We crossed the Equator at exactly 8:30 am, right after breakfast. Almost everyone was out on deck to enjoy the event, and see what was to be seen in the once-again emerald green waters off shore. From the ship we spotted our first "mola mola" (ocean sunfish), dorsal fin in the air like a stiff flag, but it soon disappeared below. A little while later while on the Zodiac ride along the cliffs, most groups had an even better look at a mola mola, since at the southernmost point of our ride, several of these bizarre fish were close to the surface.
In fact one Zodiac, with Lucho on board as naturalist, had an extraordinary experience with one huge fish which circled the Zodiac quite a few times. At one point, it looked as though the fish was on a collision course with us, but at the last minute, instead of disappearing into the depths, it basically....spy-hopped!!!! Its complete head showing the mouth and eyes rose out of the water, and took measure of the large creature floating on the surface with many tentacles gesticulating and making loud noises, up there in the air. After a few long seconds, the fish flopped over on its side, and rather than take off, floated for a while.
Everyone on the Zodiac got a good look at the mola mola from dorsal fin tip to ventral fin tip, from blunt tail to small, round mouth. The skin was splotched with white patches over dark gray on top, fading to pale gray on the undersides. Lucho's final week in the Galapagos (before he goes off to study for some months) is turning into a grand finale for our friend.
