San Cristobal Island
After a comfortable navigation from Santa Cruz Island we woke up anchored in front of one of the most emblematic places of the Galápagos Islands: Punta Pitt. After a wet landing we prepared to begin the day’s adventure. We started with a hike 300 feet up the cliffs of Punta Pitt. At the beginning of our hike we were welcomed by the San Cristobal lava lizards. Farther along the trail, the magnificence of the place made us feel as though we were in a wonderland: old eroded tuff cones surrounded us like sleeping giants of the ancient world.
As we arrived at the summit, it was time to look for one of the most colorful creatures: red-footed boobies. By the time we reached the border of the cliffs, the sky was crowded by so many seabirds that we felt like we were in a wildlife sanctuary. Frigate birds flying, red-footed boobies singing, and Galápagos shearwaters soaring was just part of the delights that Mother Nature can show at Punta Pitt. On the way back, we enjoyed the spectacular view with National Geographic Islander in the background.
When we returned to the beach it was to enjoy some deep-water snorkeling. Once in the water, a complete marvelous world was ours to explore: colorful reef fish on the rocks, seabirds fishing, and playful baby sea lions were part of the highlights of the underwater paradise. Once back on board the National Geographic Islander, we pulled anchor in order to continue with the adventure to Leon Dormido.
In the afternoon the adventure only improved, and one of the highlights was deep-water snorkeling around Leon Dormido. This is considered one of the best diving and snorkeling places of the archipelago, and today we experienced some of its marvels: Pacific green sea turtles swimming around, a lot of reef fish, but the main attraction was definitely the black-tip reef sharks that were swimming around us. The symphony of colors inside this undersea world was a marvelous experience that would be worth experiencing several times in a lifetime.
At the end of the adventure we enjoyed a peaceful circumnavigation around Leon Dormido. The steep cliffs that were crowded by all kinds of birds offered the perfect contrast with the sunset in the background. This has been a wonderful expedition across the paradise of the Galápagos Islands.
