To the northwest of Santa Cruz and far from the inhabited part of the island is our current location, with remarkable variety in both flora and fauna.
After a wet landing on rocky terrain we come across a white sandy beach surrounded by black basaltic rock, and this combined with the greens and reds of the plants gives the place an outstanding mosaic of color. Of course this is also inhabited by animals like sea birds, marine iguanas, lava lizards, and shore birds, among others including the white tip reef sharks navigating in the shallow water.
Behind the beach we encounter a brackish water lagoon in which flamingoes find their favorite food, a microscopic shrimp called Artemia Salina that gives them their remarkable pink feathers. Here they share with other birds such as ducks, stilts, and occasionally waders and shore birds.
A red trail, its redness due to the presence of iron in the rocks, takes us through a Palo Santo forest which at this time of the year, without leaves due to lack of rain, looks gray. Finally we reach a small dragon hill where land iguanas can be seen at any time of the year. They are large and mostly yellow and are the highlight of the excursion.
After coming back on board we get ready for the new adventure, this time along the walls of a small island called Guy Fawkes for snorkeling. Here live different types of fish, sea lions, sharks, and sometimes rays and turtles.
In the afternoon we move to a different island called Eden to go on a Zodiac ride along the coast for the encounter of birds or marine life in the mangroves growing along the shore. Turtles and baby sharks, rays and sea lion inhabit these areas.
The younger explores would rather go on a Zodiac to learn how to drive it, and they have so much fun.
To conclude this lovely day we navigate around the island of Daphne Major where science found the perfect scenario for the studies of finches over some decades.
And with the sunset behind the island, with birds and other animals around, we see another fantastic day come to an end.
