Bartolome
Dawn found us peacefully anchored off the spectacular little volcanic islet of Bartolome. No one minded the early wake up call as we made the hike (today’s picture shows the trail to the summit of the islet) while the breeze was still cool, and from the top had a fabulous view in all directions. The jet-black of recent lava flows, rusty red of aging spatter cones, green mangrove fringes along white and golden beaches against the deep blue of the sea made for a veritable visual feast. What amazes many of our guests are how different and unique each of the visitor’s sites are and how much variety we see during our weeklong cruise.
After breakfast we walked, swam, snorkeled and glass bottom boated along the base of pinnacle rock. Those who walked the beach delighted in a chance to observe two tiny hatchling sea turtles emerge from a nest and white-tipped reef sharks cruising the coast. Those who swam and snorkeled did so among schools of colorful reef fish. A few of our group were lucky to find some fast moving penguins that zipped past them in search of the tiny fish they prey on. Penguins are endemic to Galapagos, and are one of our most fragile species. The total population of these charming flightless birds is only a couple thousand individuals. To find penguins – which we normally associate with ice and snow - on lava rocks at the Equator, is nothing short of surprising. But they were able to establish in Galapagos thanks to the cold waters that bask these islands and the abundance of food here. Introduced mammals (particularly black rats) are unfortunately in part responsible for the low total population numbers of penguins. Research on how to eliminate the rats is on going; meanwhile our guests are pleased to see these charismatic birds, even if we only see a few of them!
Dawn found us peacefully anchored off the spectacular little volcanic islet of Bartolome. No one minded the early wake up call as we made the hike (today’s picture shows the trail to the summit of the islet) while the breeze was still cool, and from the top had a fabulous view in all directions. The jet-black of recent lava flows, rusty red of aging spatter cones, green mangrove fringes along white and golden beaches against the deep blue of the sea made for a veritable visual feast. What amazes many of our guests are how different and unique each of the visitor’s sites are and how much variety we see during our weeklong cruise.
After breakfast we walked, swam, snorkeled and glass bottom boated along the base of pinnacle rock. Those who walked the beach delighted in a chance to observe two tiny hatchling sea turtles emerge from a nest and white-tipped reef sharks cruising the coast. Those who swam and snorkeled did so among schools of colorful reef fish. A few of our group were lucky to find some fast moving penguins that zipped past them in search of the tiny fish they prey on. Penguins are endemic to Galapagos, and are one of our most fragile species. The total population of these charming flightless birds is only a couple thousand individuals. To find penguins – which we normally associate with ice and snow - on lava rocks at the Equator, is nothing short of surprising. But they were able to establish in Galapagos thanks to the cold waters that bask these islands and the abundance of food here. Introduced mammals (particularly black rats) are unfortunately in part responsible for the low total population numbers of penguins. Research on how to eliminate the rats is on going; meanwhile our guests are pleased to see these charismatic birds, even if we only see a few of them!
