Day 12 – Puerto Egas, Santiago Island
After a night of tossing and turning in the choppy Pacific, we dropped anchor at Puerto Egas. Here, a dramatic coastline of sculpted basaltic cliffs met a shore of black sand under a moody sky that shifted like an emotional work of art. It gave way to a fiery blaze that spilled radiant light across the sea where brown pelicans crossed the sunbeams torpedoing into the water, scooping up their catch of the day.
Leaving this view behind, we headed inland and followed a trail carved through resilient green shrubs and cacti. We moved at brisk walking pace until it dropped to a sloth-like crawl. A land iguana had presented itself along the path. Completely unfazed by our presence, it casually munched away while we took turns photographing it, zooming in on its rugged mosaic skin of yellow, orange and brown.
Soon, the narrow track opened up to a breathtaking assembly of the wild: jagged formations, towering cliffs and deep sea caves carved by a timeless ocean. In the cool shadows of these grottos, Galapagos fur seals slept peacefully. The weather shifted by the minute, altering the texture of the stones until the true magic unfolded. By magic, I mean the sky gave us some serious sass. We didn’t get just one vibrant rainbow, but two and then miraculously, a third, arching at the same time over the sea.
Life was in motion everywhere. A yellow warbler finally paused long enough for a photograph. Nearby, a whimbrel stood across tidal pools, staring down at a passing crab, while pelicans and blue-footed boobies plunged headfirst into the surf. Even a majestic Galapagos hawk joined the scenery, perching regally upon a lava rock with the rainbow framing its silhouette. Closer to the tide, marine iguanas congregated like living statues on the dark rocks, while the beauty of a yellow-crowned night heron finally came into focus, its elegant silhouette framed against the burning sun.
The island had one last secret, and it was underwater. If the world above was a masterpiece, the world below was a living gallery. Two white-tipped reef sharks glided like ghosts through the deep, while schools of fish darted in unison – except for one bold solitary rebel swimming confidently in the group. For a few breathless seconds, we watched from beneath as pelicans cut through the surface diving into the sea.
Pinnacle Rock, Bartolome Island
We sailed for an hour toward Bartolome, joined by bottlenose dolphins riding the bow. We later began our ascent up the 365 steps in the scorching heat. From the summit and beneath Pinnacle Rock, we took a final glance at the islands that had taken our breath away while we were also gasping for air. The panoramic view unfolded like a map of our memories: Sullivan Bay, Sombrero Chino and away to the southeast, North Seymour – our final landing site before tomorrow’s flight back to reality.
Our final snorkel was pure bliss. White-tip reef sharks and majestic Galapagos sharks circled us gracefully. On the dark lava rocks above, a few penguins rested, content to stay dry despite our silent or maybe not so silent wishes for them to dive in and entertain us. They declined. Beneath the surface, a sea lion swooshed by. I found the vibrant coral gardens a striking backdrop for schools of neon fish darting through the currents.
It was a breathtaking end to an active adventure of island hopping around volcanic rocks and constantly being on the prowl to photograph endemic wildlife. Every evening we were gifted with sunsets that shifted through dramatic reds. Finally, when it turned completely dark, we found ourselves beneath a milky way so crystal clear and vivid that I caught the fleeting trail of two shooting stars. My wishes pending reality.
Day 13 – North Seymour – Baltra Island
Before heading to the airport, we made one last eager hour -long stop, praying to witness the well-known romance of North Seymour’s residents. We took a short walk along the rugged coast, searching the horizon and boy, what luck! We arrived just in time to catch the legendary courtship dance of the blue-footed boobies, the equivalent of a dramatic human tango.
The male began his performance with absolute confidence, lifting one electric blue foot at a time, showing it off like a prized possession. Then, he pointed his bill and tail feathers straight to the sky, spreading his wings wide. With a sharp whistle, a presented the female with a pathetic twig, the equivalent of a 3-carat diamond solitaire. Fully impressed by this piece of twig, she stepped closer, imitating his moves in a perfectly synchronized duet. The finale? She’s a keeper.
These two boobies gave us a grand good bye that perfectly concluded our Galapagos cruise, one that defined the core principle of the islands. You know the one you cannot avoid reading on every single cheap t-shirt in the souvenir shops that oversimplifies what Charles Darwin actually said in ‘On the Origin of Species’ because the average tourist lacks the attention span to read a full paragraph.
‘Evolve’
Cringe, but accurate enough.
CRAYSCAPE 