OCEAN SPRAY Itinerary B - 6 days
ITINERARY B - 6 DAYS
THURSDAY
AM: Baltra Airport: Arrival and Transfer to the boat
PM: Santa Fe island (HK/SN)
FRIDAY
AM: Espanola: Suarez Point (HK/SN)
PM: Espanola: Gadner Bay /Osborn Islet (HK/SN)
SATURDAY
AM: San Cristobal: Interpretation Center (HK)
PM: San Cristobal: Lobos island / Kicker rock (HK/SN)
SUNDAY
AM: San Cristobal: Pitt point (HK/SN)
PM: San Cristobal: Witch Hill (HK/SN)
MONDAY
AM: Floreana: Post Office Bay (HK/SN)
PM: Floreana: Cormorant Point / Devils Crown (HK/SN)
TUESDAY
AM: Santa Cruz: Black turtle cove (HK/SN)
Baltra: Transfer to the Airport
DAY 1: THURSDAY
AM: BALTRA ARRIVAL AND TRANSFER TO THE BOAT
Welcome to the incredible Galapagos Islands and your luxury catamaran, the M/C Ocean Spray! Upon arrival onboard the vessel, your guide and crew members will greet you and take you to your accommodations. After freshening up, a short briefing will be given on health, safety and emergency protocols, and you will be given a description of normal routines and different areas aboard the M/C Ocean Spray.
PM: SANTA FE ISLAND
Santa Fe is home to the endemic Santa Fe iguana. The island was created by a volcanic uplift that now hosts a forest of Opuntia and Palo Santo trees. It is a picturesque island with two different trails, one leading to a scenic viewpoint and the other leading to a small beach. Giant tortoises were once native here but went extinct after pirates and sailors took them aboard as a source of food.
DAY 2: FRIDAY
AM: ESPANOLA ISLAND: SUAREZ POINT
Española Island is home to many incredible species and geological features, making it one of the favorite visitor sites in the entire archipelago. Suarez Point is home to only breeding site for Waved Albatrosses in the Galapagos, and if you´re lucky you´ll get the chance to see a young albatross take its first flight off to sea, where it will remain for up to five years! The waters surrounding Española Island are incredibly rich in nutrients, so visitors can often see sea lions, marine iguanas, and even sharks swimming in the surrounding waters. Other than the Waved Albatross, there are many other bird species that make Española their home, including Nazca and blue-footed boobies, red-billed tropic birds, swallow-tailed gulls, and Galapagos Doves, among others.
PM: ESPANOLA ISLAND: GARDNER BAY / OSBORN ISLET
Gardner Bay is home to a noisy colony of sea lions that enjoy playing in the clear turquoise waters surrounding it. There are several different finch species here, as well as the endemic Española mockingbird, which is well-known for being very friendly with guests! However, visitors must take care to not feed or touch the wildlife, including the friendly ones.
DAY 3: SATURDAY
AM: SAN CRISTOBAL ISLAND: INTERPRETATION CENTER AND GALAPAGUERA
The Interpretation Center has been open to the public for over twenty years, and offers visitors an insight into the history of the Galapagos archipelago and Giant Tortoise breeding practices. San Cristobal, the easternmost island, is also the first island that Charles Darwin set foot on, and is currently home to the provincial capital and the Ecuadorian navy. Giant tortoises that are bred in captivity roam in a semi-natural habitat in the area surrounding the center.
PM: SAN CRISTOBAL ISLAND:LOBOS ISLAND / KICKER ROCK
Lobos Island is home to a large colony of boisterous sea lions who love to bask in the warm rays of sunshine and play along the island’s rock shores. It is also home to several different bird species, including frigatebirds, pelicans, and yellow warblers, among others. There is a small channel that runs along the island where the waters are very clear, making it easy to spot huge sea turtles, furtive rays, and even white-tipped sharks!
Kicker Rock is one of the archipelago’s most iconic visitor sites. It consists of two eroded volcanic cones that rise more than 100 meters from the waves in the middle of the open water. It is one of the Galapagos’ most renowned diving sites, and visitors can often see colorful underwater species from the deck of the M/C Ocean Spray.
DAY 4: SUNDAY
AM: SAN CRISTOBAL ISLAND: PITT POINT
When arriving at Pitt Point, it will feel as if you’ve landed on an extraterrestrial planet. You can see the many different developments over time of how volcanic activity formed this island. A hike up to the top beholds amazing views of the surrounding waters. Watch out for blue-footed boobie nests on the ground and keep an eye out for the red-footed boobies nesting in the trees once you reach the top of the island.
PM: SAN CRISTOBAL ISLAND: WITCH HILL
Witch hill has awesome crevices and eroding rocks along the shoreline where you will first pass in panga. Afterwards be prepared to visit a powdery white sand beach with teal and turquoise waters.
DAY 5: MONDAY
AM:FLOREANA ISLAND: POST OFFICE BAY
Ask the Cruise Manager for one of our complimentary postcards to write a message and address it home. Leave it in the barrel used before by pirates and sailors. While your there, see if there are any other postcards you can take home with you to send for fellow travelers who have already left their messages!
PM: FLOREANA ISLAND: CORMORANT POINT / DEVIL’S CROWN
Cormorant is an interesting visitor site. Two beaches can be visited here, just beyond the first beach is a saltwater lagoon with flamingos. One of the beaches look green because of the olivine crystals, and the other is appropriately called Flour Beach because of the powdery white sand, made from fine, pulverized coral. Watch your feet if wading in the water, stingrays love to hang out here as well.
Devil’s Crown boasts one of the finest snorkeling opportunities. Below the surface are amazing volcanic structures that have submerged over time. Hundreds of colorful fish species can be seen along the reef, along with sharks, rays, sea turtles, sea lions, and rays. It’s a beautiful underwater spectacle that cannot be missed.
DAY 6: TUESDAY
AM: SANTA CRUZ ISLAND: BLACK TURTLE COVE
Black Turtle Cove is located on the north side of Santa Cruz Island. This shallow inlet is surrounded by mangroves and provides a natural protection for a variety of marine life, attracting the vulnerable juveniles of many species. Below the surface of the water, you can see both black-tip and white-tip reef sharks, sea turtles, golden cow-nose rays, and spotted eagle rays. Pelicans and blue-footed boobies hunt here, diving gracefully into the water.
TRANSFER TO BALTRA AIRPORT
After this last visit, transfer to Baltra airport for your return flight to mainland Ecuador.
Assistance and farewell at the airport.
