Today we enjoyed a great combination of sea and land activities. Early morning we landed at Bartolomé Island, to admire its moonlike craters and gorgeous golden beaches. Here, the pioneer lava cacti gave us a clear insight into how the first life forms colonized this new volcanic ground. Having spines instead of leaves, this cactus illustrates a key ability of adaptation, which has allowed it to live in the extremely dry conditions of Bartolomé. We enjoyed the magic of a breathtaking sunrise on this unique landscape before coming back for a well -deserved breakfast.
Some of our explorers spent the rest of the morning snorkeling, while others decided to relax on the majestic golden beach of Bartolomé. For those who stayed at the beach, several blue-footed boobies and curious lava lizards came around to provide entertainment. For those who decided to refresh on the clear blue waters of this majestic island, their reward was an incredible sighting of a baby black-tipped reef shark which was swimming close to the shore and stayed with us for long time. This inspirational contact with so many animals reminded us that the Galapagos is such a special place, where humans can have a unique interaction with nature. We came back for lunch, welcomed by our fabulous cooking team who delighted us with a variety of fabulous dishes, including paella!
After lunch, we prepared an activity for our young explorers, who had the chance to put their creativity in practice by painting Galapagos hats. They had a fun time drawing and coloring iguanas and tortoises on their hats. Later on, some of our guests went for Zodiac rides, where they spotted a hunting penguin, popping up for a breath while another one was resting on the volcanic coast of Santiago. We witnessed a very important part of a penguin lifestyle, as they were meticulously looking after their feathers, a necessary daily activity to maintain waterproofing and insulation. Later on, we came on board to learn about the role that the Lindblad Expeditions – National Geographic Fund plays in keeping the Galapagos pristine, and how our responsible travelers are contributing towards a sustainable future in this unique world heritage site.
At the end of the day, a delicious barbecue on our pool deck seemed a perfect closure for an exciting day. However, this day was not over yet, as our creative Expedition Leader organized a talent show night, where a mixture of talented guests and staff on board showed their artistic skills, including a professional soprano, an Andean music player and some wonderful guitar players. This is how another inspiring day at the Enchanted Islands ended, with a group of wonderful people on board, sharing an incredible time with an amazing combination of nature, peace, friendship and fun.
