Bartolome and Santiago Island
Today we woke up with a slightly overcast morning; this is because we are in the middle of the transition time among the two only seasons that affect the Galápagos Islands, the wet and the rainy seasons. Nevertheless, we started our morning by walking the 375 wooden steps up to the summit of Bartolome Island, and reached a delightful view of a famous area called the pinnacle rock. It was a paradoxical feeling between a barren and isolated landscape, combined with sparks of reddish, purplish, grayish colors and very little animal life as well. Pioneer plants like lava cactus and Tiquilia were growing on the volcanic ash fields. Here, they can only survive by absorbing the several macronutrients from the minerals found in the lava rock.
In the late morning we landed on the northern beach of Bartolome and walked a short distance to the southern beach. Once again we could see the contrast between mangroves growing on sand dunes next to cactuses growing on lava. We could also observe from the shoreline white tipped reef sharks, hawks mating and a great blue heron having its morning meal.
The snorkeling couldn’t be any better! The underwater world of the Galápagos gave us the opportunity to swim with penguins, sea lions and sharks. The underwater scenery was filled with a school of black-stripped salemas and colorful invertebrates such as the sea stars.
In the afternoon we landed on a black sandy beach. While walking along the coastal shore of the island, the timeless topography of James Bay revealed Jurassic-like marine iguanas. These ectotermic animals (incapable to regulate their internal temperature) “piled up” in groups, in order to keep themselves warm for the evening. In the meanwhile, the fur sea lions were resting at the lava flow grottos waiting for the night to start their foraging.
Not a bad first full day in the Galápagos…
Today we woke up with a slightly overcast morning; this is because we are in the middle of the transition time among the two only seasons that affect the Galápagos Islands, the wet and the rainy seasons. Nevertheless, we started our morning by walking the 375 wooden steps up to the summit of Bartolome Island, and reached a delightful view of a famous area called the pinnacle rock. It was a paradoxical feeling between a barren and isolated landscape, combined with sparks of reddish, purplish, grayish colors and very little animal life as well. Pioneer plants like lava cactus and Tiquilia were growing on the volcanic ash fields. Here, they can only survive by absorbing the several macronutrients from the minerals found in the lava rock.
In the late morning we landed on the northern beach of Bartolome and walked a short distance to the southern beach. Once again we could see the contrast between mangroves growing on sand dunes next to cactuses growing on lava. We could also observe from the shoreline white tipped reef sharks, hawks mating and a great blue heron having its morning meal.
The snorkeling couldn’t be any better! The underwater world of the Galápagos gave us the opportunity to swim with penguins, sea lions and sharks. The underwater scenery was filled with a school of black-stripped salemas and colorful invertebrates such as the sea stars.
In the afternoon we landed on a black sandy beach. While walking along the coastal shore of the island, the timeless topography of James Bay revealed Jurassic-like marine iguanas. These ectotermic animals (incapable to regulate their internal temperature) “piled up” in groups, in order to keep themselves warm for the evening. In the meanwhile, the fur sea lions were resting at the lava flow grottos waiting for the night to start their foraging.
Not a bad first full day in the Galápagos…
