This brand new day found us anchored at one of the hidden jewels in the crown of the Galapagos archipelago, South Plaza Island. This relatively small island was once part of the ocean floor. It is the result of a volcanic uplifting that took place in the area not less than one million years ago. The amazing concentration of wildlife and beautiful landscapes makes of South Plaza Island an unrivaled paradise.
At the disembarkation jetty we had dozens of juvenile sea lions forming a welcoming committee. The first impression after landing is not only the striking marine landscape, but a cacti forest that dominates the scene which is surrounded by an otherworldly carpet of red vegetation. In this marvelous setting Galapagos land iguanas (Conolophus subcristatus) were seen wandering everywhere. The trail leads to a spectacular cliff side where many sea bird species can be seen flying, resting and/or feeding their chicks. Some occasional frigate birds were seen gliding in the blue sky as well.
After sending a couple of hours exploring the island’s trail we went back to the ship to join a presentation. Naturalist Christian Saa talked about the Human History of the Galapagos.
After lunch we had some downtime before starting the afternoon’s activities. Soon after, it was time to get ready for kayaking along Santa Fe Island. In this remote location there is striking scenery where volcanic cliffs and sheer cliffs are covered in giant prickly pear cacti. Many guests opted to go snorkeling and they had a blast as waters were very calm today, relatively clear and many colorful reef fish species were seen, including some rays and even a couple of reef sharks.
After the water activities we put on our walking outfits to explore Santa Fe Island by foot. The landing beach is home to a cheerful Galapagos sea lion colony. Some big sea lions were seen searching for the best position for napping while some juveniles were exploring and playing in the surroundings. The rocky inland trail led us to encounter a couple of pale, brownish green land iguanas, the famous Santa Fe land iguana (Conolophus pallidus). This latter species, as its appropriate name infers, is only found on this small island, nowhere else in the Galapagos, nowhere else in the whole World!
We finally came back onboard late in the afternoon with the last sunrays. Our hearts and minds are filled with new feelings and memories from this day visiting these two small, but memorable islands. They showed us the beauty of the Galapagos.
