As soon as I woke up this morning I had the feeling it would be a great day around the magical Galapagos Islands. We visited South Plaza Island in the morning after breakfast. This relatively speaking small island that was once part of the ocean floor harbors a stunning amount of wildlife. The landscape is striking as well for it is dominated by an abundant cacti forest which is surrounded by a surreal red carpet where colorful Galapagos land iguanas (Conolophus subcristatus) roam around. Several iguanas were observed while eating the spiny, but juicy, cacti pads. One of them was hanging gracefully in a branch causing laughter in their observers. On South Plazas Island there is a very large Galapagos sea lion colony as well. Some big sea lions were seen searching for the best position for napping while some juveniles were either exploring or playing in the surroundings waterline.
Today it was very windy making the cliffs that can be seen further inland spectacular! Many sea birds species were observed flying around maneuvering on the air currents. Galapagos shearwaters were skimming the ocean surface looking for food, and Nazca boobies were also gliding along the cliffs. Swallow-tailed gulls were seen either flying around or taking care of their hungry youngsters. Occasionally, frigate birds were seen gliding in the blue sky as well.
After this successful morning we went back to the ship to join a presentation about the human history of the Galapagos Islands given by naturalist Jonathan Aguas.
After lunch we went kayaking and snorkeling along Santa Fe Island. In this location there is remarkable volcanic scenery where cliffs are filled with giant prickly pear cacti. Both kayakers and snorkelers had a blast. Kayakers had the company of many sea lions and snorkelers shared some time with a couple of spotted eagle rays that were seen mating underwater.
After the water activities and once we put on our walking outfits we went to explore the trails on Santa Fe Island. The landing beach is home to a frolicking Galapagos sea lion colony. The rocky inland trail led us to encounter several pale brownish land iguanas, the famous Santa Fe land iguana (Conolophus pallidus). This latter species, as is name implies, in only found on this small island, and nowhere else in the world.
The last rays of sun of the day told us that it was time to come back to our home away from home this week, the National Geographic Islander. We were privileged to spend a whole day visiting two small but unforgettable islands that showed us the beauty and diversity of the Galapagos.
