Santiago Island
Today we had another magical expedition in the Galápagos Islands as visited the majestic Santiago. The best way to begin the adventure was to enjoy deep-water snorkeling at one of the most historical places in the Islands: Buccaneer’s Cove. As we got into the water, a magical world was opened to our senses.
A symphony of colors was displayed by many different kinds of reef fishes; rocks completely covered by green and red algae was the perfect decoration for a delightful landscape, and playful sea lions of different ages made it perfect for an awe-inspiring experience.
Once back on board the National Geographic Endeavour, we were welcomed with a delightful hot chocolate as we pulled anchored in order to go to our next destination: Puerto Egas. Home to whalers, and inspiration for Charles Darwin, Puerto Egas is one of the most majestic places in the entire archipelago. The magnificence of this Island was on display during a wonderful hike along an easy trail.
After a comfortable wet landing, we experienced the texture of hot and fine black sand that is one of the attractions of this place. Farther into the trail, the calling of different land birds, such as mockingbirds, finches and doves, was a nice concert to enjoy in this charmed bird paradise. Once we reached the farthest point, we witnessed a colony of fur sea lions that made the lava grottos an enchanted living place.
As soon as we reached the coastal zone, a beautiful landscape was revealed for total inspiration. Galápagos sea lions were resting on the rocks, marine iguanas were taking advantage of spectacular tidal pools in order to regulate their body temperatures, and shorebirds like American oystercatchers gave us an elegant impression as they displayed their colorful red bills.
Right at the end of the trail, we had a marvelous experience, seeing an adorable days-old baby sea lion resting next to its mother. At the end of the visit, it was pleasant to appreciate a splendid sunset as we left Puerto Egas behind, and in our memories. We had a journey that could not get better in the living paradise of the Galápagos Islands.
