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Tour
Description: Sail on board any
of the identical sister yachts Eric, Flamingo I
or Letty and experience the Galapagos islands in comfort
and style. A professional and dedicated crew and 2 Naturalist
guides per yacht will do all they can to make your cruise as pleasant
and informative as possible. All three vessels have ample air
conditioned and open air public areas with great observation
decks both on the front and aft. All cabins have either a
picture window or a port light, a large private bathroom
with fresh, hot-and-cold-water shower, two twin lower beds
or one double bed, a roomy closet, drawers, overhead
storage, separate climate controls, intercom system, bottled
water, hair dryer, toiletries and fresh towels.
A typical day on the cruise will begin with a healthy buffet
breakfast followed by a morning excursion. Morning and
afternoon excursions are scheduled either with a dry or wet
landing. During dry landings passengers step from a dinghy
onto rocks or a dock while on a wet landing the dinghy will
edge onto a sandy beach where passengers will step into knee
deep water and wade ashore. Every night the Naturalist
guides will give a briefing on the day's activities and the
excursions planned for the following day. Enjoy your
Galapagos cruise. |
Day 1
- Sunday
AM - QUITO or GUAYAQUIL & SAN CRISTOBAL (CHATHAM)
ISLAND
Our services will begin upon your arrival at the airport of
San Cristobal (Chatham) island on the Galapagos from
Quito or
Guayaquil after a flight of approximately 2 and a half hours.
The
crew of the
Eric, Flamingo I
and Letty (all
three yachts operate this program side by side on most departures)
will greet you outside the customs area of the airport and provide
the transfer to your anchored
yacht.
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Contact us for services in Quito and
Guayaquil and airfares to the Galapagos and Ecuador |
Meet the rest of the crew and check into your
cabin.
PM - SAN CRISTOBAL (CHATHAM) ISLAND -
Playa Ochoa / Kicker Rock
On our first excursion of this cruise we will visit Playa Ochoa, where we
have a chance to test our snorkeling equipment and at the same time
swim with a small colony of sea lions. Behind the beach there is a
tidal lagoon where we can observe birds, including the rare Chatham
Mockingbird. As the sun sets, we cruise around Kicker Rock
(Leon Dormido), a vertical tuff cone formation that abruptly juts up
almost 500 feet out of the ocean. Watch sea lions, blue-footed
boobies, masked boobies and magnificent frigate birds on the cliffs.
EVE - Welcome cocktail offered by the yacht's captain and
crew followed by dinner. As they will do every night, the guides
will brief you on the upcoming excursions and recap the events of
today's activities. Overnight on board.
(L, D.)
Day 2 -
Monday
AM - TOWER (GENOVESA) ISLAND - Prince
Philip's Steps
Today we will spend the entire day on the island of
Tower (Genovesa), one of the most spectacular islands in the
Galapagos. After breakfast we disembark for a dry landing
at Prince Philip’s Steps where we find Red Footed boobies nest in
the Palo Santo trees and Nazca (formerly masked) boobies nest near
the trail. In an open field we find storm petrels in large numbers
and, if we are lucky, we can see the elusive short-eared owl.
PM - TOWER (GENOVESA) ISLAND - Darwin Bay
After lunch, sea kayaks are available to paddle along the shoreline.
Look for the beautiful red billed tropic bird usually see in
crevice.
A snorkeling opportunity is offered along the inner
rim of the volcanic crater. Later we land on Darwin Beach, a
coral sand beach where swallow-tailed and lava gulls gather near the
tide pools. Enter a forest of Opuntia Cactus and mangroves where
colonies of great frigate birds nest. The males inflate their
red-throated pouches to attract females as they fly overhead. The
trail leads through a rich inter tidal zone where we find a wide
diversity of animal life. Take a swim from the beach with sea lions.
EVE - Dinner and overnight on board.
(B, L, D.)
Day 3 - Tuesday
AM - SANTA CRUZ (INDEFATIGABLE /
CHAVEZ) ISLAND - Bachas Beach
This morning, we visit Las Bachas on
Santa Cruz (Indefatigable / Chavez) island, which is the
Spanish translation for “barges”. There is a long stretch of a soft
white-sand beach and interior lagoons where we find the Greater
Flamingo. There is also a wonderful chance to snorkel here
from the beach. Remnants of the U.S. presence from World War II – a
floating pier - is found here.
PM - NORTH SEYMOUR ISLAND
After lunch on board we disembark on
North Seymour,
also a small geological uplift. After a dry landing, we follow a
trail that leads us to sea lions, swallow-tailed gulls and
blue-footed boobies. Here we will visit the largest colony of magnificent frigate
birds found in Galapagos. As we stroll along the beach, watch
for sea lions body surfing the northern swells.
EVE - Dinner and overnight on board.
(B, L, D.)
Day 4 -
Wednesday
AM - ISABELA (ALBEMARLE) ISLAND - Tagus Cove
This morning we visit Tagus Cove on
Isabela (Albemarle) island. When six volcanoes flowed
together they formed Isabela, the largest Island in the Galapagos. On a
nature walk we discover a salt-water lagoon from where we have a scenic overlook and a
spectacular view of the lava fields, the volcanic formations and the ocean.
Graffiti, dating back to the 1800's, is written on the rocky
cliffs of the area. By panga or sea kayak we will explore Tagus Cove
where we find
Galapagos penguins and other seabirds.
PM - FERNANDINA (NARBOROUGH) ISLAND - Punta Espinoza
After lunch we cross the
Bolivar Canal and disembark at Punta Espinoza on
Fernandina (Narborough) island. The island is located
in the western part of the archipelago and is the youngest
and most pristine Island found in the Galapagos. Hundreds of marine
iguanas, the largest colony in Galapagos, bask in the sun along the
rugged shoreline. Observe sea lion harems with resident bulls
carefully guarding their territory. Flightless Cormorants build
their nest on the point and Galapagos Hawk fly overhead. Evidence of
recent lava flows formed by an active volcano stretch their way
around the coast.
EVE - Dinner and overnight on board.
(B, L, D.)
Day 5 -
Thursday
AM - SANTIAGO (JAMES) ISLAND - Puerto Egas
After breakfast we will stroll along the shore at Puerto Egas on
Santiago (James) island. Look for octopus, starfish and other sea life caught in
the tide pools. At low tide we can catch a glimpse of marine iguanas as
they feed on exposed green algae. Watch for great blue herons, lava
herons, oystercatchers and yellow-crowned night herons. Our walk
ends at the grottos where we find deep pools of clear water where we encounter
fur sea lions, once on the verge of extinction.
PM -
BARTOLOME (BARTHOLOMEW) ISLAND
On
Bartolome
(Bartholomew) island it
seems like we are walking on the moon. This young Island is
inhospitable to most plants and animals. After a dry landing we climb
30 minutes up a steep slope to the summit of a once active volcano.
Pause along the way to marvel at lava bombs, spatter cones and cinder
cones. From the top, gaze out across a panoramic view including the
famous "Pinnacle Rock", an eroded tuff cone. Down below, crystal
clear water invites you to snorkel with schools of tropical fish.
Penguins often swim in this area. On the other side of the Island
encounter sea turtles and white-tipped sharks.
EVE - Dinner and overnight on board.
(B, L, D.)
Day 6 -
Friday
AM - SANTA CRUZ (INDEFATIGABLE /
CHAVEZ) ISLAND - Highlands
This morning, we climb aboard a bus and take an excursion to the
highlands of
Santa Cruz
(Indefatigable / Chavez) island. Watch the scenery change as we wind our way through all
seven vegetation zones found in Galapagos. From June to January you
can find giant tortoises on a private farm
 in the highlands. The
rest of the year, we visit Los Gemelos “The Twins”, a pair of large
pit craters where we find the bright red male vermilion flycatcher.
Afterwards, we head to "the tunnels", the largest lava tubes found
in Galapagos.
PM - SANTA CRUZ (INDEFATIGABLE /
CHAVEZ) ISLAND - Charles Darwin
Research Center / Puerto Ayora
After lunch on board, we visit the Charles Darwin Research Station on
Santa Cruz (Indefatigable / Chavez) island.
We visit all three tortoise corals and the breeding center with new
hatchlings and miniature tortoises not yet ready to be repatriated. Scientists from all over the globe work at the station and conduct
biological research from anatomy to zoology. We also visit the Van
Straelen Hall with an exhibit and a short video presentation.
Visitors can see the pen of Lonesome George, the last surviving
member of the Pinta island subspecies. Stroll through the town of
Puerto Ayora (population: 10,000), the largest town in the
Galapagos. Here we have time to buy souvenirs, mail postcards and absorb local charm in
the social heart of the Islands.
EVE - Dinner and overnight on board.
(B, L, D.)
Day 7 -
Saturday
AM - ESPANOLA (HOOD) ISLAND - Gardner Bay
After breakfast we disembark to step onto Gardner Bay on
Espanola (Hood) island. Walk along
seemingly endless stretches of sandy beach where you’ll find
colonies of sea lions. Swim and snorkel with the sea lions and enjoy
the colorful diversity of sea life near Gardner Islet.
PM - ESPANOLA (HOOD) ISLAND - Punta Suarez
 In the
afternoon we disembark at Punta Suarez, also on
Espanola (Hood) island. Here we witness
the highest rate of “endemicism” in the Galapagos. Sea lions noisily
green us as we land on their beach. Curious mockingbirds peck at our
shoelaces. From April to November waved albatross perform their wild
mating rituals only on Espanola. Colonies of blue-footed boobies
engage in “sky-pointing” while masked boobies busily care for their
young. Stunning swallow-tailed gulls and red-billed tropicbirds take
shelter under the cliffs. Other species endemic to Espanola include
Darwin’s Finches, Galapagos Doves and Galapagos Hawks. Observe a
unique specie of marine iguana identified with traces of red and
green colorings. Colorful sally light foot crabs crawl along the
shoreline near to the famous "blow hole".
EVE - Farewell cocktail offered by the captain and crew of
your yacht followed by dinner and overnight on board.
(B, L, D.)
Day 8 -
Sunday
AM - SAN CRISTOBAL (CHATHAM) ISLAND
- Puerto
Baquerizo Moreno / Galapaguera
This morning, we drop anchor in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno on
San Cristobal (Chatham) island. We travel by bus into the interior of the island to visit
a new site called Galapaguera of Cerro Colorado (Red Hill). At
Galapaguera, we find Calandrinia, an endemic plant of this island.
The National Park has established a breeding program for the
tortoises and set up an information center for visitors. Passengers
not only get to see the terrestrial tortoises living in their
natural habitat but also learn about their origin, evolution and
threats by introduced animals, Afterwards, we head straight to the
airport for our flight back to
mainland Ecuador.
(B.)
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