Bartolome & Chinese Hat
It’s 6:30 in the morning, the sun is out and we are ready for the first expedition of the day on this small island known for its fantastic volcanic landscape.
Wooden steps – 372 of them – make the boardwalk build by the National Park some years ago to protect the island from erosion. It also helps people get to the top of the island for an outstanding view of the surroundings as well as some other islands in the vicinity. Very few animals are found here as the land is dominated by rocks and the soil not as productive to the lack of humidity. Some lava lizards have adapted to the area as well as some Darwin’s Finches and Galapagos Doves.
Vegetation is also very poor and what grows here is so well adapted that they deserve a mention, especially the Galapagos lava cactus, a pioneer on the lava.
After this early outing we went back onboard for breakfast, also to get ready for the next activity of the day, snorkeling. A wet landing on pink sand was the beginning of a water exploration with many chances of fish, sharks, rays, turtles, sea starts, and always the possibility of swimming with the most playful animals of the Galapagos, the sea lions. Snorkeling with penguins along the equator was unexpected but incredible, so we did; and there were hundreds of sea stars like constellations in a clear sky.
We saw hundreds of bottle nosed dolphins. Awesome!!
Our next destination was an island that looks very much like a Chinese hat from where its name derives.
We began the afternoon with a deep water snorkeling session along the coast of an island just in front of Chinese hat.
There are so many different types of large and small colorful fish here, also large white tip reefs sharks lying on the bottom could be seen, a couple of sea lions came to entertain the snorkelers with their amazing charm and moves.
Penguins also live here; actually they nest on these islands and have adapted to live in an environment quite different to the one they came from. We met some in the water and they stayed very close to us for some time before they swam away for fish. Others were standing on the rocks almost still as we snorkeled around.
Later we came back to this spot to take pictures of them on the rocks. Many were there, and not too far from them were other animals, like the sea lions showing off. They are so flexible and playful and in many respects just like humans as they are mammals like us.
Another great day in the Galapagos.
