Bartolome & Santiago Islands
We awoke this morning anchored off Isla Bartolome, a geologist’s dream island and one of the most classically beautiful spots of the Galápagos! Since the island is in the rain shadow of the larger Santiago Island, the climate is extremely dry; there are very few plants to obscure all sorts of incredible features associated with young lava flows and the older ash layers of the tuff cone. The view from the top of the island of the volcanic landscape is spectacular with an excellent vantage of Pinnacle Rock, the eroded remains of a tuff cone, and a couple of small submerged craters can be seen below where our Zodiacs dock. To get to the summit, we had to climb 372 wooden steps but as endeavored, it was as if we were reading a geology textbook on volcanoes! Isla Bartolome is a tuff cone that formed from the explosive interaction of seawater and erupting magma. This explosion sent columns of ash into the air that subsequently fell around the vent-like layers of snow finally solidifying as tuff cones. Once Isla Bartolome rose above sea level, subsequent fountain eruptions of lava formed spatter cones, which dot the surface of the tuff cone along linear fractures, often with lava tunnels running down their sides. After climbing Bartolome I can see and imagine the powerful earth forces that have shaped these special islands.
After a fantastic breakfast on the outside deck we returned to Bartolome to hike across a sandy isthmus to a sand beach on the south side. It was tough to hike over the loose sand dunes but we got to observe many of the interesting plants of the coastal zone along the trail and lots of cute lava lizard tracks. Returning to the beach at Pinnacle Rock, some of us braved the chilly waters to snorkel observing sharks, many beautiful fish and even a penguin while other guests opted to investigate the undersea world with a naturalist giving an interpretation on the glass bottom boat. With the water very clear, everyone saw a lot!
In the afternoon, we visited Santiago, a perfect way to end our fabulous week on our expedition to the Galápagos. Santiago is a success story of how the eradication of invasive species such as goats and pigs can result in an island starting to return to is natural state. It was only fitting that during our final walk along the coast we got to see many of the animals we had fallen in love with during our week here and that are the true heart of the Galápagos: sea turtles, seal lions, marine iguanas, fur seals, yellow warblers, mockingbirds and Darwin’s finches.
What an incredible week and what a special expedition this has been. All the incredible up close and personal encounters we have had with the wildlife of the Galápagos have touched us and changed us forever. How fortunate we are that a place like this archipelago still exists. I have enjoyed sharing it with you and your families and hope we will all work to ensure that these islands remain unchanged for future generations to enjoy and experience.
We awoke this morning anchored off Isla Bartolome, a geologist’s dream island and one of the most classically beautiful spots of the Galápagos! Since the island is in the rain shadow of the larger Santiago Island, the climate is extremely dry; there are very few plants to obscure all sorts of incredible features associated with young lava flows and the older ash layers of the tuff cone. The view from the top of the island of the volcanic landscape is spectacular with an excellent vantage of Pinnacle Rock, the eroded remains of a tuff cone, and a couple of small submerged craters can be seen below where our Zodiacs dock. To get to the summit, we had to climb 372 wooden steps but as endeavored, it was as if we were reading a geology textbook on volcanoes! Isla Bartolome is a tuff cone that formed from the explosive interaction of seawater and erupting magma. This explosion sent columns of ash into the air that subsequently fell around the vent-like layers of snow finally solidifying as tuff cones. Once Isla Bartolome rose above sea level, subsequent fountain eruptions of lava formed spatter cones, which dot the surface of the tuff cone along linear fractures, often with lava tunnels running down their sides. After climbing Bartolome I can see and imagine the powerful earth forces that have shaped these special islands.
After a fantastic breakfast on the outside deck we returned to Bartolome to hike across a sandy isthmus to a sand beach on the south side. It was tough to hike over the loose sand dunes but we got to observe many of the interesting plants of the coastal zone along the trail and lots of cute lava lizard tracks. Returning to the beach at Pinnacle Rock, some of us braved the chilly waters to snorkel observing sharks, many beautiful fish and even a penguin while other guests opted to investigate the undersea world with a naturalist giving an interpretation on the glass bottom boat. With the water very clear, everyone saw a lot!
In the afternoon, we visited Santiago, a perfect way to end our fabulous week on our expedition to the Galápagos. Santiago is a success story of how the eradication of invasive species such as goats and pigs can result in an island starting to return to is natural state. It was only fitting that during our final walk along the coast we got to see many of the animals we had fallen in love with during our week here and that are the true heart of the Galápagos: sea turtles, seal lions, marine iguanas, fur seals, yellow warblers, mockingbirds and Darwin’s finches.
What an incredible week and what a special expedition this has been. All the incredible up close and personal encounters we have had with the wildlife of the Galápagos have touched us and changed us forever. How fortunate we are that a place like this archipelago still exists. I have enjoyed sharing it with you and your families and hope we will all work to ensure that these islands remain unchanged for future generations to enjoy and experience.
