Santa Cruz Island (Galápagos)

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Santa Cruz Island is one of the Galápagos Islands with an area of 986 square kilometres (381 sq mi) and a maximum altitude of 864 metres (2,835 ft).

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.

Puerto Ayora, at night, Galápagos Province, Ecuador

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".

Named after the Holy Cross, its English name (Indefatigable) was given after a British vessel HMS Indefatigable. Santa Cruz hosts the largest human population in the archipelago at the town of Puerto Ayora.

[edit] Points of interest

The Charles Darwin Research Station in Puerto Ayora, Galápagos Province, Ecuador

Charles Darwin Research Station
Headquarters of the Galápagos National Park Service
lava tunnels
Giant Tortoise Preserves
Itabaca Channel
Black Turtle Cove
Cerro Dragón
Tortuga Bay
Los Gemelos

[edit] Additional images

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Santa Cruz Island

Boats off the Santa Cruz Island Galapagos in the Itabaca Channel
Entrance to the Lava tunnel on the Island of Santa Cruz
Ariel photo of Santa Cruz on the left and Baltra Island on the right, in the middle is the Itabaca Channel
Lava tunnel on the Island of Santa Cruz Galapagos
Lava tunnel in Santa Cruz
Many artists on the Island of Santa Cruz make hand carved items from wood with exceptional skill
At the Tortuga Bay beach in the Galapagos
A multi colored crab on the lava rocks at Tortuga Bay
Iguana on the beach at Tortuga Bay
Yellow Galapagos Land Iguana at the Charles Darwin Research Station