Our first outing took place at one of the most fascinating landmarks of the Galapagos Islands. A pre-breakfast outing on Bartolome Island and visit to Pinnacle Rock helped our guests understand how hard natural selection is on the species found on the island. The barren volcanic landscape with few pioneer plants made this walk unique. Lava cactus as well as lava lizards exemplified the adaptation necessary to be able to survive in this harsh environment.
Later in the morning our outdoor activities began with snorkeling for beginners and advanced swimmers. The beach of Bartolome Island brought amazing opportunities for wildlife sightings for our guests. The sea lions were playful today and many of the immature sea lions approached our curious snorkelers. Guests were given their first taste of the busy, bright underwater realm in the Galapagos which contains more than 500 species of fish that arrived to the archipelago from different provinces of the Pacific Ocean.
In the afternoon we visited a tarnish island known as Rabida. The brownish-red landscape is studded with small volcanic features along sharp slopes and cliffs. The first outing at this island was snorkeling. The rich water of this place made the underwater realm unforgettable. Many endemic Galapagos marine iguanas were sighted during our island hike. Our guests were overjoyed with the biodiversity that characterizes Rabida Island! We spotted white tipped reef sharks, sea turtles and different kinds of fish.
Later in the afternoon our explorers went ashore to have a short walk along the red sand beach. Flamingos and white-cheeked pintail ducks were sighted in a brackish lagoon behind the beach. Our walk ended with a beautiful display by the blue-footed boobies which were plunge diving near the shore.
