Land of dragons, South Plazas and Santa Fe islands gave us a unique and inspiring day full of unforgettable moments.
We encountered different wildlife this morning on our outing on South Plaza, a small island off the east coast of Santa Cruz Island which was formed by lava streaming up from the bottom of the ocean. Despite its small size this marvelous island is home to a large number of species and bizarre flora that change in color according to the present season.
Along the basaltic coastline we sighted red-billed tropicbirds, Galápagos shearwaters, and swallow-tailed gulls. While birdwatching we were captivated by the beautiful view from the top of this steep cliff. The prickly pear cactus forest and large colony of Galápagos land iguanas are striking from high above.
The afternoon outing gave us another taste of the wonders of the Galápagos Islands. We had several options to search for wildlife. The most popular was the snorkeling. The calm bay of Santa Fe Island, known as Barrington back in the 17th century among whalers and buccaneers, offers one of the most relaxing areas for aquatic activities. Throughout the snorkeling and kayaking, our eager explorers got to see sea turtles, eagle rays and a variety of fish. The turquoise, crystal clear water was perfect for locating marine creatures.
Late in the afternoon we went ashore to explore the island. Geologically, Santa Fe is one of the oldest islands in the Galápagos with volcanic rocks that were dated up to 4 million years old. The vegetation of this island is characterized by yellow cordia, croton, scalesia, incense trees, and one of the largest prickly pear cactus found in the Galápagos archipelago, Opuntia echios barringtonensis. Along the path we found the endemic Barrington land iguanas (Conolophus pallidus).
Our nature hike ended on a white sand beach where a large colony of sea lions were resting after spending several days off shore fishing. The silence of our explorers allowed us to listen to Mother Nature speaking to us through the bark of the sea lions and the songs of the mockingbirds and Darwin finches.
