Bartolome and Santiago Islands
The intrinsic beauty and the fascination of the Galápagos Islands captivated us in a magical way today. Even the most demanding expectations were certainly fulfilled. Early in the morning we enjoyed a walk to the summit of Bartolome Island. This little jewel is a geological paradise; its volcanic cones and landscapes are breathtaking. While walking on this island you cannot avoid thinking of the old dream of man: to walk on the moon. Later in the morning we closely observed a great blue heron catching a fish right in front of our eyes! Galápagos penguins, white-tipped reef sharks and many different species of colorful tropical fish shared their world with us while snorkeling around Pinnacle Rock.
In the afternoon, we saw many additional great sightings. A couple of big male marine iguanas were involved in a long and remarkable territorial battle for territory. The male iguanas were pushing each other using their heads just like wrestlers. For me anyway, my highlight was to observe for the first time, a very young Galápagos fur seal swimming. Its mother went to the water first; the baby hesitated for a while. Suddenly, the pup jumped in the water. It was exciting, to see this tiny baby taking its first excursions into the ocean. What came next was also extraordinary. The mother fur seal pushed the pup out of the water as if to say, “that is enough for today.” Experiences like this cannot help to make each of us more committed to our love and passion for the natural world. These experiences are the essence of the magic of this exquisite archipelago.
The intrinsic beauty and the fascination of the Galápagos Islands captivated us in a magical way today. Even the most demanding expectations were certainly fulfilled. Early in the morning we enjoyed a walk to the summit of Bartolome Island. This little jewel is a geological paradise; its volcanic cones and landscapes are breathtaking. While walking on this island you cannot avoid thinking of the old dream of man: to walk on the moon. Later in the morning we closely observed a great blue heron catching a fish right in front of our eyes! Galápagos penguins, white-tipped reef sharks and many different species of colorful tropical fish shared their world with us while snorkeling around Pinnacle Rock.
In the afternoon, we saw many additional great sightings. A couple of big male marine iguanas were involved in a long and remarkable territorial battle for territory. The male iguanas were pushing each other using their heads just like wrestlers. For me anyway, my highlight was to observe for the first time, a very young Galápagos fur seal swimming. Its mother went to the water first; the baby hesitated for a while. Suddenly, the pup jumped in the water. It was exciting, to see this tiny baby taking its first excursions into the ocean. What came next was also extraordinary. The mother fur seal pushed the pup out of the water as if to say, “that is enough for today.” Experiences like this cannot help to make each of us more committed to our love and passion for the natural world. These experiences are the essence of the magic of this exquisite archipelago.
