Bartolome & Santiago
We all awoke to a perfectly still, peaceful morning with Pinnacle Rock reaching out to us from the island of Bartolomé. Early risers climbed to the summit of Bartolome, otherwise know as “heartbreak hill” because of the 372 steps to the top, and the breathtaking view. All of the landscape is an open geology book, as we trekked through spatter cones and lava tubes. Many call this place the moonscape island, with terrain that is like no other place on earth. A kaleidoscope of colors – purple, red, yellow, black – clearly mark the basaltic rocks.
After another terrific breakfast, Zodiacs delivered us to an idyllic beach – all to ourselves. First we climbed the sand dunes that were swept high by the wind then trapped by red mangroves. As we descended the other side ghost crabs left small round pellets as they rushed back into their holes. We quietly watched the nesting pelicans, and admired their beautiful markings from a close-up view.
Suddenly we all headed towards an excited voice down the beach. Ten white-tipped reef sharks were curiously swimming just a few feet from shore. It’s amazing to be so near a predator that frequently causes our hearts to race with fear, but we know that here, in the Galápagos, they do not present any danger to us.
Our next stop in Santiago Island provided a summary view of so many of the species we’ve seen this week: piles of marine iguanas sneezing salt out of their noses, playful sea lions kissing our snorkel masks, sharks, sharks, and more sharks (only friendly ones), beautiful damsel and parrot fish, and shore birds such as diving boobies, long-legged oyster catchers, and ruddy turnstones. This led us to explore the grottos created by lava flow cooled quickly by the ocean. Each grotto was filled with playing fur sea lions, a new species for our group to observe. Their larger eyes and thicker fur differentiate them from their sea lion relative, but both are mesmerizing to watch.
Over the past week these magical islands have filled our souls with joy, peace and knowledge. Although we are so sad to leave the Galápagos tomorrow, we know that this special place will never leave us.
We all awoke to a perfectly still, peaceful morning with Pinnacle Rock reaching out to us from the island of Bartolomé. Early risers climbed to the summit of Bartolome, otherwise know as “heartbreak hill” because of the 372 steps to the top, and the breathtaking view. All of the landscape is an open geology book, as we trekked through spatter cones and lava tubes. Many call this place the moonscape island, with terrain that is like no other place on earth. A kaleidoscope of colors – purple, red, yellow, black – clearly mark the basaltic rocks.
After another terrific breakfast, Zodiacs delivered us to an idyllic beach – all to ourselves. First we climbed the sand dunes that were swept high by the wind then trapped by red mangroves. As we descended the other side ghost crabs left small round pellets as they rushed back into their holes. We quietly watched the nesting pelicans, and admired their beautiful markings from a close-up view.
Suddenly we all headed towards an excited voice down the beach. Ten white-tipped reef sharks were curiously swimming just a few feet from shore. It’s amazing to be so near a predator that frequently causes our hearts to race with fear, but we know that here, in the Galápagos, they do not present any danger to us.
Our next stop in Santiago Island provided a summary view of so many of the species we’ve seen this week: piles of marine iguanas sneezing salt out of their noses, playful sea lions kissing our snorkel masks, sharks, sharks, and more sharks (only friendly ones), beautiful damsel and parrot fish, and shore birds such as diving boobies, long-legged oyster catchers, and ruddy turnstones. This led us to explore the grottos created by lava flow cooled quickly by the ocean. Each grotto was filled with playing fur sea lions, a new species for our group to observe. Their larger eyes and thicker fur differentiate them from their sea lion relative, but both are mesmerizing to watch.
Over the past week these magical islands have filled our souls with joy, peace and knowledge. Although we are so sad to leave the Galápagos tomorrow, we know that this special place will never leave us.
