Last full day in the Islands--June 14

I was sad waking up today. This will be the last full day in the islands and I really didn't feel like going back to the world. It's been nice not having a cell phone or computer or any outside contact. Some sort of GI bug had been going around the boat. Just about everyone, at some point, experienced a 24-48 hour window of distress. This morning it was The Musician's turn. That, coupled with information that the morning trek had >250 steps up to the top of an old dormant volcano, and he decided to sleep in.  Fortunately, I was still unaffected.

We trekked to the top of Bartolome Island. Just like the landscape is different from one island to the next, it was different today also. It felt like we were on the moon. Until we reached the top, and then it was spectacular. There were a series of sunken craters that were visible. Most made round bays, but one was beautiful, it was a crater within a crater. We could also see Pinnacle Rock. Just absolutely breathtaking.

 

After a short dinghy ride around the bay searching for penguins, we took a snorkel  around Pinnacle Rock. Each time the snorkeling is different. 

Today, there were so many new kinds of fish I hadn't seen before. 

Super cool fish spotted by a shipmate . . .heiroglyphic hawkfish

 And the rock formations were spectacular.

But it twas the starfish that took my breath away.

Sand dollars the size of dinner plates

I was really hopeful because this is where we might swim with penguins. One darted past me so fast that he (or she) was gone in an instant, never to be seen again. But, on the shoreline, we found 2. They are really tiny and just look like other nesting birds. Second smallest penguins in the species. The water was much colder here than anywhere else.I really wish we had seen more. I was looking forward to them more than anything. Maybe, next time?

 

Not Chinaman's hat, but a cool trio of islands anyway

After lunch, we took a hike on Chinaman's Hat. Again, different landscape. Here we could see the effects of true previous eruptions with lava flows and lava tubes. The "beach" was made of white rocks of coral.  The sea lions also have it tough here.

Nature is tough and I didn't plan this, but it's an interesting juxtaposition

Not a black and white photo . . .just looks like it

Then, on to the final snorkel of the trip. Here we saw the biggest schools of fish that swarm in huge balls. And more cool varieties. Also, hidden in a cave, a HUGE ray and another cave harbored white tipped sharks.

We stayed up late and laughed and played music and talked about all we had seen. If you know me at all, you know why I didn't dance with everyone else. . .well, except for my demonstration of the "white girl dance . . ."

And tonight, we say good-bye to the Galapagos.