Swimming with Sharks - Isla Bartolome

So day trip number one and I set an alarm for 5:30am. I remember this from my days with Kyla! Isla Bartalome is located north of Isla Santa Cruz so it required us to take a 45min minibus ride back to the northern port and then board our vessel for the 2.5hr cruise to the island. I have been worried about the time on boats since I am prone to sea sickness but, upon the recommendation of fellow travellers, I bough some Mareol pills from a local pharmacist in Guayaquil and have thankfully had zero problems. 

Huge relief! 

As we cruised to the island I saw my first flying fish and boy can they go. Started to really recognise where I am, and how plentifully I will be filling my collection of "firsts" bag while I wander these islands. 

Once on Bartolome we took a walk up to the highest point on the volcanic island which in fact isn't really that high. (See above which I later found out is a famous spot in the Galapagos as far as postcards go.) Passing little orange necked lizards snacking on white flowers, admiring sun bathing sea lions and iguanas, and lifting rocks that are incredibly light since they are filled with air and gas. Was like being on another planet with so much of the landscape resembling frozen liquid which is really cooled magma.

Amazing landscapes

We followed that up with an hour or so snorkel around the famous (I am told) pinnacle rock. (This is a photo of the rock and our boat that took 2.5 hours to get to the island at high speeds. So glad I had sea sickness pills.)


Somehow the others were looking to investigate closer to shore so I got a private tour of the best spots with our guide Hirem. Within minutes we were swimming with white tip reef sharks, diving down to get a closer look at a ray hiding under a rock, admiring the many parrot and sergent fish (and a ton more I can't name) and then the sea lions jumped in the water so we could see how well they too can cruise around. 

Magical

Also managed to get up close with some Blue Footed Boobies (bird species for all of you who are snickering right now) and the most intensely red/orange crabs who look like an animals a child would create on paper vs a legitimate species. Stunners that they are.


I will admit I was pretty sad to have to leave but knowing I have about ten days of this kind of adventure made it tolerable. On the cruise home dolphins made an appearance but I was too slow and didn't see them. Somehow I imagine it wasn't the only time they will be nearby so I will just wait for the next time.

Home in time to shower and then coincidentally met an American couple from my flight for cocktails and later dinner along the harbour a short water taxi away. Beautiful to see the ships in the bay with their lights twinkling on the water. 

Yes this is the place for b. xox