Day 1 of Infinity Cruise: Black Turtle Cove

It was another early wake-up, which gave us time to work out, eat breakfast, and pack for our 8-day, 7-night cruise on the Infinity Yacht. At breakfast, we met a woman from Worcester who has been living in Santa Cruz for two years, working as an English teacher. She reminded us so much of Haein—her free spirit and passion for travel were instantly familiar and inspiring. It was a bit sad to say goodbye to our gracious host at Morning Glory; both she and her grandmother are excellent examples of kind and genuine people.

We caught a $2 taxi, $10 shuttle, $2 water taxi, and another $10 shuttle to the Baltra airport, where we were eventually greeted by a representative from Infinity. We were shown to our cabin, where we had a few minutes to settle in before lunch and a welcome briefing.

In the afternoon, we visited Black Turtle Cove in the northern part of Santa Cruz. This tranquil inlet, surrounded by dense mangroves, is only accessible by dinghy and serves as a nursery for young marine life. As we glided quietly through the calm waters, we spotted sea turtles surfacing for air, black-tip and white-tip reef sharks weaving below us, and golden rays gliding like shadows. The peacefulness of the cove, paired with the abundance of life, made the experience feel almost sacred. On our way back to the yacht, we were treated to a close-up view of a blue-footed booby perched calmly on the rocks.

After a delicious tuna dinner, we moved to the back of the boat where we saw many sharks, sea lions, and pelicans. The sight of sharks in the dark waters was ominous.