Bartolomé & Santiago Islands
The island of Bartolomé is, for most people, one of those places out of a dream. Different kinds of volcanic events have happened during its formation, and they could be easily observed when climbing its “not too steep” hill. This morning we started our day by climbing 372 steps, just to catch the early morning light reflected on its westerly formation known as “pinnacle rock.”
The view from the top was spectacular, and everybody was amazed by the contrast of stunning colors and shades reflected on the rocks and lava flows. Surprisingly, many people have seen this view before, and it is all because this could be the most famous view in the entire Galápagos Islands; the pinnacle rock formation has appeared in countless books that describes the beauty and landscape of the archipelago. The two half moon-shape sandy beaches near the pinnacle rock are only separated by mangrove trees, adding a fresh splash of color to the whole view.
After breakfast, we disembarked to enjoy the surrounding wildlife. Penguins were observed swimming through snorkelers as they were looking for minuscule fish to eat. White-tipped reef sharks were also among the main attractions this morning; several of them were spotted along the shallow waters on the beach, presumably waiting for small new sea turtle hatchlings to reach the water. As you can imagine this place sounds unique and peaceful, but the constant battle for survival occurs every minute and everywhere you look.
For our afternoon we sailed off to Puerto Egas, west of Santiago Island. One more time we enjoyed snorkeling with sea lions and sea turtles.
The walk on Santiago Island seemed like a summary of our entire week in the Galápagos, since a little bit of everything kept appearing along its dramatic coastline.
The island of Bartolomé is, for most people, one of those places out of a dream. Different kinds of volcanic events have happened during its formation, and they could be easily observed when climbing its “not too steep” hill. This morning we started our day by climbing 372 steps, just to catch the early morning light reflected on its westerly formation known as “pinnacle rock.”
The view from the top was spectacular, and everybody was amazed by the contrast of stunning colors and shades reflected on the rocks and lava flows. Surprisingly, many people have seen this view before, and it is all because this could be the most famous view in the entire Galápagos Islands; the pinnacle rock formation has appeared in countless books that describes the beauty and landscape of the archipelago. The two half moon-shape sandy beaches near the pinnacle rock are only separated by mangrove trees, adding a fresh splash of color to the whole view.
After breakfast, we disembarked to enjoy the surrounding wildlife. Penguins were observed swimming through snorkelers as they were looking for minuscule fish to eat. White-tipped reef sharks were also among the main attractions this morning; several of them were spotted along the shallow waters on the beach, presumably waiting for small new sea turtle hatchlings to reach the water. As you can imagine this place sounds unique and peaceful, but the constant battle for survival occurs every minute and everywhere you look.
For our afternoon we sailed off to Puerto Egas, west of Santiago Island. One more time we enjoyed snorkeling with sea lions and sea turtles.
The walk on Santiago Island seemed like a summary of our entire week in the Galápagos, since a little bit of everything kept appearing along its dramatic coastline.
