Bartholomew Island and Santiago Island
Morning dawned with a few low clouds above the horizon, and some thin scattered remnants overhead. It would turn into a clear day, precisely what we wanted for our visit to this most-renown island of them all. Ochre reds and russet oranges hid among the layers of dirt brown tuffstone. Early risers made it to the top of the world and found themselves surrounded by the islets and islands and deep blue sea.
Snorkelers discovered sea turtles beneath them off the golden sand beach, and Pinnacle Rock pointed as an arrow into the sky. A sea lion tried to join the glass bottom boaters as they bordered the rocky coastline, but the startled exclamations of those already inside caused him to change his mind, so he fell back with a splash. He flashed his belly-button instead, against the glass with sea stars for his background. Meanwhile penguins were the centre of attention elsewhere, paddling and dashing from point to point as they followed their prey and no matter if they had to pass below a person and between their legs. We wandered the southern shore of the Bartholomew isthmus as well, taking in the breeze and the colours, caught between sea and sand dunes as blue-footed boobies dove and pelicans fed their young in the bright green mangrove nearby.
Santiago Island in the afternoon provided waters with small sharks, surgeonfish, angelfish and parrotfish off a black sand beach. For those who chose to end their time in Galápagos with a last look, smell and feel on the island, the late afternoon light coloured the uneven coastline in soft tones, as the sun slowly settled down behind Isabela Island. Once the sun had set, the light put on one more show for us. Thinking the sunset was over and done with, we were caught off-guard by a splendid last ray of bright vermillion striking out from between the clouds. Everyone will remember this trip, not only because of the islands, but because we’ve made some wonderful friends here on board.
Morning dawned with a few low clouds above the horizon, and some thin scattered remnants overhead. It would turn into a clear day, precisely what we wanted for our visit to this most-renown island of them all. Ochre reds and russet oranges hid among the layers of dirt brown tuffstone. Early risers made it to the top of the world and found themselves surrounded by the islets and islands and deep blue sea.
Snorkelers discovered sea turtles beneath them off the golden sand beach, and Pinnacle Rock pointed as an arrow into the sky. A sea lion tried to join the glass bottom boaters as they bordered the rocky coastline, but the startled exclamations of those already inside caused him to change his mind, so he fell back with a splash. He flashed his belly-button instead, against the glass with sea stars for his background. Meanwhile penguins were the centre of attention elsewhere, paddling and dashing from point to point as they followed their prey and no matter if they had to pass below a person and between their legs. We wandered the southern shore of the Bartholomew isthmus as well, taking in the breeze and the colours, caught between sea and sand dunes as blue-footed boobies dove and pelicans fed their young in the bright green mangrove nearby.
Santiago Island in the afternoon provided waters with small sharks, surgeonfish, angelfish and parrotfish off a black sand beach. For those who chose to end their time in Galápagos with a last look, smell and feel on the island, the late afternoon light coloured the uneven coastline in soft tones, as the sun slowly settled down behind Isabela Island. Once the sun had set, the light put on one more show for us. Thinking the sunset was over and done with, we were caught off-guard by a splendid last ray of bright vermillion striking out from between the clouds. Everyone will remember this trip, not only because of the islands, but because we’ve made some wonderful friends here on board.
