Our last full day brings us back to San Cristóbal, the easternmost island of the Enchanted Isles. This stunning island has a variety of amazing landscapes, as well as a high rate of endemism being one of the oldest. In the morning we explored Punta Pitt, located in the northeast part of the island. This was the first outcrop of rock sighted by the crew of the HMS Beagle when it arrived in Galápagos in 1835. In the afternoon, we moved to a new anchorage: Cerro Brujo, where a long and beautiful beach of white sands is home to a large colony of Galápagos sea lions.
5/2/2024
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National Geographic Endeavour II
Bartolome and Sombrero Chino Islands
We awoke at sunrise and observed the majestic Bartolomé Island showered by the first sunrays of the morning. Our first hike of the day was invigorating, almost 400 steps to the summit of Bartolomé to appreciate the astonishing beauty of the surroundings. What an amazing view! We saw several parasitic volcanoes, an underwater crater, golden sandy beach, and the many shades of blue of the ocean. On our way back to National Geographic Endeavour II, we took a detour to search for the iconic Galapagos penguins and we found them. Yay! Our afternoon destination was Chinese Hat, a small island surrounded by lava fields, fine white sand, and crystal-clear waters. We went snorkeling and swimming and had more encounters with Galapagos penguins. They’re so fast, they look like they’re flying under the water. The day wouldn’t have been complete without a sunset exploration by Zodiac to explore the coasts of Santiago Island and Chinese Hat. Some friendly sea lions greeted us with their spectacular, playful behavior. Soon, we found ourselves riding back under the light of the sunset with the impressive volcanic background of the Galapagos.