Ecuador Day 20 – Cruise Day 7 – Floreana and Santa Cruz

 This morning on Floreana was another early start to do our final wet landing.  Then a short easy walk to a lagoon to see flamingos.

Their nesting site.

And feeding on shrimp, squid and insects.  The colour of the flamingo is mostly determined by the food they eat.

After viewing we continued over to the other side of the island to yet another gorgeous white sand beach.  It’s like fine sugar.

As it was now 730am it was time to snorkel.  The Devil’s Crown is a collapsed crater with tons of fish and sea life. 

 

We saw Galapagos sharks, eagle ray, manta ray, turtle, fish schools in the 100’s. 

 

I also swam under a tunnel into the center of the Devil’s Crown.

 

Then back to the boat for breakfast and a 4 hour cruise to Santa Cruz.  We had lunch onboard then a 2km walk to the Charles Darwin Research Station.  At the station we saw many giant tortoises of many ages.  From several months old…

 

To full grown adults that are 100’s of years old.  They grow very slowly, maybe 2 centimeters per year.  These guys are saddlebacks with really long necks, as they reach up to eat opuntia cactus leaves in the wild.  

And even some having some fun.

And then it was time to head back to the town to wander.  We enjoyed some beer and appies at Isla Grill.

Tomorrow we hike North Seymour and then we are off the boat and back to Puerto Ayora and the Hotel Fiesta.

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One response to “Ecuador Day 20 – Cruise Day 7 – Floreana and Santa Cruz”

  1. DS Avatar
    DS

    A wildlife extravaganza; a cornucopia of exotica and a plethora of natural beauties!
    Your sea lions obviously do a much better job of retrieving the sticks than our Cedar!
    I want to taste your chocolate!!!

    Categories

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