This morning, we woke up to a stunning sunrise and got ready for a pre-breakfast hike at Bartolomé Island. The geology is unique in this area and so is the wildlife. We spent a great morning hiking, Zodiac cruising, and snorkeling with penguins, sea lions, and sharks.

During lunch, we sailed to Cerro Dragon in the northern part of Santa Cruz. This site is known as “Dragon Hill” due to the presence of land iguanas, and today we spotted many! We observed courtship and territorial behaviors among males. Mating season is here, and the iguanas were quite active. We were lucky to spot a few flamingos at the end of our hike. This was a great bonus since there are slim chances of spotting them here. What a great first full day in the islands! We enjoyed many animal encounters, great weather, and a spectacular sunset!

Photo caption and photographer: A blue-footed booby, a favorite of many guests. Photo by Roberta Schiess