GALAPAGOS EXPERIENCES – 6 DAYS IN THE ARCHIPELAGO (PART ONE)

The next morning, we woke up at 5:30 a.m. for a hike on Bartholomew Island, where we climbed 326 steps to take in one of the most iconic formations in the Galapagos—Pinnacle Rock (the climb includes a wooden staircase constructed by the Park Service to protect the island from erosion). Definitely worth the early morning! First, we had a delicious breakfast on the small catamaran and a beautiful sunrise to start the day. At arrival on the island, we all felt like arriving on Mars: vegetation is sparse on the first look, the lava formation has a reddish tone to it. The Tequilia plant, which appears to be dead brush, is actually made of leaves covered with small gray hairs, which help prevent moisture evaporation and reflect sunlight and the Galapagos lava cacti colonize the new lava fields.

The panorama on top provided us with a clear view of the Pinnacle Rock, the immense black lava flows at Sullivan Bay and the rest of Santiago Island, and Daphne Major and Minor. A play of intense color!

On the panga-ride in the bay around Pinnacle Rock, we were able to spot the Galapagos penguins, one of the smallest species to be found in the world and the only one living north of the equator. We arrived via wet-landing on the beach north of Pinnacle Rock, from where we went first to explore the southern side, one of the smaller Green Sea Turtle nesting beaches in the archipelago (nesting season is from January to March). With amazement we watched Galapagos white-tipped sharks gliding by close to the shore. Snorkeling after this? We weren’t sure! After being assured by our guide, we put on our wet-suits and jumped into the chilly waters and were soon surrounded by all kinds of tropical fish.

After a delicious lunch on board (the cook is great!), we finished this perfect day tour to Bartholomew Island with sightings of dolphin on our way back!