Santa Cruz Island (Galápagos)
  Santa Cruz Island | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Galápagos Islands, Ecuador |
| Coordinates | 0°37′23″S 90°22′06″W / 0.623017°S 90.368254°WCoordinates: 0°37′23″S 90°22′06″W / 0.623017°S 90.368254°W |
| Archipelago | Galápagos Islands |
| Highest elevation | 864 m (2,835 ft).[1] |
| Administration | |
Santa Cruz Island (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈsanta ˈkɾus]) is one of the Galápagos Islands with an area of 986 km2 (381 sq mi) and a maximum altitude of 864 metres (2,835 ft).[1][2][3][4] Situated in the center of the archipelago, Santa Cruz is the second largest island after Isabela. Its capital is Puerto Ayora, the most populated urban centre in the islands. On Santa Cruz there are some small villages, whose inhabitants work in agriculture and cattle raising. This island is a large dormant volcano. It is estimated that the last eruptions occurred around a million and a half years ago. There is a gigantic lava tunnel that is over 2000 meters long on the island that many tourists visit and walk through. As a testimony to its volcanic history there are two big holes formed by the collapse of a magma chamber: Los Gemelos, or "The Twins".[5][6] Named after the Holy Cross, its English name (Indefatigable) was given after a British vessel HMS Indefatigable.[1] Santa Cruz hosts the largest human population in the archipelago at the town of Puerto Ayora, with a total of 12,000 residents on the island.[1]
Tortuga Bay is located on the Santa Cruz Island, a short walk from center of Puerto Ayora where you can view Marine iguanas, birds, galapagos crabs and a natural mangrove where you can spot white tip reef sharks and the gigantic galápagos tortoise.[7]
Galápagos tortoise on Santa Cruz Island (Galápagos)
Galápagos lava lizard (Microlophus albemarlensis) on Santa Cruz Island
Fresh water swimming in Puerto Ayora, the Island of Santa Cruz
Two White-cheeked pintails on the Island of Santa Cruz in the Galápagos Islands
Aerial view of the coast of the Island of Santa Cruz_main_water_taxi_dock_at_Puerto_Ayora%2C_three_Gal%C3%A1pagos_Sea_Lions.JPG)
Main water taxi dock, Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island with three sleeping Zalophus wollebaeki's.
Points of interest
- Charles Darwin Research Station
- Headquarters of the Galápagos National Park Service
- Lava tubes
- Giant Tortoise Preserves
- Itabaca Channel
- Black Turtle Cove
- Cerro Dragón
- Tortuga Bay
- Los Gemelos
- Stand of Scalesia - daisy trees
Twin towns – Sister cities
On June 19, 2002 the cities of Seabrook, Texas and Santa Cruz Island finalized a sister city status during a ceremony at Seabrook City Hall.[8]
References
- 1 2 3 4 "Santa Cruz". Galápagos Conservancy. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
- ↑ http://m.nzherald.co.nz/travel/news/article.cfm?c_id=7&objectid=11491237 On Santa Cruz, the walkable downtown area of Puerto Ayora is a small strip of hotels, restaurants, tour companies and gift shops.
- ↑ http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/news/visit-the-galapagos-islands-but-tread-lightly-on-natures-construction-site/story-fnglekhp-1227463418157 Visit Santa Cruz Island, Galápagos Islands, but tread lightly on "nature's construction site"
- ↑ http://traveller24.news24.com/Explore/Islands/Top-10-islands-number-one-might-surprise-you-20150714 Tortuga Bay Puerto Ayora Galápagos Islands,
- ↑ "Pit Craters". World Land Forms. 2015. Retrieved 2016-05-30.
- ↑ http://www.eluniverso.com/noticias/2015/08/13/nota/5065640/gobernador-galapagos-inadmisible-cerrar-locales
- ↑ http://www.ksl.com/?sid=35827641&nid=1287&title=the-worlds-12-best-spots-for-wild-swimming Las Grietas in Puerto Ayora Galápagos, Ecuador.
- ↑ Evans, Thayer. "Seabrook officials establish family ties with island in the Galápagos" (Archive). Houston Chronicle. Thursday, June 27, 2002. Retrieved on September 6, 2015.
External links
Media related to Santa Cruz (Galápagos) at Wikimedia Commons
- Santa Cruz Island Information (commercial tour operator)