Today we were transported back in time. The bizarre landscape of Bartolome Island is one of the most conspicuous in the archipelago; few species successfully arrived and established on the island. A pre-breakfast outing let us enjoy the scenery and have a better understanding of the conditions that the islands had 3.5 million years ago when the different species that inhabit the Galapagos Islands today arrived. The different parasitic cones already burnished by the past of the time located us in a place similar to the moon. The wooden steps lead us to the top of the hill to get the most rewarding volcanic scenery of the island. After breakfast, we headed to a golden sand beach where snorkeling for beginners and advanced swimmers took place. Penguins, white tip sharks and different kind of fish were found in the crystal clear warm water of Bartolome Island.
In the afternoon several alternatives were offered to our explorers. The terracotta island “Rabida” is a great place for kayaking; many of us explored the coastline from a different perspective. Several species of birds such as brown pelicans, blue-footed boobies and striated herons among other species were sighted. We also explored the underwater realm one more time. Sea turtles, sea lions and marine iguanas were the highlight of the deep-water snorkeling until a seven feet manta ray darkened the snorkeling place. We got surprised by Mother Nature!!! Those that opted to have a more relaxing time went on land for a walk along the red sand beach where Darwin’s finches, mockingbirds, Galapagos doves and sea lions resting on the beach were amusing our hikers. Since the Galapagos Islands are always surprising us, a new baby sea turtle was sighted while it was heading to the ocean from the vegetation where the nest was located. This magical day ended walking along the beach while the sun was setting behind the imposing Isabela Island.
