Bartolomé and Santiago Islands
Today is one of the busiest days for us, as we like to make the most of our last day in the Galápagos and pack it really full: two islands, two snorkeling opportunities, at least two walks… We started with an early, pre-breakfast walk up the volcanic cone of Bartolomé Islet, where we enjoyed one of the most fantastic views in the Galápagos (a little hard to get to, but well worth it).
This islet is in the rain-shadow of the large island of Santa Cruz, which is the second largest in the archipelago. As a result, Bartolomé receives very little moisture and almost always has good weather and sunny days. This allows for great geology interpretation but also spectacular snorkeling. Shallow waters, good visibility and a small colony of penguins often hang around to offer great entertainment, both in the water and out.
In the afternoon, we repositioned to Puerto Egas (north west of Santiago Island) and enjoyed a nice relaxing snorkel, a peaceful walk, and a gorgeous sunset: altogether a grand finale to a fascinating expedition through the Galápagos.
At the same time, this is a rather sad day, because we all know that this is the last day of our trip, and tomorrow everybody will leave this paradise, carrying a little piece of it in their hearts.
Every naturalist on board hopes that every person that traveled with us this week will carry the message of how important conservation is and pass it on to every person they come across, thus preserving this natural wonder for future generations.
Today is one of the busiest days for us, as we like to make the most of our last day in the Galápagos and pack it really full: two islands, two snorkeling opportunities, at least two walks… We started with an early, pre-breakfast walk up the volcanic cone of Bartolomé Islet, where we enjoyed one of the most fantastic views in the Galápagos (a little hard to get to, but well worth it).
This islet is in the rain-shadow of the large island of Santa Cruz, which is the second largest in the archipelago. As a result, Bartolomé receives very little moisture and almost always has good weather and sunny days. This allows for great geology interpretation but also spectacular snorkeling. Shallow waters, good visibility and a small colony of penguins often hang around to offer great entertainment, both in the water and out.
In the afternoon, we repositioned to Puerto Egas (north west of Santiago Island) and enjoyed a nice relaxing snorkel, a peaceful walk, and a gorgeous sunset: altogether a grand finale to a fascinating expedition through the Galápagos.
At the same time, this is a rather sad day, because we all know that this is the last day of our trip, and tomorrow everybody will leave this paradise, carrying a little piece of it in their hearts.
Every naturalist on board hopes that every person that traveled with us this week will carry the message of how important conservation is and pass it on to every person they come across, thus preserving this natural wonder for future generations.
