Day Seven - Cerro Dragón & Rabida Island
Overnight we had circled the island and were now at the northwest tip of Santa Cruz in the region known as Cerro Dragón or "Dragon Hill," which is a prime nesting ground for the Galapagos land iguana. The land iguana tends to be yellowish in color and features a spiny crest. They weigh up to 25-pounds and live 50-60 years.
Cerro Dragón is an excellent place to hike and we spent the morning walking the trails. We saw many iguanas, many of which were feeding on cactuses, where they derive much of their daily water intake, as well as basking in the sun. The top of Cerro Dragón offers a great view of the ocean and nearby islands, and the usal array of boobies and frigates diving for fish.
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(Click to Enlarge)This was the hottest day so far and once we returned to the boat, I was eager to go for a swim before lunch and setting off to Rabida island.
A few hours later we had arrived at Rabida, an unihabited island which is northwest of Santa Cruz, just before reaching Santiago island. A high concentration of oxidized iron in the lava results in a beautiful deep red landscape, including its beach, cliffs, and steep slopes of volcanic cinders. A short walk from the beach lead us to a briny lagoon where Flamingos come to feed and nest. The scenery is remarkable and the wildlife plentiful. Rabida would be one of my favorite stops.
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(Click to Enlarge)The water just off from Rabida is very clear and warm. We spent the rest of the day snorkeling and enjoying the views before firing up the engines and heading south back down to Santa Cruz.
