First Excursion on Santa Cruz | Galapagos | Ecuador

Our tour guide called this excursion the "hard walk." A long part of the walk was on an ancient lava flow which had become broken over time. Our cautioned against anyone that would have trouble walking on very rough terrain not to come. The terrain was difficult at times and by the end of the day my legs were sore along with a strained right angle, but it was worth every step and the occasional twist of the ankle.

We started on a water taxi and this was the first to see.

First Blue Booby of the day.

Couldn't you just live here...

...and look out at this view all day.

A stay here is in order...

...with a nice stroll down this path.

Here are the first Black Marine Iguanas we saw and everyone stopped to take photos.

Here is the first and only blue heron we saw, had to take a shot.

Andi was here.

"Paradise" the bar.

"Paradise" seating.

The Black-Necked Stilt bird.

We made it to the top of the jumping off point.

Then we climbed down using the scary staircase in background. 

But all was worth it, just look at this water.

Las Grietas, "the crack", or where the younguns jumped off.

More of the Las Grietas.

Then we moved to the shark resting lagoon, only one shark was resting.

And so was one black marine iguana.

and I thought a close-up was in order...

ohh, nice sleeping iguana.

The trail leading back from the lagoon.