On board info
A typical
day on board begins with a beautiful sunrise and breakfast served in
the dining room at 07:30. Afterwards at about 08:30 we join our English-speaking
naturalist (certified by the Charles Darwin Research Station and the
National Park Service) for a 3-4 hour shore excursion. We board our
panga, or small motorized dinghies, and travel
to a specified visitor's site for disembarkation. We may have either
a dry landing on a rocky beach or special jetty, or a wet landing where
wading through knee or thigh deep water is required. Once on shore our
guide will explain the unique features of this location and talk about
the life forms we encounter as we hike along designated trails and beaches.
There is typically time for about 45 minutes of snorkeling before lunch for those that enjoy this sport. We return to the yacht for lunch which is served at about 12:30 and an opportunity to rest as we cruise to our next visitor site. In the afternoon we again head out for a 3 hour excursion that might also include snorkeling amid colorful tropical fish, swimming with sea lions or cruising in the panga to view marine birds and wildlife along the cliffs if there is not a designated landing site. A delicious dinner featuring Ecuadorian as well as International specialties is served on board at about 19:00 in the evening and afterwards (or before) our guide will discuss the next day's activities and special features of the observation sites we visit before we retire for the night.