Permitted Uses:   Interpretive Group Tour with a Naturalist Guide   Photography and filming   Guided walks   Associated Activities authorized by the GNPS in the itineraries of Authorized Vessels

The visitor site Port Egas is a black sand beach located on the west side of James Bay and northwest of Santiago Island.  South of the beach is Sugarloaf Volcano, which has deposits of volcanic tuff, the same that has favored the formation of the black sand beach. El Cráter is just north of this site, it has a saltwater lagoon, which during the summer dry season becomes a salt mine. Between 1928 and 1930, there was the first exploitation of salt; there were no major achievement. Then in 1964 a new attempt was made that lasted for some time.

Click on the illustration to enlarge.

These settlements caused environmental damage, because native and endemic wood was used as firewood and they introduced plants and animals.

This site is called Puerto Egas, because the last attempt was made by the company of Hector Egas, which failed because the price of salt in the continent was very cheap, and did not justify its exploitation in Galapagos. The project was abandoned and they left their infrastructure. 
  

In 1928 a couple named Conway tried to settle in the upper part, near James Bay, but did not fare well. They wrote a book called "The Enchanted Islands," published in 1947.

Special Indications

• It is not permitted to go down into the crater of the salt mine. Lagoon birds nest there and resent any intrusion.

• The Sugar Loaf is not a visiting area. Some people have gone down rolling. It's dangerous!