Exploring the Galapagos – the last two days of the trip

On the fourth day, we started the morning with a hike in Pitt Point, located at the far eastern edge of San Cristobal. Once again, the weather was overcast, and there was some light rain as we climbed all the way up. A raincoat is definitely handy when you visit the Galapagos… I experienced the four seasons in the five days I was there… and sometimes the four seasons in a single day!

This was another stunning hike, through a path taking us up the cliffs to the breeding site of both the Blue Footed and the Red Footed Booby. Whilst I had already seen plenty of Blue Footed Boobies, it was the first time I was going to see the Red ones. As the name states, the main difference is the colour of their feet, which is a bright red. They also lay their eggs on top of low trees and vegetation, whereas the Blue Footed Booby lays their eggs on the ground. This is why staying on the designated path is important… and even so, keep your eyes open. We found a Blue Footed Booby nesting in the middle of the path, which I thought was hilarious… clearly, the Galapagos inhabitants are not threatened by the sheer presence of humans.

The Red Footed Boobies are also semi-nocturnal and tend to spend part of the night feeding in the waters right at the edge of the Galapagos.

From afar, we also spotted some goats, introduced to the islands by humans, representing a threat to the native species. Definitely, the villains… but also, not guilty! Humans are.

The baby Blue Footed Boobies are quite adorable – covered in white, fluffy feathers, this one already had a strong personality.

We ended the day in Witch Hill, considered one of the best sand beaches in the archipelago – but first, we got a close look at the Kicker Rock – also known as Leon Dormindo (Sleeping Lion) due to its shape. I’d argue you do have to put your imagination to work. It’s an impressive formation, a remnant of a vertical tuff cone, rising almost 153 meters from the ocean. It’s a famous place for diving and spotting Hammer Head Sharks, but it’s definitely not an easy place to do so. You really have to be an advanced diver.

Witch Hill was splendid. It was so quiet in there, as the day was coming to an end. Sea lions were resting in the white sands, and the waters were so clear I could see marine turtles swimming underneath. We all took time to appreciate the tranquillity of the place, observing the Pelicans fishing, and how the sky was changing to prepare for the night to come. This was going to be the last night of the cruise and the next day, it was time to go back home.

We woke up early. It was the last day, and we got everything packed and ready. We only had one single activity in the morning, going to Lobos Island. Here we were greeted with some pretty threatening sea lion skulls, which I found amusing. Of course, these animals die naturally in the islands, and remains of their skeletons can be found in many places, but someone seemed to have put these two skulls together, to greet any guests in the best way possible…

We saw some young Blue Footed Boobies trying to make trouble for one that was nesting and finally spotted the famous Galapagos Marine Iguana. They are amazing swimmers, the only seafaring lizard in the world and you won’t find it anywhere else in the world. Mostly they eat algae growing in the volcanic rocks. A fun fact about them – they sneeze actual salt. This is due to a biological mechanism, they have developed, to get rid of excess salt that builds up on their bodies. The salt is filtered through their blood vessels, passing through their nose.

And finally, because I saw them, letting the rest of the group know, we spotted the Galapagos Frigatebirds! These are well known for their red, swollen chest which appear during the breeding season. The males inflate this red sac with air, and it’s meant to show females they are healthy and full of life.

Sadly, it was time to leave. A part of me wanted to stay there, to satisfy the dream of the child I had once been – to be a biologist, dedicating life to studying wildlife. Somehow I felt I could learn a lot more from them, than any human on Earth. But London was calling once again. It was time to go back.

Love, Nic