Today was our last day in paradise, an adventure which seemed unreal. We all bonded as one even though we are from different generations and even centuries. But today we are one, and the Galapagos brings magic to our souls and minds. We traveled and reached from Fernandina to San Cristobal Islands, the youngest and one of the oldest respectively in the archipelago, on an expedition of discovery through time.
San Cristobal Island is one of the oldest in the Galapagos. Today we landed on a green olivine beach. The volcanic scenery that we observed during our intense hike was spectacular; the peaks of tuff high in the sky make this site very different from what we have already observed.
Punta Pitt also has impressive scenery from up above – here we saw red-footed boobies. Today we were lucky to see many, in particular a pair who were building their nest. The male took turns bringing branches while the female arranges it for the new baby soon to arrive. All our senses became aware as we listen to our surroundings. Soon afterwards we had beach time, with lots of big male sea lions among us, and afterwards our young explorers had their Zodiac driving lessons.
Later we repositioned to Kicker Rock, an impressive tuff formation standing massive out of the shoreline. We circumnavigated as the sun was setting, remembering this is the place where we just snorkeled with Galápagos sharks, turtles, fish, and friends.
We are now together at the bow celebrating life and saying goodbye. Today is our last full day in the islands.
We made it to the Galapagos and it was not easy. There is a deep appreciation to the few children who actually make it to the islands; statistics say that out the seven billion humans in this world only a few make it to the Galapagos. In contrast, Hawaii receives 12 million, Yellowstone Park three million, Machu Picchu one million visitors and finally, the Galapagos Islands with just 204,000 per year, a fraction compared to the others. That is why I say that today we were honored to be part of their unforgettable experience and hope one day they would have the will and power to make a positive change in this wonderful world of ours.
Our expedition is now over, life goes on, but we are now sure this place has changed many lives. It’s a place which can never be fully described. We all came with different backgrounds, sharing this magic which can only exist in our hearts and minds forever.
