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SANTA CRUZ (INDEFATIGABLE /
CHAVEZ) |
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Santa Cruz Island
is the heart of the Galapagos. It is located centrally and is
the second biggest island with a total area of 381 square miles
(986 square kilometers). Like some of the other islands it is
almost circular, about 26 miles (42 kilometers) long and 19
miles (31 kilometers) wide. Its highest point is 2,835 feet (864
meters).
Santa Cruz is dominated by a central peak that may be comprised
of several separate volcanoes. The name Santa Cruz means Holy
Cross (literally "Saint Cross"). The Ecuadorians gave it this
name in 1832 after their official independence from Spain. The
English named it Indefatigable after a warship.
For most visitors, this is the first major island they visit
because most flights from the mainland land on Baltra, which was
a U.S. naval base during World War Two. It was the Americans
that built the airstrip that was later converted for commercial
use.
The small
town of Puerto Ayora is the economic center of the archipelago,
with the largest population of the four inhabited islands
(approx. 10,000). Tourism, fishing, boat building and commerce
are the major productive activities. Santa Cruz is also the only
island where six different zones of vegetation can be seen:
Coastal, Arid, Transition, Scalesia, Miconia and Pampa Zones.
The Charles Darwin Research Station and the Galapagos
National Park offices are based here. Scientists, park rangers
and park managers make huge efforts to preserve and protect the
Galapagos Islands, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Station is
also a tortoise breeding and rearing center, where tortoises of
different subspecies are prepared for reintroduction to their
natural habitats.
The lush greenery of the
Santa Cruz Highlands is a definite contrast with the arid
scenery of the smaller, lower islands. A point of interest is
the famed lava tunnels, a fun and geologically informative
visit. The trip to the highlands ends with a visit to the Twin
Craters
At Black Turtle Cove, the panga will take you into a
tidal lagoon to see three kinds of mangrove plants, red, white
and black. White-tipped sharks, spotted rays, mustard rays and
Pacific marine turtles frequent the waters here.
Las Bachas is a white sand beach that is a major egg-laying
site for sea turtles. Las Bachas refers to the indentations
left in the sand by laying turtles or departing hatchlings. On
the shore there are marine iguanas and in the lagoon flamingos
are common.
A newer visitors site, Dragon Hill (Cerro Dragon) offers
a brackish water lagoon, flamingoes, common stilts, pintail
ducks and other species of birds. There is a short walk to the
hill, which rewards with a great view and a nesting site of
iguanas.
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General information |
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Area : |
381 square miles (986 square kilometers) |
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Maximum altitude : |
2,835 feet (864 meters) |
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Population : |
10,000 |
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Geographic features : |
Golden Sand
Beach, Lava Formations, Black Sand Beach, White
Sand Beaches, Sink Holes |
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Getting there : |
Bus and ferry from Baltra |
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Getting around : |
Taxi, bus, mountain biking, snorkeling, hiking,
diving, kayaking |
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Major sites : |
Tortuga Bay
Bachas Beach
Saltwater Lagoons
Black Turtle Cove
Mangrove Lagoons
Charles Darwin Research Center
Lava Tunnels
Los Gemelos (twin sink-holes)
Mount Crocker
Puerto Ayora (the capital) |
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Observations : |
Settlement
area, land sites and museum |
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Flora : |
Mangrove lagoons
Carpetweed
Lava cactus
Giant Ferns
Scalesia Forest
Avocado Groves
Muyuyo
Salt brush
Button Mangrove
Giant Bamboo
Beach Morning Glory
Opuntia Cactus |
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Fauna : |
Blue herons
Sea Turtles
Rays
White tip Sharks
Herons
Giant tortoises
Flycatchers
Galapagos Hawks
Short-eared Owls
Woodpecker finches
Petrels
Pelicans
Manta Rays
Galapagos Hawks
Marine Iguanas
Sea Lions |
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Activities : |
Walks
Snorkeling
Scuba diving
Bird watching
Cycling
Darwin Station
Sea Kayaks
Sun and beach
Hotel
Bars, restaurants
Tours
Surfing
Horseback |
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