San Cristóbal: Punta Pitt, Cerro Brujo and Kicker Rock

This morning we had a wet landing on San Cristóbal, more specifically an area called Punta Pitt. This coastal tuff formation serves as a nesting site for many sea birds and it's the only site where the three species of boobies might be seen together. Before going ashore, however, we briefly cruised around a small island with no name. This small island (which isn't really an island. . . It's more of a giant rock) is the perfect example of a good niche. Even from the panga, we were able to see many species including the red-footed booby, swallow-tailed gull, frigate bird, sea lion, different types of crabs, and more.

The hike today was very steep. Following the wet landing at Punta Pitt, we proceeded up a narrow, rocky, trail. At this location, the beach has volcanic sand called olivine. It is made up of magnesium and oxygen and it is the hardest rock here. It can even be used to make jewelry! The white sand beaches are mostly made up of shell dust and poop from fish.

As I was putting on my hiking boots, I noticed this beautiful rock formation.

Martin, our naturalist, leading off the hike.

As we neared the top of the peak we were climbing (which wasn't quite the highest point of the island), we were treated to panoramic ocean views. Through all the rocks, the cove was framed perfectly. As we continued on, we noticed holes in the ground off to the distance. These holes turned out to be marine iguana nests. Usually, marine iguanas make nests closer to the water. However, Punta Pitt has limited nesting area so the iguanas have to move further inland. Once the iguana makes the nest, the iguanas leave. The baby iguanas then have to find their way to sea, similar to when turtles lay their eggs on the beach and abandon their babies. I wonder what the mortality rates are for the newborn iguanas?

Views of our boat as we neared the top of our hike.

Sarah, me and Tara.

Another viewpoint as we continued the hike.

This was the first location where we saw red-footed boobies. . . one of my favorite species here. With a wingspan of 96cm, it is the smallest of the boobies. As this species is semi-nocturnal, it has the largest eyes. This species can be found in trees and it is polymorphic, meaning there's great variation in its plumage. Their breeding cycle lasts for more than a year. The courtship between the boobies is similar to that of the blue-footed booby, but it is performed on tree branches near the nesting area as opposed to on the ground.

Red-footed booby perched on a branch.

Red-footed booby sitting on a nest.

Beautiful landscape of Cerro Brujo.

On the way back down to the shore, we also saw two blue-footed boobies in the middle of the path.

We had to go off the trail to go around these blue-footed boobies.

Close-up of one of the blue-footed boobies.

In the afternoon, we went to Cerro Brujo, which was one of the first places visited by Charles Darwin. It's humbling to be in the same places he was! This white coralline sand beach is home to pelicans, blue-footed boobies, swallow-tailed gulls, and more. San Cristóbal is also home to the endemic Chantham mockingbird. On the way to Cerro Brujo, we took a zodiac cruise around the area. Through the crystal clear water, we could see triggerfish, sea turtles and sea lions swimming below. We also saw blue-footed boobies diving for fish. Sally lightfoot crabs lined the rocky edges and provided a nice contrast to the barnacles nearby.

Looking up at the cliffs, shot with an iPhone!

Same cliff as pictured above, also shot with an iPhone!

Looking towards Kicker Rock.

Brown pelican taking a rest.

Looking out towards our boat and Kicker Rock.

Once we made a wet landing onto Cerro Brujo, we were free to explore the beach. Some of the beaches here are "open beaches", meaning we can walk without a naturalist. Of course, there are still regulations and rules to follow. One of the highlights from this landing was seeing a ghost crab run across the sand and bury itself. Luckily, I already had my camera on so I was able to get a photograph of it. Another highlight was seeing sally lightfoot crabs against a backdrop of green algae. A couple of times, I thought I saw them spitting out liquid. Perhaps the most mesmerizing experience at Cerro Brujo, however, was being there at low tide. Through the crystal clear water of the tide pools, we were able to see an octopus and an eel. Because I am terrified of the ocean (and as a result, never go to see tide pools in fear of high tide coming in and sweeping me away as it has done before), this was really special for me.

Sea lion yawning. Fun fact: this photograph was published in Chapman's Calliope Magazine!

I only got two photographs of the ghost crab. . . I guess they call it a ghost crab for a reason!

As quickly as we saw the ghost crab, it buried itself into the sand.

Landscape at Cerro Brujo.

One of my all-time favorite Galapagos photographs. . . A sally lightfoot crab on algae.

Our day ended with a circumnavigation of Kicker Rock. The ocean was very calm, so the rock was reflected perfectly. It almost reminded me of the Antarctic reflections. The way the light hit the rock was beautiful. . . Golden hour here is truly spectacular! With very few other people around, you truly feel like you're one with nature.

Sun shining through Kicker Rock.

Kicker Rock at golden hour (sunset).

Another Galapagos sunset from the boat.

That's all for now... Stay tuned for more Galapagos adventures. Also, be sure to hit the subscribe button to be notified of new posts, as there is sometimes unreliable internet! Follow my instagram @elissatitle for more photography posts.