Dragon Hill & Sombrero Chino
A 6:30am walk on the northwestern coast of Santa Cruz Island, Dragon Hill, welcomed us with beautiful bright green vegetation. According to Josh, our Video Chronicler, last week everything still looked very dry. As we started the walk we had the chance to see two flamingos in flight, at least four black neck stilts and a couple of white cheek pintail ducks that were enjoying the replenished waters of the brackish water lagoon at the beginning of the trail.
As we continued a very humid, hot walk, we started seeing the iguanas coming out of their burrows. We saw at least eight brightly yellow-colored males and a couple of females. When we were heading back to the dock, the flamingos that had greeted us at the beginning of the day landed on the lagoon in front of our eyes within a few feet distance…. that was an amazing goodbye to “Iguana Land”!
After breakfast we headed up for snorkeling at Guy Fawkes. It was absolutely gorgeous. An incredibly large spotted eagle ray was flying in the water, and a white tipped reef shark and Galápagos sharks made our snorkel probably one of the nicest of the week. The sharks swam around us until we got tired of them. Schools of surgeon fish, big schools of black striped Salemas and, close to the wall, many different micro-organisms made for a mixed kind of snorkeling experience. We saw all the big and small creatures that make the Galápagos marine ecosystems so special.
In the afternoon, kayaks sounded like a great idea for some people. Others wanted to snorkel again and everyone was wonderfully surprised by 42 penguins gathering on the Santiago shore line!! Forty-two penguins, practically un-heard of in one place!
At the end of the afternoon activities, panga riders had an opportunity to see the dramatic coastline of Santiago which, in contrast with this green morning, was a great example of the diversity of ecosystems in Galápagos.
Last, but not least, at night after dinner we celebrated Charles Darwin’s birthday with a delicious barbecue dinner on the wooden deck and a chocolate birthday cake.
Star gazing closed a superb day on the enchanted islands!
A 6:30am walk on the northwestern coast of Santa Cruz Island, Dragon Hill, welcomed us with beautiful bright green vegetation. According to Josh, our Video Chronicler, last week everything still looked very dry. As we started the walk we had the chance to see two flamingos in flight, at least four black neck stilts and a couple of white cheek pintail ducks that were enjoying the replenished waters of the brackish water lagoon at the beginning of the trail.
As we continued a very humid, hot walk, we started seeing the iguanas coming out of their burrows. We saw at least eight brightly yellow-colored males and a couple of females. When we were heading back to the dock, the flamingos that had greeted us at the beginning of the day landed on the lagoon in front of our eyes within a few feet distance…. that was an amazing goodbye to “Iguana Land”!
After breakfast we headed up for snorkeling at Guy Fawkes. It was absolutely gorgeous. An incredibly large spotted eagle ray was flying in the water, and a white tipped reef shark and Galápagos sharks made our snorkel probably one of the nicest of the week. The sharks swam around us until we got tired of them. Schools of surgeon fish, big schools of black striped Salemas and, close to the wall, many different micro-organisms made for a mixed kind of snorkeling experience. We saw all the big and small creatures that make the Galápagos marine ecosystems so special.
In the afternoon, kayaks sounded like a great idea for some people. Others wanted to snorkel again and everyone was wonderfully surprised by 42 penguins gathering on the Santiago shore line!! Forty-two penguins, practically un-heard of in one place!
At the end of the afternoon activities, panga riders had an opportunity to see the dramatic coastline of Santiago which, in contrast with this green morning, was a great example of the diversity of ecosystems in Galápagos.
Last, but not least, at night after dinner we celebrated Charles Darwin’s birthday with a delicious barbecue dinner on the wooden deck and a chocolate birthday cake.
Star gazing closed a superb day on the enchanted islands!
