Today we visited Española Island. In the morning, we had a lot of fun with various water activities, including paddleboarding, kayaking, snorkeling, and spending time on the beach. Gardner Bay has an amazing white sand beach and lots of sea lions. In the afternoon, we navigated to Suarez Point, where I oversaw Zodiac driving lessons for our very curious Global Explorers. Dolphins joined in the fun, swimming alongside the Zodiac while the kids were at the wheel. Later, we disembarked at Suarez Point and went for an amazing walk to explore the area. We observed a very large nesting colony of Nazca boobies, colonies of sea lions, and so much more. It was a delightful day.
3/24/2025
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National Geographic Islander II
Santa Cruz Island
The first full day in the Galapagos Islands was mesmerizing, starting early in the morning with a colorful rainbow. There were lots of different activities on Santa Cruz Island, the most populated of the archipelago. Our first stop was at El Trapiche Ranch, a unique destination where we learned about the production of coffee, cocoa, and moonshine in an artisanal way. The owner of this ranch, Mr. Adriano, guided us through this magical place, talking about not only the production, but also the human history of the islands and how the first people who arrived in the Galapagos lived. Our second visit was the Gemelos, a striking geological formation composed of two large pit craters, formed by the collapse of volcanic lava chambers. This beautiful site was perfect for observing different species of Darwin’s finches. At noon, a delicious lunch was waiting for us at El Manzanillo Ranch, surrounded by the magnificent Galapagos giant tortoises. As soon as we finished lunch, we had a fantastic time walking beside this unique and huge reptile.
