South Plaza & Santa Fe Island
South Plaza Island once was submerged underneath the ocean floor, geologist were able to disclose its origin thanks to the lava formation present as we explored its terrain. Here in Galápagos we have three kinds of lavas. One is called Pahoehoe, the second one is AA lava, and the third one is called pillow basaltic lava. This kind of lava is formed only when lava flow goes into the ocean forming big roundish rocks. This island was uplifted due to the pressure of molting rock making its way up.
This tiny island is the home for one of the largest Galápagos sea lion colonies, it is also one of the few places in the Archipelago where you can see marine and land iguanas using the same rocks for land basking. It is the only place in Galápagos where we can walk along one of the most spectacular cliffs here in Galápagos, which is home to thousands of marine birds.
For the afternoon we had a different plan full of adventure and excitement in a different location, we sent two Zodiacs for snorkeling inside a bay full of marine life, this protected area is one of the best places to see rays, reef fish, turtles, sea lions and sharks. A second group was set to explore the outer coastline of Santa Fé Island; this cliff is full of endemic plants and seabirds, making this experience unforgettable.
Our final activity of the day was a long hike on Santa Fe Island, and this time we were looking for two new species which are found only on this island; the Santa Fe land iguana and Santa Fe rice rat. This was just another example of adaptive radiation here in the Enchanted Archipelago.
