Bartolomé & Puerto Egas
The warmth of the rising sun was inviting and as the increasing light shone onto the trail, we started our expedition to the summit of this old secondary volcano of Santiago Island. At 06:30 in the morning, everyone is full of energy! Our exploration paid us back generously, for the expectations of everybody were fulfilled. We examined the magnificent natural setting around us. Here pioneer plants transform lava and ash into soil allowing new species to make their way – whenever the opportunity arises. Bartolomé is like a machine of evolutionary processes, never stopping; always creating.
The most exciting outing of the day was by far our morning snorkeling session. The great varieties of fish, both tropical and subtropical that converge in the archipelago were exponentially represented in the waters of this little kingdom. A carnival of color creating an impeccable contrast against the transparent water attracted us to the underwater realm. For most people this environment is unknown and even scary. Not for us! We were happy and confident in the company of the handsome penguins and the very indifferent sharks.
Whirling endemic painted locusts filled the air of the afternoon visit at Puerto Egas, on the nearby Santiago Island. A flock of young and curious mockingbirds were scrutinizing us along the trail. Not knowing how to behave or what to do in front of humans gave us the impression of children dealing with a recently found form of entertainment. The marine iguanas were abundant on the exposed rocks and were very busy extracting their main food source, the marine algae, with their tiny sharp teeth.
Although Galápagos fur seals were not numerous today, we were content with the four individuals that peacefully rested on the shelves at the grottos. In the distance we could hear the very distinctive calls of two families of oystercatchers that are well established in this area. The day has come to an end, and once again the embrace of nature reached us and we have all exulted in the experiences we have shared.
The warmth of the rising sun was inviting and as the increasing light shone onto the trail, we started our expedition to the summit of this old secondary volcano of Santiago Island. At 06:30 in the morning, everyone is full of energy! Our exploration paid us back generously, for the expectations of everybody were fulfilled. We examined the magnificent natural setting around us. Here pioneer plants transform lava and ash into soil allowing new species to make their way – whenever the opportunity arises. Bartolomé is like a machine of evolutionary processes, never stopping; always creating.
The most exciting outing of the day was by far our morning snorkeling session. The great varieties of fish, both tropical and subtropical that converge in the archipelago were exponentially represented in the waters of this little kingdom. A carnival of color creating an impeccable contrast against the transparent water attracted us to the underwater realm. For most people this environment is unknown and even scary. Not for us! We were happy and confident in the company of the handsome penguins and the very indifferent sharks.
Whirling endemic painted locusts filled the air of the afternoon visit at Puerto Egas, on the nearby Santiago Island. A flock of young and curious mockingbirds were scrutinizing us along the trail. Not knowing how to behave or what to do in front of humans gave us the impression of children dealing with a recently found form of entertainment. The marine iguanas were abundant on the exposed rocks and were very busy extracting their main food source, the marine algae, with their tiny sharp teeth.
Although Galápagos fur seals were not numerous today, we were content with the four individuals that peacefully rested on the shelves at the grottos. In the distance we could hear the very distinctive calls of two families of oystercatchers that are well established in this area. The day has come to an end, and once again the embrace of nature reached us and we have all exulted in the experiences we have shared.
