Having now completed our second equator crossing overnight as we navigated around the seahorse’s head, we awoke no worse for wear from those crashing waves, safe and sound back in the Southern Hemisphere. Ahead was Santiago Island, which was explored by Charles Darwin for eleven days in October 1835. This island had a long history of sheltering pirates and whalers, brief inhabitation around the 1930s, and even a salt mining operation.
We dropped anchor at Buccaneer Cove, which we got to know from every angle. It started with a dinghy ride around the dramatic steep red cliffs. Dotted on every available rocky ledge, Blue-footed Booblies, Nazca Boobies, Noddy Terns, Swallow-tailed Gulls, Galápagos Penguins and more found their vantage. Across the landscape, islets are painted white by the birds crowding every inch, and Monk’s Rock looms over the shoreline.
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| Praying Monk |
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| Inside the cave |
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| Blue-footed Booby |
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| Nazca Booby |
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| Photo: Sandie Young |
We then transferred into the kayaks for a paddle with the wind along the cliffs. With Graham this time (Sue and Paul felt bold enough to work together today), the strong current here meant very little need for actual paddling - just enjoy the view! The ceiling was low, but we went into a deep cave, surprisingly echoless. On returning to the Reina Silvia, we took a tour under the hull of the catamaran for a different perspective on things.
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| Photo: Sandie Young |
Video: Graham Black
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| Photo: Sandie Young |
Still in the morning, we revisited the cliffs for snorkelling, seeing the cave from a new angle. Here were plenty of turtles, great schools of fish, and a diving cormorant. The darkness inside was absolute. Turning into the sunlight, a different world opened up, with silhouettes of fish swimming along the edges.
Buccaneer Cove was entirely ours. It was a stunning blue sky day, with that equatorial sun feeling strong under the cool breeze that dominates these islands. We had lunch on the rooftop deck, our wonderful chefs grilling on the barbecue and some of Omar’s music setting the scene. There was not another boat in sight, with this dramatic, volcanic view all to ourselves. Paradise: this felt very glamorous.
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| Photo: Omar Medina |
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| Photo: Omar Medina |
The Reina Silvia travelled to Egas Cove after lunch, with a luxurious peaceful journey that I spent up on the top deck, savouring the feeling of jetting across the Pacific Ocean. Before long, time for the second snorkel of the day!
I was enjoying bobbing along, watching the gentle sea turtles grazing and puffer fish on the fin. When Omar called from the dinghy, “Sea Lion!” I popped my head up to see where he was pointing, which was close by. Dipping my goggles back in, I was just in time to see it BARRELLING STRAIGHT FOR ME. I shrieked through my snorkel and jumped up, but Omar, laughing, told me to go back under because “it wants to play with you!”. Collecting myself, I resubmerged and it came at me again, but pirouetted away at the last second, frolicking and diving playfully. It was surprising and magical.
Our land excursion at Puerto Egas started with a soft beach landing by the lighthouse and Egas homestead (lighthouses were not common around the uninhabited islands). Hector Egas was the owner of the salt mine company in the 1960s, and here remain a few scattered ruins. Interestingly in this bay, there was a barge with lots of activity and people living on board. Omar explained that there had been a fire on one of the cruise ships and it sank into the bay. Now there is a comprehensive clean up operation underway to minimize the ecological impacts. A stoic reminder that tourism among the Galápagos Islands should be carefully managed.
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| Clean up operation, Egas Lighthouse in the background |
The trail was defined by different volcanic processes, including a lava flow, ash deposits, and whirled craters created by rocks trapped in the currents. It was a gorgeous stroll through fascinating terrain and tide pools, Sally Lightfoot Crabs scuttling about, and a total of 3 baby sea lions. Two were together, bleating and watching us to see if any of us was their mother.
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| Mockingbird |
We watched the tide sweeping through bridges of volcanic rock, hearing sea birds crying in the golden afternoon. The volcanic landscape was overwhelmingly beautiful and unforgiving. There, with waves crashing and sea lions and fur seals basking in the sunshine, it was postcard perfect.
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