Today we woke up at Academy Bay, located on the southern region of Santa Cruz Island; the morning was overcast, and the highlands were covered by fog and drizzle. After three days onboard the National Geographic Endeavour, exploring the islands in relative isolation, it was a shock to see a number of ships around us, water taxis, houses, buildings—we were back to civilization! My home island hosts the largest human population nowadays, about 20,000 inhabitants. The town of Puerto Ayora is the center of the economic activity of the Archipelago, and tourism plays a big role keeping the town and its people very busy.
The first visit of the morning was the “Fausto Llerena” Giant Tortoise Breeding Center, run by the Galapagos National Park together with the famous Charles Darwin Research Station. Here our guests learned about the importance of breeding endangered species in captivity. Through this hard work, several populations of the emblematic giant tortoises were restored to their islands of origins, as well as their unique ecosystems. The weather today was mild, with short periods of drizzle known here as “garúa”.
Afterwards there was time for shopping, exploring the fish market and the little cafes, and generally getting a glimpse on the life of the local residents. Using the benefits of civilization, our guests enjoyed a diversity of activities: mountain biking, visiting a local school, and an unforgettable experience at a private farm known as “el Trapiche”, all of which were great opportunities to understand the unique interaction between humans and nature.
Lunch was in the highlands, at Aquelarre Restaurant, a quiet place with a great garden and delicious food. The habitat in the highlands is perfect for land birds, such as the Darwin finches, a diversity of plants and the giant tortoises. This afternoon there were a good number of giant tortoises, mainly big males that were seen around the area, it is an amazing experience to walk among these giants!
Today’s visit showed our guests the meaning of conservation and tourism—only here they can fully understand that we all play an important role in the future of this unique Archipelago. What we do today, will affect the islands tomorrow. It is a great joy to guide in this natural laboratory; just yesterday we found a message left at Floreana Island: “happiness is Galapagos”!
