coralline beach. Blue-footed boobies were feeding along the coast and tending to their active nests. Mid-morning allows a snorkel along a satellite island, Champion Islet. Young Galapagos sea lions play with all, and as we finish our dip, a humpback whale with her young calve passes close to our Zodiacs with a breach that leaves us in awe. The afternoon brings us to Post Office Bay and the oldest postal system in the Americas as we all sort through the mail and leave correspondences to be delivered through this honor system. Kayakers explored the coast as the sun peaked through this season’s low-lying clouds.
