Cerro Dragon & Sombrero Chino
The Cerro Dragon region of Isla Santa Cruz is named after the abundant large land iguanas. Dramatically chiseled tuff and tephra cones rise up on this season’s wetted and verdant landscape. Here we see the effects of recently eliminated goats and pigs and burros that were eating all the tree saplings. So now, an unnatural grassland was transitioning back to its native ecosystem state. The occasional burro skull told the tale.
Every land iguana was contentedly eating or dozing in the sun. We all got remarkably close-up iguana profiles.
Late morning we snorkeled over to the islets Guy Fawkes. Here we found cliffs teeming with incredibly rich life, including moray eels. We experienced the gentle swell pulling us towards and away from the cliff face.
In the afternoon we sailed to Sombrero China. A very strong current made for an exhilarating snorkel. We learned these currents come from many directions by each season, and thus alternately bring fish from Chile, Panama, India and even from the ancient pre-Central America connection to the Atlantic. First off, feeding marine iguanas were spotted by several of the team. They flapped their flat tails to and fro moving slowly and with purpose along the submarine shoreline decorated with highly colorful sea stars. A few large schools of razor surgeonfish, and then an aggregate school of grunts and snappers passed. And scattered about the shallow submarine shelf three butterfly fish species. The walls themselves were covered with pink coralline algae, orange encrusting sponge, green, red and brown algae, purple colonial anemones. A submarine canvas of life!
The Cerro Dragon region of Isla Santa Cruz is named after the abundant large land iguanas. Dramatically chiseled tuff and tephra cones rise up on this season’s wetted and verdant landscape. Here we see the effects of recently eliminated goats and pigs and burros that were eating all the tree saplings. So now, an unnatural grassland was transitioning back to its native ecosystem state. The occasional burro skull told the tale.
Every land iguana was contentedly eating or dozing in the sun. We all got remarkably close-up iguana profiles.
Late morning we snorkeled over to the islets Guy Fawkes. Here we found cliffs teeming with incredibly rich life, including moray eels. We experienced the gentle swell pulling us towards and away from the cliff face.
In the afternoon we sailed to Sombrero China. A very strong current made for an exhilarating snorkel. We learned these currents come from many directions by each season, and thus alternately bring fish from Chile, Panama, India and even from the ancient pre-Central America connection to the Atlantic. First off, feeding marine iguanas were spotted by several of the team. They flapped their flat tails to and fro moving slowly and with purpose along the submarine shoreline decorated with highly colorful sea stars. A few large schools of razor surgeonfish, and then an aggregate school of grunts and snappers passed. And scattered about the shallow submarine shelf three butterfly fish species. The walls themselves were covered with pink coralline algae, orange encrusting sponge, green, red and brown algae, purple colonial anemones. A submarine canvas of life!
