Bartolomé & Chinese Hat

The day starts early: at 07:00 we collect you from your hotel and drive you to the dock, where the M/Y WindRose is waiting. We sail north for about two hours, until Bartolomé rises in front of us with its otherworldly landscape.

The landing is dry, though the sea lions occupying the purpose-built dock tend to make it more exciting. From there a boardwalk climbs through volcanic ash, where almost the only things growing are the pioneer Tiquilia plant and greenish Chamaesyce — both vital in binding the ash that fans down from the hill. At the summit, the reward: two crescent bays embracing Pinnacle Rock, the eroded black lava spire that defines the Galápagos postcard.

Then we get in the water. The anchorage at the foot of Pinnacle Rock is one of the best snorkelling sites in the central Galápagos: parrotfish, marine turtles, sea lions and, with luck, Galápagos penguins.

After a hot lunch on board we head for Chinese Hat, a very small volcano beside Santiago Island, surrounded by spatter cones that create a dramatic landscape. A wet landing on its main beach puts you on white sand where sea lions rest and wading birds feed along the shoreline, with penguins and the occasional Galápagos hawk active nearby.