Santiago or James Island was a fascinating stop in our continuing adventure. We started by exploring some surrounding satellite islets. One of them has a very characteristic shape that inspired its name: Sombrero Chino, or Chinese Hat.
Chinese Hat is separated from Santiago by a small channel. This area is home to a small population of penguins. The lava shores are full of wildlife such as crabs and iguanas. A couple of herons wandered around looking for prey. We also found some cute sea lions.
After exploring the shores from our Zodiacs, we went snorkeling and found that the water couldn’t be better! The visibility was great and the sea creatures welcomed us! A penguin even tried to steal my camera! Sharks, parrotfish and colorful sea stars were all part of the show.
Later, we came back to explore Bainbridge Islet from our boat. The crater of this islet has a lagoon where flamingos live. Penguins and flamingos on the same day – that’s Galapagos! A mixture of contrasts!
In the afternoon we anchored in Sullivan Bay in front of Bartolome Island so we could visit an impressive lava field. The new lava has taken the most fascinating shapes! We witnessed how pioneer species are starting to colonize the area, how small plants are making their way through the hard lava rock, how insects feed on these plants, and how small predators such as lava lizards are able to survive in this hostile environment.
The sun disappeared behind the hills of Santiago just as we came back onboard National Geographic Islander to end a memorable day. Tomorrow, more explorations await us.
