This morning we arrived at South Plaza Island and anchored next to the cliffs of Santa Cruz Island in the eastern realm. After breakfast we headed ashore and landed on a small cemented dock, and right there we already had the chance to encounter Galapagos sea lions and their young. This is also one of the best places to look for Galapagos land iguanas in their natural environment.
As we walked along the coast of this small uplifted island we observed a female sea lion and its newborn pup. The mother was trying to nurse it for the first time and also take it to the water for a quick rinse. Right from the shore some of our guests also observed the large dorsal fin of a Galapagos shark with a juvenile sea lion swimming next to it. We also had a great time observing the very little success male land iguanas had at trying to court females, several of whom ran away as the males approached. After this incredible time we left the island and headed to Santa Fe Island, while enjoying the amazing landscape of the wild cliffs of Plazas Islands as we left them behind.
Early in the afternoon we dropped anchor and started with different activities. We went snorkeling and found sharks, sea lions, sea turtles, and several different schools of fish. We also had a chance to use our kayaks and went along the tall impressive cliffs of Santa Fe Island. As we ended our water activities we returned aboard and got ready to go to shore for an invigorating hike to the highlands of Santa Fe, and also had the option of a shorter walk. On both our walks, we observed the endemic Santa Fe land iguana as well as the tall cacti that provide much needed water for these reptiles.
As we returned the moon was shining bright and high in the clear sky. It was a great end to a marvelous day.
