Upon arrival, reception and assistance at the airport, transfer from Baltra Airport to the M/C Ocean Spray. In the afternoon, you will have your first visit to Santa Fe Island. Santa Fe is home to the endemic Santa Fe iguana. The island was created by a volcanic uplift that now hosts a forest of Opuntia and Palo Santo trees. It is a picturesque island with two different trails, one leading to a scenic viewpoint and the other leading to a small beach. Giant tortoises were once native here but went extinct after pirates and sailors took them aboard as a source of food.
In the morning, you will visit Suarez Point on Española Island. This is a phenomenal site where you will get to see many of Española Island's endemic species. The trail will pass by the only Waved Albatross breeding site in all of Galapagos. If you are lucky you might see a young albatross take off for its first flight for up to five years at sea. Older birds stay at sea for months at a time, only coming back to breed. They have the same mate for life and will meet each other each year, only here to reproduce. Other species that can be seen are marine iguanas that stay brightly colored year-round, Galapagos doves, Nazca boobies, blue-footed boobies, swallow-tailed gulls, red-billed tropic birds, and Darwin finches. In the afternoon, you will head to Gardner Bay. This white sandy beach is home to a large colony of sea lions and incredibly blue and turquoise waters. Three different finches can be seen, as well as the Española mockingbird. Over time, the mockingbird must have been offered water or food from tourists and now they have no fear of walking on your things or landing very close to you. It is so important not to feed or touch the animals. It can disrupt their normal behaviors and threaten their future. You can also snorkel at Osborn Islet.
In the morning, you will visit the Interpretation Center and the Galapaguera on San Cristobal Island. The Interpretation Center has been open to the public since 1998, offering extensive knowledge about the history of Galapagos. San Cristobal is also the island where Charles Darwin first landed on. It is now home to the capital of Galapagos and houses many government offices, as well as part of the Ecuadorian Navy. Giant tortoises are bred at the Galapaguera and roam in a semi-natural habitat created by the center.
In the afternoon, head to Lobos Island and Kicker Rock. Lobos Island is aptly named after the many sea lions that reside here resting and playing along the rocky shores. It is also home to many different birds like pelicans, frigate birds and their nests, yellow warblers and more. Within the small channel the waters are very clear, making it easy to find sea turtles, sea lions, stingrays and perhaps even white-tipped sharks. Kicker rock is one of the most extraordinary sites in the Galapagos Islands, made of two eroded volcanic cones that tower over the sea at about 104 meters in the middle of the open water. It is a nesting place of sea birds and a nice spot to take pictures while the vessels circumnavigate around the rock.
As your first activity of the day, you will discover Punta Pitt. When arriving at Pitt Point, it will feel as if you’ve landed on an extraterrestrial planet. You can see the many different developments over time of how volcanic activity formed this island. A hike up to the top beholds amazing views of the surrounding waters. Watch out for blue-footed boobie nests on the ground and keep an eye out for the red-footed boobies nesting in the trees once you reach the top of the island. In the afternoon, you get to spend some time at the idyllic Witch Hill. Witch hill has awesome crevices and eroding rocks along the shoreline where you will first pass in panga. Afterwards, be prepared to visit a powdery white sand beach with teal and turquoise waters.
In the morning, head over to Post Office Bay, a site long used for postings. Ask the Cruise Manager for one of our complimentary postcards to write a message and address it home. Leave it in the barrel used before by pirates and sailors. While your there, see if there are any other postcards you can take home with you to send for fellow travelers who have already left their messages! In the afternoon, you will visit Cormorant Point. Cormorant is an interesting visitor site. Two beaches can be visited here, just beyond the first beach is a saltwater lagoon with flamingos. One of the beaches look green because of the olivine crystals, and the other is appropriately called Flour Beach because of the powdery white sand, made from fine, pulverized coral. Watch your feet if wading in the water, stingrays love to hang out here as well. Then, you will go to Devil´s Crown. Devil’s Crown boasts one of the finest snorkeling opportunities. Below the surface are amazing volcanic structures that have submerged over time. Hundreds of colorful fish species can be seen along the reef, along with sharks, rays, sea turtles, sea lions, and rays. It’s a beautiful underwater spectacle that cannot be missed.
Your last visit will be to Black Turtle Cove. Black Turtle Cove is located on the north side of Santa Cruz Island. This shallow inlet is surrounded by mangroves and provides a natural protection for a variety of marine life, attracting the vulnerable juveniles of many species. Below the surface of the water, you can see both black-tip and white-tip reef sharks, sea turtles, golden cow-nose rays, and spotted eagle rays. Pelicans and blue-footed boobies hunt here, diving gracefully into the water. After this activity, it is sadly time to head to Baltra Airport for your flight back to the mainland.
