The scenery at the beach on Punta Cormorant, Floreana is synonymous, in the minds of many tourists, with the peaceful and relaxing beach that every one is searching for. But this beach is more than just a place with a spectacular view. It is a beach with sea lions, shore birds, specialized plants (mangroves and salt bushes), and lovely green crystals in the sand, which are basic components of certain inorganic beaches in Galapagos.

Olivine crystals are abundant on this beach and they give it a greenish coloration. Olivine is included with all the greenish silicate minerals in a group called "serpentine." Igneous minerals such as silicon, aluminum, sodium, potassium, iron, calcium, magnesium and oxygen when combined form the silicate minerals. Olivine is one of these silicate minerals and its formula is (Fe Mg)2 Si O4. Olivine crystallizes at high temperatures as magma begins to cool. Crystals are formed by a regular internal arrangement of atoms and classified by particle size and by the characteristics of their external surface or "faces." Based on their symmetry, crystals can be placed in 7 categories called systems. These 7 systems can be further subdivided into 32 symmetry classes and 230 groups of crystals.

This afternoon we weren't only looking at the crystals in the sand! We also saw brilliant pink flamingos, red necked phalaropes, whimbrels and to end this lovely day, a beautiful sunset.