Bartolome and Santiago Islands
It is not so much of a sacrifice to get up at dawn and head out for a hike through the volcanic landscapes of Galápagos. The early morning light is better for photography, and today, the cones which are formed of volcanic glass reflected the light. We enjoyed the range and contrast in colors of the view from the summit of Bartolome. We can’t help but feel as we gaze across the young volcanoes that make up this “moonscape” scene that we have a glimpse here of how our Mother Planet, Earth, must have looked when life was starting and the land was first beginning to be formed and populated by new organisms.
An eroded tuff cone, the pinnacle rock, is the most photographed landscape setting in Galápagos. We disembarked on the golden beach beside this pinnacle rock. Today the seas were rough, with unusual currents and waves coming from the north. So the conditions for snorkelling were not what we had hoped, but we had an exciting time in the surf, and the water temperature was pleasant for a swim. In the afternoon at Puerto Egas, the visibility was much better. Our guests had a wonderful snorkel outing and swam with sea turtles, colourful king angel fish, rays and sea lions.
We took a walk along the shore line and found dozens of marine iguanas and sea lions of all ages and sizes. Huge beach masters barked and patrolled their territories. Mothers fed their pups and others rested or played. With a low tide, the lava grottos and flooded caves were exposed and this coast was a splendid setting for the many photographers in our group. As we returned to the ship, an orange and pink sunset lit up the distant shield volcanoes of Isabela and Fernandina. On the sky deck of the Islander, we toasted to a successful and enjoyable day and sampled the local fish ceviche that our Chef had prepared for us.
It is not so much of a sacrifice to get up at dawn and head out for a hike through the volcanic landscapes of Galápagos. The early morning light is better for photography, and today, the cones which are formed of volcanic glass reflected the light. We enjoyed the range and contrast in colors of the view from the summit of Bartolome. We can’t help but feel as we gaze across the young volcanoes that make up this “moonscape” scene that we have a glimpse here of how our Mother Planet, Earth, must have looked when life was starting and the land was first beginning to be formed and populated by new organisms.
An eroded tuff cone, the pinnacle rock, is the most photographed landscape setting in Galápagos. We disembarked on the golden beach beside this pinnacle rock. Today the seas were rough, with unusual currents and waves coming from the north. So the conditions for snorkelling were not what we had hoped, but we had an exciting time in the surf, and the water temperature was pleasant for a swim. In the afternoon at Puerto Egas, the visibility was much better. Our guests had a wonderful snorkel outing and swam with sea turtles, colourful king angel fish, rays and sea lions.
We took a walk along the shore line and found dozens of marine iguanas and sea lions of all ages and sizes. Huge beach masters barked and patrolled their territories. Mothers fed their pups and others rested or played. With a low tide, the lava grottos and flooded caves were exposed and this coast was a splendid setting for the many photographers in our group. As we returned to the ship, an orange and pink sunset lit up the distant shield volcanoes of Isabela and Fernandina. On the sky deck of the Islander, we toasted to a successful and enjoyable day and sampled the local fish ceviche that our Chef had prepared for us.
