This island does not offer a lot of vegetation but instead a splendid variety of seabirds, marine iguanas and Galápagos fur seal. The black lava shoreline that is called James Bay was already explored by Darwin himself. Here you also find the once inhabited port Puerto Egas and the Sugarloaf Mountain. From its crater was extracted salt. You can climb the 400m-high volcano and on this path lava lizards, Galápagos doves and darwin finches can be seen. The top offers a great view over the lava fields and often Galápagos hawks glide above it.
Features
Landing: Wet
Wildlife •Fur seals *
•Galapagos Hawks *
•Marine iguanas
•Sally lightfoot crabs
•Oyster catchers
•Great Blue Heron
•Lava Heron Plantlife •Palo Santo trees
•Mollugo
•Brachycereus
* endemic species PUERTO EGAS (James Bay) Santiago is a dramatic island covered with recent lava flows (Pahoehoe and ropey AA), feral goats and wild pigs. At this landing, you'll see the remains of a fish-drying enterprise. Walk along the coast toward the fur seal grottos, once thought to be on the verge of extinction. Here we can swim in deep pools of clear water. Marine iguanas graze on exposed green algae and intertidal marine life is abundant. There is a tourist trail along the coast, about 2 km in southern direction. First you pass the ruins of an old salt mine and the rocky coast is home to sea lion colonies and sally lightfoot crab. At the end of the circular trail you are greeted by curious Galápagos fur seal. They hunt in the inlets of the volcanic coast. Fur seals differ from sea lions in their appearance as well as in their behavior. Fur seals are more pacific and their territory behavior is not as strong as the one of sea lions. Besides they are smaller, have a gob that is more flat, longer whiskers and cannot sit up on their front fins like the sea lions.
Note: Bring swimsuit, towel and snorkeling equipment. 
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