Academy Bay off Santa Cruz Island was our anchorage point for the day. We left the ship early in the morning after breakfast and headed toward the headquarters of the National Park Service and the Charles Darwin Research Station.
All guests were able to see baby tortoises for the very first time at the breeding center. It was a great experience to observe them in different stages, from the hatchlings to the ones that were about to be released into the wild. At the end of the visit, our guests had free time to explore the town by themselves.
Before lunch, we visited a sugar cane plantation and a lava tunnel. Both visits were unique. At the sugar cane plantation, a local family had some local drinks and fire water for us to taste as well as brown sugar and organically grown Galápagos coffee. The lava tunnel was a mysterious place with dim illumination and volcanic material creating an atmosphere that was like walking in a giant natural subway station.
Later in the day, after we had enjoyed a homemade buffet lunch, it started raining. The most adventurist guests went to explore an open field, looking for the endemic giant tortoise from Santa Cruz. It was a successful quest and about ten big ones were found!
We had a very special day, not only because we were able to see the unique wildlife of Santa Cruz but also because we could see the human side of the archipelago. Sometimes visitors are not aware of this fact; they think that the Galápagos is all about flora and fauna. But after discovering the towns, they wish they could have had more time to stay. Some guests stayed almost until sunset just looking at how local people live in this important world heritage site.
