Travels in the Galapagos Islands (Part 2) – Bartolome and Santiago Islands

Bartolome is a 1.2 square kilometer volcanic islet just off the east coast of Santiago Island.  It is one of the younger islands in the Galapagos archipelago.  Walking on Bartolome is surreal; paths take you through recent volcanic eruptions, extraterrestrial looking landscapes and to the summit of an extinct volcanic cone.  Santiago Island on the other hand, is 585 square kilometers and consists of two overlapping volcanoes.  Here you can walk across undisturbed lava flows that look as if they are still moving.  Once rich in vegetation, settlers released feral goats on the island in the 1880's. The goats thrived eating everything in sight and their numbers grew to over 100,000.  Their presence has severely affected the island's flora and fauna. The park service is working toward their eradication, but it still isn’t unusual to see goats or signs of their presence. Along the coastline, there is abundant wildlife - Sally Lightfoot Crabs, Lava Lizards, Marine Iguanas, Lava Herons and fur seals.  Due to the abundance of underwater rock formations, the region between these two islands is great for snorkeling.

Sally Lightfoot Crab and Marine Iguana

Our first night’s travel on the boat was restless.  Sometime around dawn, we stopped moving. There was the sound of rattling chains as the crew set the anchor, and then only the occasional creak as the boat gently rolled in the swells.  The next time I awoke, the cabin was full of light.  Denise was standing with her head through the hatch and telling me to get dressed.  We were the first up on deck and were welcomed to Bartolome Island with the sight of Pinnacle Rock, one of the most photographed landmarks in the Galapagos archipelago.

The Sulliday at Pinnacle Rock

After breakfast, we climbed aboard the Panga for a wet landing on a beautiful sand cove beach.  The water was colder than I would have thought being so close to the equator, but once on land we dried quickly in the late-morning sun.  We strolled along beautifully strange landscapes to the 114-meter high summit of the volcanic cone.  The view down to the cove where we landed passed the Sulliday and out across Santiago Island was both stark and beautifully alluring.

 The View from the Top of Bartoleme

Back at the Panga, we met up with the Captain.  He had been fishing while we were walking.  As it turned out, this was his daily routine, and fresh fish was always on the menu.  We returned to the boat and had a great swim, using the lower deck as a diving platform.  Then after lunch, we headed to Santiago Island to visit the fur seals that have made the island their home. Along the way, we walked across volcanic rock and old lava flows.  Everywhere the surf touched land there were Marine Iguanas and Sally Lightfoot Crabs.   There were Lava Herons camouflaged against the dark volcanic formations and Black Finches chattering on the cliff faces.

A Fur Seal Frolicking in the Water

In the late afternoon, we went snorkeling.  The sunlit shallows were full of beautifully colored parrotfish and triggerfish.  Our Guide told us some exist nowhere else on the planet, but you could have told me anything.  I was just happy to be on an adventure in the Galapagos Island.