Punta Pit and Leon Dormido
Exploration today took us to one of the oldest islands of this fantastic archipelago: San Cristobal. A comfortable wet landing on a golden beach at Punta Pitt was the perfect way to begin our journey. Galápagos sea lions and Darwin finches were part of the attractions that were found upon arrival to the beach. A marvelous blue sky was going to be the perfect companion for a spectacular exploration.
The experience of hiking our way to the top of the giant tuff cones was something very difficult to describe: ancient volcanic cones all over the place, volcanic ash that looked like concrete making beautiful walls throughout the trail, but the main charm was definitely the songs that land birds were singing — like natural melodies for a marvelous hike. Once we reached the highest elevation, a superb view of Punta Pitt bay was shown to us. The deep blue sea made the perfect color contrast for an awe-inspiring picture.
At the end of the trail, we finally saw the main attraction of the visit: red-footed boobies. Just being there was a completely marvelous experience: seabirds of different kinds soaring all over the place, Chatham mockingbirds and ground finches singing the perfect melody of nature, and colorful San Cristobal lava lizards running on the volcanic ash. As we came back to the beach, we spent a magical moment swimming in the waves that splashed along the shoreline. Once back on board the National Geographic Islander, it was to take our heading to our next destination.
In the afternoon the exploration just got better. We got our gear ready in order to experience deep water snorkeling at one of the most symbolic visitor sites of the Galápagos: Leon Dormido. Once in the water, reef fishes of different colors were our faithful companions during the activity. Farther along the cliffs, sea turtles of different sizes were swimming and diving everywhere around us. Galápagos sharks were the cherry on top of the ice cream for an awe-inspiring underwater world. Leon Dormido is one of those few places on Earth that can shape one’s life.
At the end of exploration, we enjoyed a delightful sunset while circumnavigating Leon Dormido for a relaxing moment. The Galápagos Islands exploration is a dream for a lifetime; and there was no better way to end the expedition at the Enchanted Islands.
