The morning was beautiful. The sun was shining, the sky was blue, the ocean was very calm, and the islands are still green. Cerro Dragon is a place with a beauty like nowhere else, with contrasts in scenery from the red shrubs covering the coast, the white sands of the beach, the black of the basaltic rock, and the green of the trees. Our captain dropped anchor in the bay, and we had breakfast and then disembarked on some wet rocks along the coast. Our first impression was wonder at the color of the Sally Lightfoot crabs on the black lava rocks. We spotted some whitetip reef sharks resting in the seabed. These sharks are very common to see while snorkeling in shallow waters. When the tide was low, we had the chance to see the sharks from land. A few lagoon birds ate microscopic creatures. The vegetation is very lush right now. We observed yellow and white flowers, butterflies, moths, carpenter bees, and finches. Right now, it is a good time for land iguanas with a lot of food available. Soon, the dry season will arrive. Most of the vegetation will die, and a hard time will come for these yellow-grey reptiles known as the dragons of Galapagos. We found many of them. Some basked under the equatorial sun to warm up, while others came out of their burrows after spending the night in their “garages” to keep warm.
After the walk around Dragon Hill, we went to snorkel along the coast. We found many colorful fish, tons of sea stars, sea urchins, sharks, marine turtles, and scorpion fish. We had a great time.
In the afternoon, we motored toward Borrero Bay. The place is astonishing! Some guests explored the area on kayaks and paddleboards, while the rest took Zodiac rides. Borrero is a nursery for sharks and rays. There are a few places on Santa Cruz Island where the sharks deliver their babies. Red, black and white mangroves surround the area, making a perfect ecosystem for the survival of little animals.
After exploring the bay, we circumnavigated Daphne Islet, where the fastest evolution on earth is taking place. The Beak of the Finch is a bestseller that talks precisely about this subject. We enjoyed the sunset and the wine tasting. The sun went down, the stars came out, and we built memorable moments for all of us.
