Exploration today took us to one of the oldest Islands of this fantastic archipelago, San Cristobal. A comfortable wet landing on a golden beach at Punta Pitt was the perfect way to begin our journey. Galapagos sea lions and Darwin finches were part of the attractions that were found upon arrival at the beach. A marvelous blue sky was going to be the perfect companion for a spectacular exploration.
The experience of hiking among giant tuff cones on our way to the top was something very difficult to describe. There were ancient volcanic cones all over the place, volcanic ash that looked like concrete, making beautiful walls along the trail. An added charming bonus were the songs that the land birds were singing, like natural melodies for a marvelous hike. Once we reached the highest elevation, a superb view of Punta Pitt bay was revealed to us. The deep blue sea made the perfect color contrast for an awe-inspiring picture.
At the end of the trail we finally saw the main attraction of the visit, red footed boobies and blue footed boobies. Just being there to witness them was a marvelous experience. Sea birds of different kinds soared all over the place, Chatham mockingbirds and ground finches sang the perfect melody of nature, and colorful San Cristobal lava lizards ran across the volcanic ash. As we came back to the beach we spent a magical moment swimming in the waves that splashed along the shore line. Once back on board the National Geographic Islander, we headed to our next destination.
In the afternoon the exploration just kept getting better. We got back on the Zodiacs to explore a new site, the eroded tuff cone of Wizard Hill. After a wet landing we got the chance to explore a marvelous white coralline sandy beach with many surprises. We were able to find blue footed boobies plunge diving for sardines, along with pelicans and even a couple of American Oyster Catchers with their young chicks.
At the end of exploration we enjoyed a delightful sunset as we circumnavigated Leon Dormido for a relaxing conclusion to the day. The Galapagos Islands exploration is a dream of a lifetime and there was no better way to end the expedition in the Enchanted Islands.
