Bartolome & Santiago Islands
We started the morning with a before breakfast hike to the top of Bartolome Island. There were spectacular views of many of the scenes from “Master and Commander, Far Side of the World.” Almost all the major islands were visible from the top. We could trace the plate fracture that resulted in a string of islands. The spatter cones surrounded by the most recent lava flows were breathtaking.
After breakfast we took the Zodiacs to a sparkling golden sand beach. We hiked through the dunes and discovered a hatched out sea turtle nest. The eggshells covered several square meters. Back at the beach we went snorkeling. Swimming with sea turtles, trying to count all the huge brightly colored sea stars, four kinds of sea urchins, and, my favorite, watching a squid change colors as it moved from the kelp to the sandy bottom.
An afternoon wandering the lava flow beaches of Santiago Island completed our week’s exploration of the Galápagos. Lava bridges arching over 10 meter deep, crystal clear pools, formations that would make great bird baths or fountains cover the coast line, and every lagoon had a family of sea lions, many with young pups keening for an afternoon feeding. It was a grand finish to a fabulous week.
We started the morning with a before breakfast hike to the top of Bartolome Island. There were spectacular views of many of the scenes from “Master and Commander, Far Side of the World.” Almost all the major islands were visible from the top. We could trace the plate fracture that resulted in a string of islands. The spatter cones surrounded by the most recent lava flows were breathtaking.
After breakfast we took the Zodiacs to a sparkling golden sand beach. We hiked through the dunes and discovered a hatched out sea turtle nest. The eggshells covered several square meters. Back at the beach we went snorkeling. Swimming with sea turtles, trying to count all the huge brightly colored sea stars, four kinds of sea urchins, and, my favorite, watching a squid change colors as it moved from the kelp to the sandy bottom.
An afternoon wandering the lava flow beaches of Santiago Island completed our week’s exploration of the Galápagos. Lava bridges arching over 10 meter deep, crystal clear pools, formations that would make great bird baths or fountains cover the coast line, and every lagoon had a family of sea lions, many with young pups keening for an afternoon feeding. It was a grand finish to a fabulous week.
