We are getting closer to the end of an awesome and unforgettable week in the Enchanted Islands of the Galapagos. We anchored early in the morning at “La Tranca,” a stop for many liveaboard yachts and boats near the Itabaca Channel. After a ten-minute Zodiac ride, we boarded a bus for Manzanillo Ranch, a productive and privately owned farm. As we traveled south, we had the chance to appreciate drastic changes in vegetation. We moved from a coastal, arid zone to a more humid, mist-covered one dominated by Scalesia trees, which are endemic to the Galápagos. Santa Cruz is the only island with six delineated vegetative zones. We noticed the contrast of natural and agricultural land. Finally, we came across the famous giant tortoises! We observed a wide-range of ages, and we were amazed by the tortoises’ appearance. We learned about their lifestyle, their natural history on the islands, their ecological importance, and their interactions with humans. We enjoyed a presentation on the human history of the Galápagos Islands by Omar. Back onboard National Geographic Endeavour II, we headed to Bowditch Bay for some time on the beach.
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