Climbing to the summit (ps)
Arising at 6:00 am, going out before breakfast in a zodiac to disembark at 6:30 am only to climb a wooden staircase of almost 400 steps, may not sound like the ideal vacation activity, but we were lured with the promise of a spectacular view from atop that staircase. We were on the tiny volcanic islet, of Bartolome, where our ship had traveled during the night.
The Pinnacle (ps)
The boardwalk that took us over friable volcanic tuff allow this fragile environment to remain preserved. We saw fabulous lava formations and a lava tunnel with a gaping opening, plus a number of beautiful "spatter cones," many rust colored, along with sooty-colored lava flows frozen in position many thousands of years ago as the boiling magma abruptly cooled; wind and erosion have created many artistic forms in the now-solidified ash.
Lava Tunnel (ps)



The view from the very top revealed huge crusty black circular rock formations poking up in the surf along the beach; these are the remnants of volcanic bubbles which burst and solidified long, long ago.
2bBubble.jpg
Volcanic Bubble (ps)
From the very top we were rewarded with a magnificent vista of sharply pointed volcanic cones, a gently curving shoreline cradling a golden beach accentuated by the rich green of mangroves. Beyond lay the open sea where a few graceful ships, the M.S. Islander amongst them, rested at anchor.
The view from the top (ps)

Snorkeling and beach walking back at Bartholome beach followed breakfast, where we caught two sea turtles mating (see image above left).
Green Sea Turtles mating (ps)