Once again we were fortunate to have clear skies overhead. That made waking up early so much easier! The National Geographic Islander was anchored close to the channel that separates the island of Santiago from Sombrero Chino, tempting us into its turquoise blue waters so clear we could see the bottom at our anchorage!
The first out were the kayakers who started along the jagged, black lava coastline of Santiago. This was land created only a bit more than 100 years ago! The same eruption that formed the location we would visit in the afternoon, Sullivan Bay to the north of us. It is a huge 50 square mile expanse!
The sea conditions were so calm that everyone in their kayaks could get close as they paddled along, everyone searching for our desired prize, a Galapagos penguin.
Soon after the kayakers left, the rest of us boarded Zodiacs. Although I told everyone they could come in their pajamas if they so wanted, all were dressed and ready to go. It was a great ride, but only one successful penguin sighting! They are, indeed, difficult to see right now in the middle of the warm, wet season. During this time of scarcity and warm water (79 degrees F! 26 degrees C!), they search out up-wellings. To my surprise, when I got into the water after breakfast, there WAS a cold layer of water just a couple of feet beneath us! The season is starting to change, perfectly normal for mid-April and the albatross have arrived down south on Espanola Island! A definite indicator of seasonal change.
This morning’s snorkel was perhaps the best beloved for our guests, simply because the conditions were calm, visibility clear, temperature ideal (if not a bit chilly every now and then) and tons of fish (including white-tipped reef sharks).
This afternoon the ship re-positioned to Sullivan Bay, just across from Bartholomew Island. On our way the captain steered the ship close to the lowest rim of a crater wall, close enough such that those of us standing on the top deck could peek into the crater lake – highly saline - and counted almost 16 flamingos!
The afternoon was another-worldly kind of walk on this young lava flow, with tilted, rippled sheets of lava. Tricky footing, but dramatic and so different from anything we had done up to now. The Young Explorers were taken on their own with a naturalist, Jose, and one adult body guard, Adam, and had their won adventures that ended up in the water (why am I not surprised?).
The sky continued clear past dinner, so after our barbecue dinner on the top deck, Socrates invited all onto the dark bow of the ship to point out the constellations visible from our point on the globe – half northern hemisphere, half southern hemisphere!
