Visiting Santa Cruz is always a treat. The main characters of the day were the giant tortoises that we observed at the Breeding Center and the ones we found in the wild in the highlands of Santa Cruz. In addition, we observed many species of land birds and had an immersive experience learning about the local culture of this island.
- Daily Expedition Reports
- 06 Mar 2025
Santa Cruz Island, 3/6/2025, National Geographic Delfina
- Aboard the National Geographic Delfina
- Galápagos
Javier Carrion, Naturalist
Javier grew up on Santa Cruz island where his grandparents first arrived in the 1940´s. Veritable pioneers, his grandparents settled in the highlands where they found a place to raise their children.
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The morning started with our guests going out to kayak and paddleboard along the shoreline of Gardner Bay. Then we explored a beach that has a big colony of sea lions; it was an incredible experience to sit on the beach close to them. Later we snorkeled around Gardner Islet; as soon as we jumped into the ocean, we saw amazing marine wildlife, including sharks, rays, marine turtles, and a great variety of multicolored fish. Toward the end we had a big surprise — a pod of about 100 bottlenose dolphins arrived and swam all around us. What a unique and memorable moment! An event that happens once in a blue moon. The afternoon was magical too, as we walked among marine iguanas, lizards, crabs, mockingbirds, and the majestic waved albatrosses. The journey was outstanding, unique, amazing, unforgettable — and it is just the beginning of our week exploring these Enchanted Islands.