The approach to Punta Pitt, the easternmost point of the island of San Cristobal (also known as Chatham) is dramatic in the early morning. It consists of a highly eroded tuff cone, possibly over 400,000 years old. Sharp ridges and deep ravines are starkly accented by the low light. The periodic heavy rains of the occasional El Niño events over the millennia have cut into the steep slopes with abandon. This morning our first impression was of a massive volcanic structure wrapped in low mist with a brisk wind blowing.
Right after breakfast we disembarked, put our walking shoes on, and proceeded to climb. And climb. Three hundred and fifty feet up, the trail levels out onto a platform that then leads out to the coast. By the time we reached the plateau, the garua or mist from the inversion layer had blown over and the sun came out. Up here above the world is a rather open landscape, areas of brush occasionally hosting a red-footed booby nest or two. With their prehensile webbed feet, they perch on surprisingly fragile-looking branches. But they are expert fliers, and travel sometimes hundreds of miles out to sea to feed on squid at night, needlefish near the surface, and flying fish to make the mistake of trying to escape their predators by coming out of the water. It was also a delight to see blue-footed boobies in the area, nesting on the ground, and see Nazca boobies out near the edge, looking out over the bluff, pounding surf below them. Punta Pitt not only has all three species of booby found in the archipelago, but also is home to the endemic San Cristobal lava lizard, endemic San Cristonal mockingbird, and also a newly-realized endemic marine iguana – different from all other marine iguana of Galapagos, including those found on the south shore this very same island (research to be published soon).
What was refreshing after the hike (or Zodiac ride along the coastline for those who chose not to climb), was an opportunity to get into the water off this green-ish brown beach with the local population of sea lions. The juveniles couldn’t get enough of us on their turf!
The afternoon gave us one last chance to set foot on Park territory in an area known as Cerro Brujo (“wizard hill” or “warlock hill”). A long, broad white beach between turtle-nesting dunes and friendly surfing waves. No groups needed, so we spread out, swam, or photographed the diving blue-footed boobies and brown pelicans – trying to catch those pesky brown noddy terns landing on the pelican heads. One last decompression stop in the islands before returning on board for our last gathering in the lounge to watch our slideshow altogether. Everybody’s best, fun shots of the week, put together as a gift to all, from all our fellow passengers. What memories, what immense feelings; we will all carry something from this week in our hearts forever.
