Galapagos: August 2022: Day 7: Isla Santa Cruz

Galapagos

August 2022: Day 7: Santa Cruz

Giant tortoise at Charles Darwin Research Station on Isla Santa Cruz.

Saddle back subtype for massive neck extension- Volcan Wolf or Hood Island?

Even giant tortoises can appreciate good headshots.

Baby sea turtles, from Santa Cruz, born 2019.

Common cactus finch hanging around the snack shop at Charles Darwin Research Station.

Great blue heron waiting to harass the fishmonger.

Great blue heron headshot.

P. o. urinator, aka Galapagos brown pelican.

Slightly different coloration on this one.

Pelicans fighting at the fish market.

Compared to the crazy smooth water the first few days, today was a bit rougher.

Menu at La Cevicheria.

Pretty nice, actually.

Galapagueno ceviche, Ecuadorian style (fish, shrimp, octopus, local shellfish).

Boiling sugar cane juice.

Preparing coffee beans.

Roasting coffee beans.

Roasted coffee beans next to sugarcane blocks.

Tiny chilis. Good solid heat but not too crazy, able to eat one easily by itself. Decided against a second.

Lunch at Rancho Manzanitto.

Simple buffet food, a very welcome break from the ship's attempts at fancy.

No clue what kind of bird this is, but s/he's perched atop a giant tortoise.

Santa Cruz island giant tortoise.

Fighting.

This guy was motorin'.

Relaxing in the water.

Mating season is clearly here.

Humans finding time to pose with giant tortoises.

Checking out all the tourists.

Back at the dock.

One of many sea lions sleeping on the benches at the dock.

Pork chop was overcooked. And way too thin.

Map, marked up with the stops.

The trip's first day of rough seas, at least relatively speaking. The harbor at Puerto Ayora on Isla Santa Cruz was packed with cruise ships anchored in the harbor, including all three of National Geographic/Lindblad Expedition's ships, the National Geographic Islander I, National Geographic Islander II, and the National Geographic Endeavour II. First stop of the day was Charles Darwin Research Station, heart of the wildlife recovery efforts in the Galapagos. The giant tortoise captive breeding programs have been mostly successful, and seeing hundreds of them, from practically new hatchlings to full-grown adults, was quite an experience.

Being back on land and in a town was also a nice change after so many days away from civilization. The tiny fish market was constantly harassed by pelicans, frigatebirds, and even a hungry sea lion-- quite jarring after so many purely wild animals. And the second breakfast I had at a local ceviche restaurant was a welcome respite after so many days of shipboard food.

Had expected to be annoyed and disappointed by the stop by a local farm, where previous experiences tended to be tourist traps, but instead was quite impressed by the experience. The focus was on growing and production of sugar cane, chilies, and moonshine, and while they did sell their product, it wasn't the focus.

The third and final stop before returning to the ship, Rancho Manzanitto, was a tour-group-focused operation, but again the buffet lunch of not-cruise-ship food was welcome, and the scale was necessary to let everyone see the giant tortoises. The post-lunch walk to see so many dozens (hundreds?) of giant tortoises was worth every minute and every step through the mud (let alone tortoise poop!). The naturalists took their time teaching excited tourists patience, and even so there were still a more than a few unhappy tortoises as people got just a little too close. *sigh*