Bartolomé Island and Chinese Hat
Early in the morning we disembarked for our visit to Bartolomé. This small island is formed by a couple of tuff cones that are attached to Santiago Island. Pinnacle Rock is a very emblematic image of Bartolomé. The area is very vulnerable, so in order to stop the erosion the Galápagos National Park built a wooden platform for visitors to walk on. We climbed to the summit of Bartolomé – almost 400 steps to enjoy a breathtaking view!
The rest of the morning we spent on the golden beach of the same island. We snorkeled and enjoyed the sand and the sun!
In the afternoon we relocated to visit Chinese Hat. Snorkeling was the highlight, and we saw sharks, rays and tropical fish of different colors and shapes. A friendly penguin swam with one of our guests, so close that he had to swam backwards not to touch it!
On our way back a fin was spotted in the deep water. At least two tiger sharks were swimming around the ship. How exciting! We jumped in the zodiac to try to get a closer look. For many of us it was our first time seeing this species.
There is always something new in the islands, and always excitement and fun while you’re exploring nature!
