Our arrival to Santa Cruz took place just before sunrise time, at an anchorage point known as Academy Bay. Our guests were so happy so to experience the inhabited island of Santa Cruz, which is the second biggest island in the archipelago, but the most populated.
After breakfast we were ready to head off for the day. Our first stop was the headquarters of the Charles Darwin research station and the National Park Service, where our guests were able to see the rearing program of giant tortoises, step by step. The little hatchlings became the stars of the morning—they are so tiny, much smaller than an open hand, and it is hard to believe they will someday become giants!
Shortly after the morning’s visit, our guests had some time to explore the town of Puerto Ayora by themselves; this was a great opportunity for us to mingle with the local people, or just to go shopping. Before going to the restaurant for lunch, we visited a sugarcane press and saw how the locals produce some delicious products out of the juice of the sugarcane.
In the afternoon, we went for a nature hike with the goal of finding giant tortoises in the wild. Our goal was accomplished, because there were many of these majestic animals actively grazing all around us. The type of tortoise we found was endemic to Santa Cruz, and has a dome shaped shell.
Our day was very special, for so many reasons, but especially because we were able to experience the wonderful wildlife and the culture of the Galápagos people. We are ready for more, and the adventure continues tomorrow!
