Santiago Island
Dawn found us this morning anchored off Espumilla Beach, on the western side of Santiago Island. A quick Zodiac ride ashore brought us to a thin band of soft brown sand backed by a dense thicket of Button Mangrove trees. A lone sea turtle, animals that normally nest at night, was just heading back towards the surf as we arrived, leaving her wide, distinctive track in the sand. This is the beginning of the nesting season and several pairs of turtles were seen mating just offshore.
Dividing into groups, some of us went for a hike uphill for a view out over the shore, while others explored the beach, photographing shorebirds, and exploring the dry lagoon behind. Galápagos mockingbirds were everywhere and as curious as ever, but it was the young Galápagos hawks – top predators on these islands – that really stole the show. Several of them perched on a rocky pinnacle, and then came closer as one group approached, ending up almost directly overhead.
After breakfast, we moved a short way to Buccaneer Cove, where we had a variety of aquatic options: snorkeling, kayaking and using the ship’s glass-bottom boat. Then it was on to our afternoon stop at Puerto Egas. En route, Jennifer Davidson gave a talk on photographing people in the Galápagos – from our fellow guests and naturalists to the people of Puerto Ayora, the islands’ largest town, which we will visit tomorrow.
The afternoon walks led to a dramatic point of land, where eroded lava flows have left deep pools and grottos, decorated with thousands of marine iguanas, Sally Lightfoot crabs and both Galápagos sea lions and fur seals. The hardest part was knowing where to look, there was simply so much going on. Photographers crawled over the rocks in search of subjects while others simply delighted in a group of young sea lion pups, endlessly nipping and playing with one another.
As the sun dropped behind some distant clouds, flocks of blue-footed boobies began to feed, diving from impossible heights into the darkening water. All in all, it was a stunning afternoon at one of the best wildlife locations in the islands.
