San Cristobal Island
Our day in Galápagos started with a vigorous hike to the summit of a plateau at Punta Pitt, on the easternmost island of the archipelago, the only site in Galápagos where you can sometimes find all three species of boobies nesting together.
The hike to the plateau was hard, but every step worth your effort. From the top we had an incredible volcanic moonscape with patches of red Sesuvium, a succulent plant, green patches of Nolana Galapagensis, another succulent plant, and patches of a grey mat, Tiquilia, creating a mosaic of colors difficult to forget.
After the hike we had several options, Zodiac cruises along the coast to look for wildlife, in particular all three booby species, time on the beach to share with a boisterous bachelor sea lion, or we could relax on board the ship and watch a fantastic BBC documentary about Galápagos.
Everybody enjoy their option, but particularly those who went on the last Zodiac ride, as they had the chance to ride the Zodiac side by side to a big male killer whale who flapped the water with its tail at least three times!
After this incredible experience, and during lunch, we sailed towards the scenic offshore islet, located near the western coast of San Cristobal Island, Leon Dormido (Kicker Rock) which is the remainder of a volcanic tuff cone that has split in two.
Our snorkel enthusiasts jumped in the water at the base of these towering cliffs to enjoy some spectacular snorkeling among colorful schools of fish and occasional curious sharks adding some adrenaline to this very last snorkel outing.
Once everybody came back on board, we enjoyed a beautiful afternoon with drinks on the sky deck while circumnavigating this unique formation, before travelling to our final anchorage in the infamous Wreck Bay, where the town of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno is located, home to some 5,000 inhabitants and political capital of the Ecuadorian province of Galápagos.
Captain John Zurita offered us a very touching toast at the Farewell Cocktail gathering where everybody shared with us their unique experiences during the week. But the day was not over, and after dinner, those who wish had the chance to go ashore for a walk in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno and share few treasured moments with many sea lions found in town, at the border of the waterfront.
The expedition around our Enchanted Islands ends, but hopefully our passion and insistence for the preservation of this unique place on Earth will be now part of your life.
We wish you happy memories and the joy of sharing your Galápagos experience with others.
