Bartolomé and Rabida Islands
We left behind the central part of the archipelago and headed west to visit the younger islands. Before breakfast we disembarked on a small dock at Bartolomé Island. Our mission was to climb to the summit of this barren and rocky island. Along the wooden path we observed several species of pioneer plants, a few lava lizards and insects, but this island was relatively devoid of animal life; but we were here not to observe animals nor plants but its geology. An open book on geology, Bartolomé offers magnificent evidence of the volcanism of the archipelago with hundreds of parasitic cones and solidified lava flows that lend a landscape very similar to Mars. The view from the top was spectacular with Pinnacle Rock in the foreground and the two golden beaches contrasting with the black lava flows behind at Santiago Island.
After breakfast we landed on the southern golden beach. The weather conditions were excellent for snorkeling and our guests could observe aggregations of black stripped salemas, schools of razor fish, blue-chin parrotfish and many other species of tropical fish. But probably the best attraction was a group of penguins swimming as fast as torpedoes and feeding frantically on small salemas.
In the afternoon, after a short navigation, we arrived at the red island of Rabida. Our guests had different options such as kayaking, deep-water snorkeling and swimming from the beach. We snorkeled over a red sandy bottom covered by white corals, sea urchins and colorful sea stars, while from the rocks a group of Galápagos sea lions and fur seals attracted our attention with their noises. After our aquatic activities we started the last activity, walking along the red path. Its color is probably due to the action of the salty environment rusting lava that is rich in iron — a process that took thousands of years. The landscape offered a dry Palo Santo forest along the lower part, but it became greener along the highest part of the island. We also saw a group of curious lava lizards among cacti trees with their white pads, as if telling us they are growing older like the island.
By then it was late and the soft cold breeze from the west was telling us it was time to go back to National Geographic Islander. But after dinner nature prepared another surprise; the sky was very clear offering us a good chance for stargazing and observing the Southern Cross, Scorpious, Libra and other constellations. Was a good day!
