The Itabaca channel separates Baltra from Santa Cruz.
Visitors have to take two buses and a ferry to get from the airport to Puerto Ayora, major
settlement in the archipelago.
This channel is an anchoring site for boats
and at night eels can be observed around the boats in search for food.
Landing on Baltra gives you the first impression of the general dry and
sparse vegetation of the archipelago. Lying right on the equator many
visitors are surprised as they expect more tropical rainforest-like conditions.
Many cruises start right in Baltra harbor,
close to the airport. Small boats called pangas get the passengers to
the ships to start the adventure.
Right on the dock, waiting for the panga, many
get their first glimpse at the sea lions, which are then later
encountered on all beaches and more easily photographed..
The majority of the tourists arrive and leave
the Galapagos from Baltra airport, which once was an American WW
II airbase.
But not only airplanes take off from there but
also the famous Darwin Finches. You get your first or last
glimpse of the birds, which made evolutionary history, in the open
coffee shop, fuelling up on leftovers.
