Early in the morning we went out on a delightful Zodiac ride along the channel separating Sombrero Chino (“Chinese Hat”) and the island of Santiago—Darwin’s favorite, and our “adopted,” island. For many years now we have supported all conservation and restoration projects happening on this island. Along the coast we spotted a couple of Galapagos penguins and a few shore birds preying on Sally Lightfoot crabs. Our penguins are the third smallest on the planet and the only ones that live north of the Equator line.
While snorkeling we spotted sharks, several species of fish, Galapagos marine iguanas and Galapagos sea lions—all playing with us! Although the sun was not out, the visibility was great and the current took us along the shallow waters. Others chose to spend time on a small white beach, sharing it with sea lions and enjoying a hike along the coast of Sombrero Chino.
During the afternoon, the captain had repositioned the ship and this time we anchored off the coast of Sullivan Bay. We had an incredible walk traveling millions of years in time. Nature itself had carved elegant shapes and colors on the young lava. It is certainly one of the best places to learn about the process of primary succession and establishment of pioneer species on a fresh new area.
We had a great day in the Galapagos, above the water and under the water species of a unique kind awaited us!
