Kicker Rock, Galapagos by David Whited

Kicker Rock, Galapagos

David Whited

Kicker Rock, Galapagos

Digital photography

Inv: LP-1596

Kicker Rock (also known as León Dormido, meaning "sleeping lion") is a dramatic volcanic formation rising about 150 meters (500 feet) out of the Pacific Ocean near San Cristóbal Island in the Galápagos. The rock is the remnant of an ancient lava cone, split down the middle into two towering tuff cliffs with a narrow channel running between them — a channel just wide enough for a small boat to pass through. It's one of the most iconic dive and snorkel sites in the Galápagos, where visitors frequently encounter Galápagos sharks, hammerhead sharks, sea turtles, rays, and an abundance of tropical fish in the crystal-clear waters below. Above the surface, the sheer cliff faces are home to nesting frigatebirds and blue-footed boobies, making Kicker Rock a breathtaking spectacle both above and below the waterline.