Bartholome and Santiago Island
It’s my first week back after a hiatus of several weeks. Temperatures have changed, behaviors have changed, but the islands remain timeless. The morning heralded perfect conditions for a climb to the top of Bartholome Island, slightly cloudy with light winds to keep the sweat out of the brows of the intrepid. So many steps! Yet the view unparalleled, encompassing an almost 360 degree layout of the central islands and rocks. A frequent question of how many islands really are in the archipelago, begs the response of another question “when does one start considering a rock an island?” All together, there are something around 140 islands and islets.
A visit to the golden sands of Bartholome, under the impressive Pinnacle Rock, allowed for excursions into the undersea world of Galapagos. By mask and snorkel, or a drier method by glass bottom boat, showed us marvels of fish and marine invertebrates. What a delightful way to travel!
Our destination in the afternoon was Santiago Island, or San Salvador, or James Island. But to reach our chosen site we traveled several hours. The distances between islands sometimes surprises visitors expecting close neighbouring islands. We landed at Pto. Egas on the western side of Santiago after cruising slowly by Buccaneer Bay and thinking of all the greats who have set foot in this cove over the centuries past. I had the opportunity to amble slowly in the company of guests along the trail, along the coast. At one point, unknown to all until I explained, we stopped next to a cactus. A prickly pear cactus. A cactus I have had a particular interest in since 1986, my first year of being a licensed naturalist guide in Galapagos. One day when I was walking along this very same trail, I found a small, runt of a cactus, knocked over. Knowing how very valuable these cacti were to the island of Santiago, which island-wide was suffering the predations of goats and feral burros, I felt a responsibility to help this fallen individual. Both goats and burros are known to tumble these cacti in order to eat the insides for their water content during drought periods. So with rocks and stones, sixteen years ago I set the cactus up again upright. Today, it stands taller than Dora, the naturalist standing next to it. I feel like a proud parent as I take the photo.
It’s my first week back after a hiatus of several weeks. Temperatures have changed, behaviors have changed, but the islands remain timeless. The morning heralded perfect conditions for a climb to the top of Bartholome Island, slightly cloudy with light winds to keep the sweat out of the brows of the intrepid. So many steps! Yet the view unparalleled, encompassing an almost 360 degree layout of the central islands and rocks. A frequent question of how many islands really are in the archipelago, begs the response of another question “when does one start considering a rock an island?” All together, there are something around 140 islands and islets.
A visit to the golden sands of Bartholome, under the impressive Pinnacle Rock, allowed for excursions into the undersea world of Galapagos. By mask and snorkel, or a drier method by glass bottom boat, showed us marvels of fish and marine invertebrates. What a delightful way to travel!
Our destination in the afternoon was Santiago Island, or San Salvador, or James Island. But to reach our chosen site we traveled several hours. The distances between islands sometimes surprises visitors expecting close neighbouring islands. We landed at Pto. Egas on the western side of Santiago after cruising slowly by Buccaneer Bay and thinking of all the greats who have set foot in this cove over the centuries past. I had the opportunity to amble slowly in the company of guests along the trail, along the coast. At one point, unknown to all until I explained, we stopped next to a cactus. A prickly pear cactus. A cactus I have had a particular interest in since 1986, my first year of being a licensed naturalist guide in Galapagos. One day when I was walking along this very same trail, I found a small, runt of a cactus, knocked over. Knowing how very valuable these cacti were to the island of Santiago, which island-wide was suffering the predations of goats and feral burros, I felt a responsibility to help this fallen individual. Both goats and burros are known to tumble these cacti in order to eat the insides for their water content during drought periods. So with rocks and stones, sixteen years ago I set the cactus up again upright. Today, it stands taller than Dora, the naturalist standing next to it. I feel like a proud parent as I take the photo.
