Just after daybreak, the intrepid guests took off to climb 365 wooden steps (with a bannister) to reach the top of Bartholomew Island. Possibly the most iconic view known in the islands, it gives one an expansive panorama over the island itself and beyond: Santiago Island, Pinzon Island and on a good day even “Nameless” is visible. Santa Cruz Island sits to the south, and off to the east, Daphne Major (where we circumnavigated while wine-tasting yesterday), and Daphne Minor stand lonely in the flat ocean in front of Baltra. But we don’t want to think about Baltra just yet. That is where the airport is located, and from where everyone will depart in just two days’ time.
Meanwhile, the first groups to the top had a visit from a juvenile hawk. They are so curious at that age, anything is worth checking out. At the landing jetty, a small penguin made a brief appearance, just enough to assuage our curiosity on their size and shape. They are so few in numbers here in Galapagos, around 1600, that one or two at a time is what we expect. Any more than that is a bonus.
Swimming, snorkeling and outings to the glass-bottom boat after breakfast gave everyone a chance to explore the sensations of the ocean; 72 degrees Fahrenheit (around 22 degrees Celsius) and good visibility. A low tide brought the bottom closer, and therefore the fish as well. Damselfish, angelfish, surgeonfish, parrotfish and clinids; sea stars, sea cucumbers and sea urchins from the radiates; and even a white-tipped reef shark cruised by once or twice!
After lunch I got everyone to join me on the top deck, above the bridge, binoculars and cameras in hand. We were hoping for a glimpse of flamingos while slowly passing by one of the Bainbridge Islets, off the shores of Santiago Island. One of these volcanic tuff cones had a completely circular saltwater lagoon inside at sea level. One side of the volcanic cone has been eaten away by eons of wave action, until only a low bluff separates it from the ocean today. From the top deck, we stand a chance of peeking inside, and today we were super-lucky. I counted 15 flamingos, some swimming like pink swans, others standing along the edge. Success!
Today we also had our last special workshops of the season: Paper-to-Pearls and field sketching art classes. Folks are well on their way to understanding the dedication it takes to pursue either of these skills, and we are hoping they will return home with the beginnings of new past-times to take with them on their future adventures.
Mid-afternoon was another opportunity to get into the water in “penguin territory”, although there is also so much else down there worth seeing (like sharks, garden eels, endemic puffers, etc.). The penguins eluded us until the very end; seconds after the last person was out of the water one came calmly and smoothly along the coast, hopped out of the water onto the rocks nearby, and proceeded to oust the second (molting) penguin from its favorite rock hang-out.
The Zodiac trip out later had even better sightings of penguins, as well as three Galapagos hawks that came past, and sea lions who frolicked next to the boat. What a unique day for everyone!
