Bartolome & Santiago Islands
I was tired from yesterday! I mean physically tired, when at 06:30 once again (even after 19 years ever since I came to the islands for the first time), I got a big shot of energy. The magnificence of Bartolome was expressed in one of the most hostile volcanic landscapes surrounded by an ocean so clean that is difficult to cope with the fact that most of our oceans in the planet are polluted.
Last night there has been lot of action on the orange beach. Hundreds of footprints left by tiny turtles could be seen all the way from the upper beach to the water line. In the middle part of the island, the mangrove gets surrounded by a belt of succulent plants that encounters the vegetation of the arid zone just few feet apart. And then the heat!
By now I’m totally immersed in this fantastic environment and don’t have any chance to even think of being tired. All of the sudden, finches come flying upon our heads while lava lizards past by running as we go along the trail. The sand dune is hot but as soon as we get to the “other side” a light breeze makes our exploration extremely pleasant. Along the water line is easy to find abundant drifting snails (Janthina sp) washed up on the beach. The water is so clear and tepid that our Expedition Leader Paula asked for two Zodiacs and we made an instant swimming pool where some of our guests had a great time.
In the afternoon the island of Santiago showed how intense is nature. Everywhere you see the island is cover with green and is possible to see large numbers of finches and of course of insects. There is an incredible amount of spiders on every branch, on every section of the trail. Along the shoreline two spectacular oyster catchers performed a great display with their loud calls and started to fly upon invitation from another passing couple. Other shore and sea birds were not absent in this part of the trail. All our guests enjoyed the gradual change of light and our mood was mellowed with each passing second. It's time to leave the park and the obliged comments began: “I would like to stay!” said one; “It's been a great week”, said another. Well, after all these years it's still not surprising to witness the overwhelming power of the Galápagos.
I was tired from yesterday! I mean physically tired, when at 06:30 once again (even after 19 years ever since I came to the islands for the first time), I got a big shot of energy. The magnificence of Bartolome was expressed in one of the most hostile volcanic landscapes surrounded by an ocean so clean that is difficult to cope with the fact that most of our oceans in the planet are polluted.
Last night there has been lot of action on the orange beach. Hundreds of footprints left by tiny turtles could be seen all the way from the upper beach to the water line. In the middle part of the island, the mangrove gets surrounded by a belt of succulent plants that encounters the vegetation of the arid zone just few feet apart. And then the heat!
By now I’m totally immersed in this fantastic environment and don’t have any chance to even think of being tired. All of the sudden, finches come flying upon our heads while lava lizards past by running as we go along the trail. The sand dune is hot but as soon as we get to the “other side” a light breeze makes our exploration extremely pleasant. Along the water line is easy to find abundant drifting snails (Janthina sp) washed up on the beach. The water is so clear and tepid that our Expedition Leader Paula asked for two Zodiacs and we made an instant swimming pool where some of our guests had a great time.
In the afternoon the island of Santiago showed how intense is nature. Everywhere you see the island is cover with green and is possible to see large numbers of finches and of course of insects. There is an incredible amount of spiders on every branch, on every section of the trail. Along the shoreline two spectacular oyster catchers performed a great display with their loud calls and started to fly upon invitation from another passing couple. Other shore and sea birds were not absent in this part of the trail. All our guests enjoyed the gradual change of light and our mood was mellowed with each passing second. It's time to leave the park and the obliged comments began: “I would like to stay!” said one; “It's been a great week”, said another. Well, after all these years it's still not surprising to witness the overwhelming power of the Galápagos.
