Bartolomé & Santiago Islands
As I made the optional early-morning wake-up call, the clouds overhead did not look at all auspicious for a sunny day. However soon enough, as the eager explorers made their way up to the top of the small island, blue gaps appeared, and as the morning progressed, the light became stronger and the day brighter by the minute.
On return for breakfast, we found the National Geographic Islander had provided the perfect snoozing spot for a resident of the area…a Galápagos sea lion had decided to sleep at the top of the stairs off the stern platform, and didn’t mind being the subject of many photographs out the dining room window!
The tide was out, so a large expanse of golden sand presented itself as an ideal location to practice, or in some cases learn, how to snorkel. A Galápagos penguin, juvenile, tantalized the swimmers and snorkelers just off the beach, chasing after what appeared to be a school of the endemic black-striped salemas. Stingrays, a green sea turtle and white-tipped reef sharks put in appearances also – and today was just our first full day!
By the afternoon we were sailing around the northern coastline of Santiago Island, passing by black coast interspersed with the occasional stark white beach. Mid-afternoon saw us arriving and dropping anchor in Puerto Egas off of James Bay on the westernmost point of the island.
High tide and strong surf cut our snorkeling short, but allowed for more time to explore the outer shore of the area. Galápagos fur seals were the objective, but much else was seen also: American oystercatchers, sea lions, pelicans, boobies diving, and the Santiago marine iguanas. The setting sun cast a rose-colored light as everyone returned to the ship, some to share a drink on our top deck before preparing for recap and dinner. As we faced the western sky, hope glimmered that one of the volcanoes of Isabela or Fernandina Islands silhouetted might emit a puff of smoke…but no such luck, at least not tonight, but perhaps sometime soon.
As I made the optional early-morning wake-up call, the clouds overhead did not look at all auspicious for a sunny day. However soon enough, as the eager explorers made their way up to the top of the small island, blue gaps appeared, and as the morning progressed, the light became stronger and the day brighter by the minute.
On return for breakfast, we found the National Geographic Islander had provided the perfect snoozing spot for a resident of the area…a Galápagos sea lion had decided to sleep at the top of the stairs off the stern platform, and didn’t mind being the subject of many photographs out the dining room window!
The tide was out, so a large expanse of golden sand presented itself as an ideal location to practice, or in some cases learn, how to snorkel. A Galápagos penguin, juvenile, tantalized the swimmers and snorkelers just off the beach, chasing after what appeared to be a school of the endemic black-striped salemas. Stingrays, a green sea turtle and white-tipped reef sharks put in appearances also – and today was just our first full day!
By the afternoon we were sailing around the northern coastline of Santiago Island, passing by black coast interspersed with the occasional stark white beach. Mid-afternoon saw us arriving and dropping anchor in Puerto Egas off of James Bay on the westernmost point of the island.
High tide and strong surf cut our snorkeling short, but allowed for more time to explore the outer shore of the area. Galápagos fur seals were the objective, but much else was seen also: American oystercatchers, sea lions, pelicans, boobies diving, and the Santiago marine iguanas. The setting sun cast a rose-colored light as everyone returned to the ship, some to share a drink on our top deck before preparing for recap and dinner. As we faced the western sky, hope glimmered that one of the volcanoes of Isabela or Fernandina Islands silhouetted might emit a puff of smoke…but no such luck, at least not tonight, but perhaps sometime soon.
