Today is our last day in paradise, on this adventure which seems unreal; we all bonded as one, even though we are from different places, as the Galapagos brings magic to our souls and mind. Traveling from Fernandina to San Cristobal islands, the youngest and one of the oldest in the archipelago, this expedition has been a journey of discovery through time.
Today we landed on a green olivine beach of San Cristobal Island, one of the oldest islands in the Galapagos. The volcanic scenery that we observed during our intense hike is spectacular, with peaks of tuff high in the sky, making this site very different from what we have already observed. Punta Pitt also has impressive scenery from up above. All of our senses became aware as we listened to our surroundings, searching for red-footed boobies. Soon after, we enjoyed some beach time, where we played with fun sea lions and observed males.
Later we repositioned to Kicker Rock, an impressive tuff formation standing massive out of the shoreline. Once we reached our site, we deployed our Zodiacs for our last activity of the week, which was snorkeling. Afterwards, we circumnavigated Kicker Rock as the sun was setting, and we stood out on deck, remembering this is the place where we just snorkeled with hammerheads, black-tipped reef sharks, Galápagos sharks, spotted eagle rays, turtles, fish and friends.
We are now together at the bow celebrating life, as frigate birds and many sea birds fly above, as if saying good-bye. We made it to the Galapagos and it was not easy. There is a deep appreciation of all to take the time to visit the islands, especially to the children. Statistics said that out of the 7 billion humans in this world, only a small number make it to the Galapagos; in contrast, Hawaii gets 12 million visitors per year, Yellowstone Park: 3 million, Machu Picchu: 1 million, and finally, Galapagos islands, with only 204,000 visitors per year—a fraction compared to other places. This is why I say that today we are honored to be part of their unforgettable experience, and we hope that one day they will 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; a place which can never be fully described. We all came together from different backgrounds, to share this magic which will exist in our hearts and minds forever.
Farewell amigos.
