Today we visited Santa Fe Island, a very small islet located on the side of Santa Cruz. It is so small that the trail covers most of it, allowing groups to observe a population of land iguanas. The ecosystem consists of a cactus forest and succulent-covered grounds inhabited by marine and land iguanas. Flowers fill the fields during the hot season, and the iguanas are happier and yellower than ever. The trail is full of swallow-tailed gull babies and juveniles that are ready to fly. This endemic species is on full display, and birds nest and court everywhere. The seagulls have specialized eyes for low light fishing due to their nocturnal habits. Their big, black eyes are surrounded by red rings, giving them a very beautiful and unique appearance.
In the afternoon, we went to Santa Fe and snorkeled for the first time. A colony of sea lions lives on the shore, and they joined our group in the water. They are skillful swimmers. Later, we hiked to look for the famous pale Santa Fe land iguana. These creatures blend in with the light color of the rocks on this island. We found several of the iguanas along the trail, and we even saw a large male that appeared to be smiling at the sunset.
