Cerro Dragon & Sombrero Chino
During the night the National Geographic Polaris was repositioned to the northern part of Santa Cruz Island. We were anchored in Conway Bay, a beautiful and calm location that has an impressive volcanic setting, Cerro Dragon or Dragon Hill. We hiked through the arid vegetation zone of this remote area in the search of the “dragons of the Galápagos” – the Galápagos land iguanas. Very close to the disembarkation point there is a paradisiacal little lagoon. This lagoon is literally located in the middle of nowhere. Today we were extremely lucky to observe a flock of Greater flamingoes that were proudly walking at a close range from their observers. The flamingoes’ coloration was astounding and contrasted in a great way with the surroundings. The whole scene was as close to a painting as you can imagine.
The afternoon activities were developed around Sombrero Chino, Spanish for Chinese Hat. Kayaking, Zodiac cruises, beach time and snorkelling were some of the options we offered to maximize our expedition. Snorkelling was outstanding. The exquisite Galápagos marine life caught the attention and admiration of the snorkelers. Ravishing comments about the wonderful marine sightings filled the atmosphere. Several white-tipped reef sharks and Galápagos penguins were seen. Some guests even observed a marine iguana under water; all this surrounded by lava rocks, white sand and clear blue waters. What a great day we spent around these remote realms! We can’t wait to see what exciting new experiences our expedition will bring to our lives tomorrow.
