Today we started our day in the western side of Santiago Island. After an early wake up call, we landed at Espumilla beach. A place covered with an interesting mix of volcanic ashes and tiny pieces of olivine where we spotted tracks made by sea turtle and holes made by ghost crabs. After crossing a button mangrove’s forest, we got by an extinct brackish water lagoon which was filled with sediments brought by the water from the last strong rains occurred as a consequence of the EL Niño phenomenon event that we experienced this year. Then we continued through an area covered by huge Palo Santos trees, the soil was wet giving a very enjoyable smell. A couple Galapagos hawks and mocking birds were spotted, then we went back to beach and back on the Islander it was a great experience.
Later on still in the morning we visited Buccaneer cove. Here we had a number of activities such as kayaking enjoying the impressive landscape of the place and snorkeling. During the snorkeling we spotted surgeons fish, king angel fish, Moorish idols, parrot fish, snappers, grunts, Galapagos sea lions, white tipped reef sharks, eagle rays and many others species of reef fishes. The water visibility was over 30 feet and water temperature around 78 F - what a great combination!
In the afternoon we landed on the black volcanic sandy beach; some of our guests went for snorkeling and the rest for a hike along the coast of James, Santiago Island. Here we had the chance to walk along the coast where we found some interesting lava formations known as grottos, fur seals and sea lions laying on them, different species of shore birds as semi palmate plover, sanderlings, ruddy turnstones, lots of marine iguanas, American oyster catchers, and much more. After witnessing an incredible sunset we headed back to the National Geographic Islander.
Just another day in paradise!
