Chinese Hat & Santiago Islands
It seems as if we were transported to another planet as we awaken this morning. We find that we are surrounded by massive tuff cones that appear to have been dropped from the sky, and the Bainbridge rocks, Chinese Hat, and Santiago Islands lay before us. We start our day by having a swim from the ship with an occasional canonball or swan dive from the diving board. Maria Conchita our wellness specialist keeps others dry from the sun deck with a stretching session. Zodiac rides in the channel that separates Chinese Hat from Santiago brings close a new lava flow and the continuous formation of an island. We are honored that a couple of Galápagos penguins present themselves along the coast prior to their morning foraging runs. Galapagos hawks view us in the distance as they continue to search for small prey inland.
After a short time onboard, we returned to the turquoise channel to visit it…underwater. The mild current swiping by, parallel to the same lava flow that we just visited. Getting into the water opened a new world to us. The broken coastline is a large nursery for many species of fish. The steep underwater slope, typical of lava flows, is full of crevices and fissures where a number of predatory fish camouflage themselves to eventually find a morsel to feed upon. Green algae everywhere, where marine iguanas dive to graze, harassed by damselfish trying to protect their garden. A couple of penguins swam by, as well as a sea lion…another Galápagos experience.
The afternoon brought us to a place that is completely different from any other site we have seen before as we were able to land on a lava flow that is just over one-hundred years in age. Life has arrived in such a short amount of time as we encounter Mullugo flavescens, a small pioneer plant species that has slightly taken hold of this basalt flow. Venturing inland at Sullivan Bay we find hornitos, pahoehoe, and ‘Aa, strange names for this otherworldly landscape. We find molds of the life that was here prior to the flow as the flow vaporized the plants and left remnants of their forms forever burnt into the basalt. Upon our return we are greeted by a light rain shower which proves that we are still in the rainy season as we have had phenomenal weather the entire week. The Zodiacs and their captains return us to our home, the National Geographic Islander and we realize that we have witnessed the continuing eternal struggle for life in such a rugged and desolate environment.
