Bartolome and Santiago Islands
It is hard to choose which are nicer: the sunsets or the sunrises at sea. But today I would vote for the magnificent sunrise in Bartolome Island. We had anchored in front of this tiny tuff volcano, when the sun rose from behind a flat and crystalline sea, illuminating with color the many ash layers of Bartolome, and painting pinks and yellows in the few clouds in the sky. Guests enjoyed not only the views and the geology of this island, but its underwater beauty as well. A few had the privilege of swimming with penguins, witnessing how fast they can “fly” through the water, reaching twenty miles an hour sometimes. In the afternoon we landed on the island that is pretty close to our hearts, San Salvador, and had our second snorkeling opportunity of the day, when we encountered sea lions and marine turtles. The walk gave us the opportunity to become “little Darwins,” exploring tidal pools and recognizing the several species everybody has gotten familiar with along the week. Fur seals were one of the highlights of the day, playing in the grottos area, a magical site formed by collapsed lava tubes. This brown pelican looked its best, and we found several marine iguanas as well. Then we had a spectacular sunset, but as I said earlier, I would stick with the sunrise for today.
It is hard to choose which are nicer: the sunsets or the sunrises at sea. But today I would vote for the magnificent sunrise in Bartolome Island. We had anchored in front of this tiny tuff volcano, when the sun rose from behind a flat and crystalline sea, illuminating with color the many ash layers of Bartolome, and painting pinks and yellows in the few clouds in the sky. Guests enjoyed not only the views and the geology of this island, but its underwater beauty as well. A few had the privilege of swimming with penguins, witnessing how fast they can “fly” through the water, reaching twenty miles an hour sometimes. In the afternoon we landed on the island that is pretty close to our hearts, San Salvador, and had our second snorkeling opportunity of the day, when we encountered sea lions and marine turtles. The walk gave us the opportunity to become “little Darwins,” exploring tidal pools and recognizing the several species everybody has gotten familiar with along the week. Fur seals were one of the highlights of the day, playing in the grottos area, a magical site formed by collapsed lava tubes. This brown pelican looked its best, and we found several marine iguanas as well. Then we had a spectacular sunset, but as I said earlier, I would stick with the sunrise for today.
