Bartolome & Santiago Islands
As the sun was rising, we were off in Zodiacs for an early morning exploration of Bartolomé. This lovely volcanic islet off the east coast of Santiago was the beginning of a long climb to the summit of the island. 372 steps of a long wooden staircase led us to the most beautiful views seen in the Galapagos. Spectacular Pinnacle rock could be seen in outstanding detail. The green mangroves were seen creeping up around the volcanic moonscape. A sighting of the Galapagos snake made the climb well worth the effort.
Once we returned to the ship for some well-needed nourishment, it was off to a beautiful golden beach for snorkeling in the nearby shallows. The marine life was plentiful, including beautiful fish, and even a white tipped reef shark. It was easy to forget about the rest of the world as we blended into the sea.
The afternoon was then spent sailing past Buccaneer Cove, a one-time pirates’ haunt. Once anchored at Puerto Egas on the western side of Santiago Island, we landed on a black beach for a short hike. As the sun began setting over the ocean, we sat to soak in the final rays while listening to the ocean waves beat against the rock beneath our feet. We were surrounded on the left by marine iguanas and on the right by fur seals. It was truly a remarkable experience, and all I could think was “What a great day it is to be alive!”
As the sun was rising, we were off in Zodiacs for an early morning exploration of Bartolomé. This lovely volcanic islet off the east coast of Santiago was the beginning of a long climb to the summit of the island. 372 steps of a long wooden staircase led us to the most beautiful views seen in the Galapagos. Spectacular Pinnacle rock could be seen in outstanding detail. The green mangroves were seen creeping up around the volcanic moonscape. A sighting of the Galapagos snake made the climb well worth the effort.
Once we returned to the ship for some well-needed nourishment, it was off to a beautiful golden beach for snorkeling in the nearby shallows. The marine life was plentiful, including beautiful fish, and even a white tipped reef shark. It was easy to forget about the rest of the world as we blended into the sea.
The afternoon was then spent sailing past Buccaneer Cove, a one-time pirates’ haunt. Once anchored at Puerto Egas on the western side of Santiago Island, we landed on a black beach for a short hike. As the sun began setting over the ocean, we sat to soak in the final rays while listening to the ocean waves beat against the rock beneath our feet. We were surrounded on the left by marine iguanas and on the right by fur seals. It was truly a remarkable experience, and all I could think was “What a great day it is to be alive!”
