Bartolomé & Santiago Island
Early in the morning we had an optional walk on Bartolomé Island, climbing 372 wooden steps reaching 312 feet of altitude to experience one of the must spectacular views of the Galápagos Islands – the world famous Pinnacle Rock and its volcanic surroundings. Oh boy, were we glad it was early in the morning! The sun hit high temperatures as it was rising over the sea, just to remind us that we are in fact at the equator.
Soon after our breakfast we received our safety talk from Expedition Leader Lucho Verdesoto; then we were fitted with our snorkeling gear and ready for a close encounter with the Galápagos underwater realm. The opportunity provided a chance to witness sea lions' acrobatics under us, sharks resting on the bottom of the ocean, tropical and subtropical fish, and even birds! My dear reader, our guests were shocked to have fearless penguins right in front of their eyes! Where else in the planet can you do that? No where but here, in the Galápagos; this is one of the reasons why we call this place the “Enchanted Islands”.
Back on board and headed towards our next destination, our chefs took pride in delivering a succulent Ecuadorian typical lunch; the flavors and colors of this region made this particular feast an event to remember.
Next we had a wet landing on a striking, black sand beach for snorkeling. Soon after we set out for a walk, which brought us to a close encounter with fur seals resting by the grottoes. There were so many highlights: Sally Lightfoot crabs, sea birds, the impressive landscape. But just when you thought you have seen it all, there it was – a recently born sea lion; this particular baby was so frail it couldn’t master its balance. Mother nature's force of gravity pulled him downward into a foot deep hole, and we all felt that fall in unison. You could see by the expressions on our guests' faces that it was as if the newborn were their own child. We were immediately attached to this wonderful little creature. Mommy reaches, and like a canine, she grabs her baby by the neck and brings it out of the hole and close to her; her little sea lion learned his lesson and he now spreads his four limbs for stability.
Back on board we shared our experiences. We all had a wonderful time and feel a bit concerned that after today, the rest of the expedition will be downhill from here… little do they know, our expedition has just started and there are many, many adventures to share! Keep in touch my dear reader, soon it will be your adventure onboard the National Geographic Islander.
Early in the morning we had an optional walk on Bartolomé Island, climbing 372 wooden steps reaching 312 feet of altitude to experience one of the must spectacular views of the Galápagos Islands – the world famous Pinnacle Rock and its volcanic surroundings. Oh boy, were we glad it was early in the morning! The sun hit high temperatures as it was rising over the sea, just to remind us that we are in fact at the equator.
Soon after our breakfast we received our safety talk from Expedition Leader Lucho Verdesoto; then we were fitted with our snorkeling gear and ready for a close encounter with the Galápagos underwater realm. The opportunity provided a chance to witness sea lions' acrobatics under us, sharks resting on the bottom of the ocean, tropical and subtropical fish, and even birds! My dear reader, our guests were shocked to have fearless penguins right in front of their eyes! Where else in the planet can you do that? No where but here, in the Galápagos; this is one of the reasons why we call this place the “Enchanted Islands”.
Back on board and headed towards our next destination, our chefs took pride in delivering a succulent Ecuadorian typical lunch; the flavors and colors of this region made this particular feast an event to remember.
Next we had a wet landing on a striking, black sand beach for snorkeling. Soon after we set out for a walk, which brought us to a close encounter with fur seals resting by the grottoes. There were so many highlights: Sally Lightfoot crabs, sea birds, the impressive landscape. But just when you thought you have seen it all, there it was – a recently born sea lion; this particular baby was so frail it couldn’t master its balance. Mother nature's force of gravity pulled him downward into a foot deep hole, and we all felt that fall in unison. You could see by the expressions on our guests' faces that it was as if the newborn were their own child. We were immediately attached to this wonderful little creature. Mommy reaches, and like a canine, she grabs her baby by the neck and brings it out of the hole and close to her; her little sea lion learned his lesson and he now spreads his four limbs for stability.
Back on board we shared our experiences. We all had a wonderful time and feel a bit concerned that after today, the rest of the expedition will be downhill from here… little do they know, our expedition has just started and there are many, many adventures to share! Keep in touch my dear reader, soon it will be your adventure onboard the National Geographic Islander.
