FRAGATA ITINERARY D - 8 DAYS

DAY 1: FRIDAY
AM: BALTRA
Depart from Guayaquil to Galápagos (Baltra Island) (1½ hours of flight time).  Arrival to Baltra Airport, where the naturalist English speaking guide assists you. Transfer by bus to the dock (5 mins.) to board the yacht.  Welcome and briefing.

BALTRA ISLAND
This island was a strategic point during the Second World War.  It is the main airport for the Galapagos Islands where tourists and colonists arrive and depart. Baltra is also called South Seymour and its dock.  The Itabaca Channel is only 5 minutes from the air terminal.

PM: MOSQUERA
After lunch, disembarkation at Mosquera Island (wet landing) located between North Seymour and Baltra. The island consists is a long narrow stretch of white sand, rocks, and tide pools. Created by Geological uplift the island has a flat look to it rather than the conical shape of the volcanically formed islands. It is a great place for snorkeling, strolling on the beach, and enjoying the animal life without the tourist crowds common at many of the more popular islands.. This islet is actually home to a huge population of sea lions and is also home to many shorebirds. Briefing and dinner on board.

DAY 2: SATURDAY
AM: ISABELA ISLAND -  VICENTE ROCA POINT  
After breakfast, panga ride visit to Vicente Roca Point. Comprised of two separate coves, this site is a large bay with spectacular sea life, observing seahorses, sea turtles, rays, puffer fish, the strange yet fascinating Mola-mola (or sunfish), we see also penguins, blue-footed boobies and nazca boobies. Lunch on board.

PM: FERNANDINA ISLAND - ESPINOZA POINT 
In the afternoon disembarkation (dry landing). Walk (600m. round trip, 1½h, flat, sandy and rocky path) to see lava flows, a colony of marine iguanas (nesting time: January to June), penguins, pelicans and colonies of cormorants, lava cactus. Time for snorkeling. Briefing and dinner on board.

DAY 3: SUNDAY
AM : ISABELA ISLAND - MORENO POINT
It is located on the north coast of Isabela Island between the Sierra Negra and Cerro Azul volcanoes. Disembark (dry landing). Hike along a lava flow Pahohoe (lava solidified with corrugated shapes as an accordion) into a complex of coastal lagoons. (2kms. Round trip, 1½h, rocky, starts at 0m and ascend 10m). The vegetation found in the area is small and concentrated mainly in the mangrove area and around the lakes.  (Note.- Wear comfortable and appropriate shoes for this hike).  Time for snorkeling.

PM: ISABELA ISLAND - TAGUS COVE (Caleta Tagus).-  
This was a port where whaling ships arrived and left their ships’ names in a cave in 1800. In the high part is the Darwin Lake, a round salt water crater.  Disembark (dry landing).  Walk begins from the shore by a wooden stairway that rises to the dusty trail passing through Palo Santo Forest to reach the Darwin Lake. Continue on the trail around the lake through the dry vegetation zone. Panoramic views to the Darwin and Wolf volcanoes. (2kms round trip, 2h / starts at 0m, ascending to 50mts).  Later, panga ride through the cliffs to observe the historical graffiti, penguins, flightless cormorants, boobies, pelicans and Sally Lightfoot crabs.  Snorkeling time in the cove.

DAY 4: MONDAY
AM: SANTIAGO ISLAND - EGAS PORT
 The visit to Puerto Egas begins with a wet landing on the dark sand beach of James Bay.   Walk along a rocky trail to the salt crater (1.7km. round trip, 1½ h, start at 0m, ascend 30m), observing Darwin Finches, the endemic Galapagos hawks, marine iguanas, sally light root crabs and fur seals and sea lions.  Time for swimming and snorkeling.

PM: CHINESSE HAT
After lunch, disembark (wet landing) for a short walk of 200m. (30mins. round trip, flat and rocky), observing lava tunnels, lava cactus, Galápagos Sesuvium. Time to swim and snorkel. Return to the yacht. Dinner and briefing for next day.