Cerro Dragon & Sombrero Chino
It was a nice cool morning as we drove the Zodiacs to the rocky shore of Santa Cruz Island. Cacti trees, dry forest typical to the season and the songs of yellow warblers, Darwin finches and Galápagos mockingbirds were part of the welcoming committee at Cerro Dragon. The Galápagos National Park and the Charles Darwin Research Station have been working very hard around this area during the last decades eradicating and controlling non native and invasive species such as: feral dogs, pigs, donkeys, goats, etc. These alien species have had insidious effects on the land iguana population of Cerro Dragon. Unfortunately an accelerated decline was observed. Nowadays these fascinating reptiles are experiencing a fast recovery. The once endangered population is little by little coming back. One of the many highlights of this side of Santa Cruz is precisely a thriving colony of Galápagos land iguanas. After the walk some of us headed to a stunning snorkelling site located at Guy Fawkes Islets. Calm seas and clear warm waters were almost perfect conditions for an unforgettable adventure. Guy Fawkes islets teem with sea life. All kinds of colourful reef fish and Galápagos sea lions made our day.
In the afternoon the National Geographic Polaris was anchored near Sombrero Chino Islet. The second part of our expedition this day was filled with an array of activities that included: snorkelling, kayaking, Zodiac rides and time to enjoy the beach. Snorkelling at Sombrero Chino is at this time of the year sensational. The nutrient rich waters around the narrow channel, located in front of the peculiar shaped volcanic cone, are home to huge assemblage of organisms. All of these organisms depend for their survival entirely on the high ocean productivity. White tipped reef sharks, an eagle ray, Galápagos penguins and thousands of small and large reef fish species. It was truly unbelievable; I can’t wait to go snorkelling tomorrow again and see more!
It was a nice cool morning as we drove the Zodiacs to the rocky shore of Santa Cruz Island. Cacti trees, dry forest typical to the season and the songs of yellow warblers, Darwin finches and Galápagos mockingbirds were part of the welcoming committee at Cerro Dragon. The Galápagos National Park and the Charles Darwin Research Station have been working very hard around this area during the last decades eradicating and controlling non native and invasive species such as: feral dogs, pigs, donkeys, goats, etc. These alien species have had insidious effects on the land iguana population of Cerro Dragon. Unfortunately an accelerated decline was observed. Nowadays these fascinating reptiles are experiencing a fast recovery. The once endangered population is little by little coming back. One of the many highlights of this side of Santa Cruz is precisely a thriving colony of Galápagos land iguanas. After the walk some of us headed to a stunning snorkelling site located at Guy Fawkes Islets. Calm seas and clear warm waters were almost perfect conditions for an unforgettable adventure. Guy Fawkes islets teem with sea life. All kinds of colourful reef fish and Galápagos sea lions made our day.
In the afternoon the National Geographic Polaris was anchored near Sombrero Chino Islet. The second part of our expedition this day was filled with an array of activities that included: snorkelling, kayaking, Zodiac rides and time to enjoy the beach. Snorkelling at Sombrero Chino is at this time of the year sensational. The nutrient rich waters around the narrow channel, located in front of the peculiar shaped volcanic cone, are home to huge assemblage of organisms. All of these organisms depend for their survival entirely on the high ocean productivity. White tipped reef sharks, an eagle ray, Galápagos penguins and thousands of small and large reef fish species. It was truly unbelievable; I can’t wait to go snorkelling tomorrow again and see more!
