Sombrero Chino and Sullivan Bay
During this part of the trip we extensively explore the central part of the Galápagos archipelago. Today we visited Sombrero Chino in the morning. Here, we went for a Zodiac ride, which is a fantastic way to explore the shoreline of the islands. Early on we were admiring the landscape and some brown pelicans that were around the area. Then suddenly a Galápagos penguin appeared, and a few minutes later there were two and then three – and the number kept increasing! This was the first penguin sighting of the week. We were really excited and looking forward to seeing penguins later on when snorkeling as well.
Once we concluded the Zodiac ride we went to the snorkeling site to explore the underwater realm of this island. Indeed, it was a real opportunity for all of us to learn about the dynamics of the ocean and the marine ecosystem. The highlights here were superb! Besides the variety of fish, we had close encounters with marine iguanas foraging underwater. The Galápagos penguins were everyone’s highlight: while snorkeling they certainly were the icing on the cake! There were more than twenty individuals fishing in front of our eyes – what an opportunity to enjoy and learn.
In the afternoon we sailed to Santiago Island. We had a late disembarkation at Sullivan Bay to avoiding the hottest time of the day. We explored a lava flow that is only about 100 years old! Sullivan Bay is a real showcase of island formation and colonization. As you explore the endless lava flow you begin to find a few living organisms. We saw the tiny Mollugo plants, responsible for producing the first organic soil, plus we saw lava lizards, small spiders ready to trap insects in their webs and a few lava cacti.
Today we had an experience of a lifetime! Swimming with penguins in the tropics and walking on a brand new (geologically speaking) lava flow.
