We woke up today with the splendid view of Sombrero Chino and the Bainbridge Islets. Sombrero Chino can be roughly translated to English as “Chinese Hat” and has an extended peculiar shape that is similar to traditional hats worn in some regions of China. Unusual, yet striking shapes like Chinese Hat are typically found in oceanic islands of volcanic origin. The Bainbridge islets and Sombrero Chino were probably formed a long time ago when the sea level was lower.
After breakfast we explored the area by Zodiac. The ride was a very successful one for we had the chance not only to admire the striking volcanic landscape, but the local wildlife. Galapagos penguins, several heron species, marine iguanas and sea lions were seen.
Once back onboard we put on our snorkeling gear to continue exploring the area, but this time by deep-water snorkeling. Today was very sunny and the waters were crystal clear, providing excellent conditions to admire the underwater world at its best. We had great sightings of Galapagos sea lions and several white tip reef sharks along with many colorful species of tropical fish.
At the end of the snorkeling session our younger explorers had a blast for they took Zodiac driving lessons. It was a lot fun not only for the seventeen kids we have aboard this week, but for all their parents and relatives who saw them in the distance riding the waves.
At lunch time the ship was repositioned to the south of the fourth largest island of the Galapagos archipelago, Santiago Island. On our way to Santiago Island we sailed near Bainbridge rocks to spot at a distance some Greater flamingos on an inner saltwater lake inside the crater.
In the late afternoon after a presentation on Charles Darwin we disembarked at Sullivan Bay for a long hike on a fairly recent lava flow. Most of the hike was over smooth “pahoehoe”, or ropy lava, with several “aa” lava patches here and there. In this place we not only admired the intrinsic beauty of nature, but also had the wonderful feeling of being back in time.
