By Friday the expedition has moved to the central area of the archipelago. The National Geographic Islander is anchored by Sombrero Chino, a small volcanic formation whose shape inspired locals to give it its name. Standing close to the fourth largest island in Galapagos, Santiago, Sombrero Chino is one of the best destinations to talk about the geology of the islands and to snorkel in crystal clear water.
The morning began with a Zodiac ride along the coast of Sombrero Chino where we discussed the origins of the islands and familiarize ourselves more with the geological aspects of the area. We observed many birds and identified them as we went farther along the coast. We were surprised by a group of four penguins which were chasing after a small school of tiny fish. There were also a couple of penguins posing on the rocks long enough for us to get great pictures.
The following activity was deep water snorkeling in the channel separating the two islands. It had shallow water, rocky on the coast and sandy at the bottom with great visibility. it couldn’t be better. We plunged in and fish were everywhere. Sharks and sea lions made an appearance and made the event another great experience for all of us.
After the stop in Sombrero Chino we relocated the ship to another visitor site on the islands with a reputation that suggests it will be awesome. Sullivan bay is large, representing close to one third of the total land mass of the island of Santiago and has perhaps the largest PA hoe-hoe lava field in the Galapagos. Here we have a dry landing and even though there was not much fauna, walking on the field we knew we were sharing a similar view to the first island of the archipelago twenty million years ago. There were pioneer plants and a blast of a scenery. We couldn’t find a better way to end another great day of a fantastic expedition.
