The Galapagos Islands certainly are a wildlife paradise on earth. This morning we explored a couple of islands located in the central part of the Galapagos Archipelago. Here, wildlife and landscapes form a special blend of flavors and scenes.
In the early morning we visited a little islet called Sombrero Chino due to its particular shape. This volcano is relatively young and, therefore, vegetation is at the very beginning of the colonization process. The wildlife in this place is superb! Just think of a combination of creatures from cool regions like penguins and sea lions and, on the other hand, snakes, lizards and cactus plants from the desert.
At mid-morning we explored another place on the same island. This time we paid a visit to the marine life of the shallow shore. Here, tropical fish are abundant; the water at this time is getting warmer and very enjoyable. While snorkeling we had the opportunity to see lots of tropical fish, including white-tipped reef sharks!
Santiago Island is a large island and Sullivan Bay was our destination for the afternoon. This place is a vast lava flow with hardy pioneer plants growing here and there. These organisms are showcases for the process of colonization on a barren island. Little by little, the lava will become eroded and vegetated. This process is very slow and it takes thousands of years.
Galapagos penguins made our day! We met then at the snorkeling site while riding in Zodiac. We saw several baby penguins that still had downy coats. These birds are the only type of penguins that live entirely in the tropics.
It was a great day!
