What a way to begin our expedition in the Galápagos Islands aboard the National Geographic Islander, visiting two different Islands that offered us a combination of geology and wildlife.
At sunrise most guests went on a brisk walk towards the summit of Bartolome Island. The various geological features seen at this place, such as parasitic cones and lava fields, made our visit very unique. After going to North Seymour Island yesterday which was full of endemic fauna, today for sure we got a great contrast by seeing a desolated place that made us feel like we were in another world.
After breakfast all guests were supplied with snorkeling gear and wetsuits for the aquatic activities of the week. Shortly afterwards we went snorkeling in crystal clear waters right at the base of the remnants of an eroded tuff cone called Pinnacle Rock. The temperature was a pleasant 78ºF, and we came across big schools of fish, sea lions, and a white-tipped reef shark.
At 12:30 p.m. we had a traditional lunch, with a sample of food from all the regions of Ecuador; follow by some siesta time during the navigation from Bartolome to Rabida. After dropping the anchor at Rabida Bay, all our guests were offered kayaking, deep water snorkeling, beach time, and a nature walk. Red sand, steep cliffs, sea birds, and sea lions were some of the best highlights we could observe exploring this Island.
We stayed long enough to watch the sunset from the Island. It went down slowly behind Isabela Island, our visiting site for tomorrow.
