Santiago Island is the fourth largest island in the Galapagos Archipelago and an optimal sea turtle nesting area, which was apparent by the turtle tracks left in the sand from last night. During our dawn landing this morning, the guests were treated to a few pairs of mating sea turtles bobbing next to our Zodiacs and upon landing on the golden-sand of Espumilla Beach, we were greeted by at least a dozen Galapagos hawks, the top predator on these unique islands.
The high concentration of this iconic raptor is due to the abundant food source of hatchling turtles and the ideal nesting area on Santiago Island. Many of these hawks were juveniles waiting to be fed and were just as curious about us as we were enamored by them.
This incredible close wildlife encounter all occurred before our 0800 breakfast and the beginning of another incredible day in this magical place. Back aboard the National Geographic Endeavor, the guests downloaded their cards and charged their batteries before our next adventure of snorkeling and kayaking around the historic and scenic Buccaneer Cove, well-known as a pirate hangout and the place that Charles Darwin spent most of his five weeks exploring these islands.
Our evening adventure was spent onshore at a wildlife hotspot called Puerto Egas. The backdrop to this panoramic landscape was beautiful red volcanic cinders that flowed to the ocean and a rocky coastline occupied by many endemic species such as Galapagos fur seals, Galapagos sea lions, and marine iguanas. Our adventurous day was capped off by a spectacular sunset as we made our way back to the beach trail to the Zodiac landing site.
Santiago Island is one of the true gems of the Galapagos archipelago and one of the highlights of this exciting photo expedition.
