Daphne Island (galapagos) Cruises

Daphne Island (galapagos) Cruise Port

• Daphne Minor is where many of the birds nest, including Nazca boobies, red-billed tropicbirds, and blue-footed boobies. This is also where Darwin's finch research was carried on by Peter and Rosemary Grant’s 40-year study of evolution; most of the finches on the island are banded. A variety of other birds also call this home, including Galápagos martins, short-eared owls, and red-billed tropicbirds.
   
• One of the most amazing spots in the world to dive, the waters here have a fantastic diversity of marine life. Keep an eye out for white-tipped reef sharks, manta rays, sea turtles, stingrays, sea lions, moray eels, tuna, red snapper, and more.
   
• There's also a somewhat unexpected side to scuba diving here, as you'll find pieces of machinery and bomb shells belonging to the U.S. Navy; during World War II, the United States set up a military base on nearby Baltra (giving the base the nickname "The Rock"). Dismantled after the war, their fallout remains underwater.
   
• For those who can’t scuba dive, some cruise lines offer excursions that include snorkeling, where you can spot some of the shallow-water marine life.