Bartolome & Santiago Islands
We were so energized today! Our expedition to climb Bartolome was so anticipated that a good half of our guests were ready for a “stairmaster-fashion” climb to the very summit of this small but intense island. Of course this climb is not like climbing Everest, nevertheless we had to make a couple of stops to catch our breath. But it was worth every step! The view we had from there was very compelling, even though it was a little hazy on the horizon.
Later on in the mid-morning, snorkeling around Pinnacle Rock gave us a great opportunity to be close to sharks, and we were very fortunate to witness an incredible biomass of fish eating invisible but omnipresent plankton. So dense were these tiny creatures that they were bugging into our ears, tickling us.
Lunch came, irreversibly as it should be, and we loved it! The Ecuadorian feast included examples of the extensive food traditions we have in my beloved country. After that, it was time to take a short and invigorating nap (another good tradition) before the afternoon arose with all the incredible surprises that, for sure, the island of Santiago would hold.
James Bay opened itself magnificent and imposing. The first thing that impressed us was the presence of five Galápagos penguins. They are not so common in these latitudes to begin with, but in James Bay? So they were a great surprise. We also found two oystercatcher families with chicks. The cute little feather balls were just mesmerizing. However what most impressed us was the moment when a bull sea lion was eating a fish and all of a sudden a big shark came from nowhere and stole the sea lion’s fish. Dignity smashed but body complete, the sea lion swam back to shore. He must have learned a good lesson.
We are not certain if that sea lion learned something, but for sure we did and we are thankful for such an opportunity.
We were so energized today! Our expedition to climb Bartolome was so anticipated that a good half of our guests were ready for a “stairmaster-fashion” climb to the very summit of this small but intense island. Of course this climb is not like climbing Everest, nevertheless we had to make a couple of stops to catch our breath. But it was worth every step! The view we had from there was very compelling, even though it was a little hazy on the horizon.
Later on in the mid-morning, snorkeling around Pinnacle Rock gave us a great opportunity to be close to sharks, and we were very fortunate to witness an incredible biomass of fish eating invisible but omnipresent plankton. So dense were these tiny creatures that they were bugging into our ears, tickling us.
Lunch came, irreversibly as it should be, and we loved it! The Ecuadorian feast included examples of the extensive food traditions we have in my beloved country. After that, it was time to take a short and invigorating nap (another good tradition) before the afternoon arose with all the incredible surprises that, for sure, the island of Santiago would hold.
James Bay opened itself magnificent and imposing. The first thing that impressed us was the presence of five Galápagos penguins. They are not so common in these latitudes to begin with, but in James Bay? So they were a great surprise. We also found two oystercatcher families with chicks. The cute little feather balls were just mesmerizing. However what most impressed us was the moment when a bull sea lion was eating a fish and all of a sudden a big shark came from nowhere and stole the sea lion’s fish. Dignity smashed but body complete, the sea lion swam back to shore. He must have learned a good lesson.
We are not certain if that sea lion learned something, but for sure we did and we are thankful for such an opportunity.
