This morning we had our last wet landing, this time on a green sandy beach made up of an inorganic mix of volcanic ashes and tiny pieces of olivine crystals. After drying our feet and putting on our shoes we were ready to climb through a trench created by the erosion of water and wind through millions of years. Punta Pitt is the closest point to mainland Ecuador, about 600 nautical miles away, and one of the oldest islands of the archipelago. Its terrain is made of eroded tuff, creating a dramatic landscape. This dry, unforgiving land is a nesting spot for the three species of boobies found on these waters. We observed red-footed boobies nesting on trees and flying by. The vegetation is another surprise of this site: the always colorful common carpet mat plant, with its reddish coloration painting the edges of the surrounding cliff; the Galápagos nolana with its succulent leaves; and the also endemic Chatham’s giant daisy, growing on the flanks close to the top of the craters. Then we headed back to the beach for a refreshing swim after the demanding hike.
The afternoon took us Cerro Brujo, where we landed at a marvelous coralline sandy beach. We spent time for ourselves connected with the magic of the place. Some of us walked on the beach and others went for a dip in the turquoise water of this site. Later we witnessed an impressive sunset over Kicker Rock in the company of a glass of sparkling wine.
