We arrived at Fernandina Island in the early hours. After breakfast, we boarded Zodiacs and went ashore for a morning walk on Punta Espinoza where we spotted large clusters of Galapagos marine iguanas on the lava flow.
As we walked farther in, a young male Galapagos sea lion greeted us. He watched everybody from the trail before moving off toward sleeping sea lions.
We enjoyed a sunny morning with great breezes. Later, we went snorkeling. We had a great time observing green sea turtles and various fish while Galapagos flightless cormorants kept us company.
During lunch, we navigated toward Punta Vicente Roca on the northwestern side of Isabela Island. This is the largest island in the archipelago, and we enjoyed a great Zodiac ride. Along the coast of Punta Vicente Roca, we saw Galapagos sea lions, Galapagos fur seals, marine iguanas, boobies, pelicans and Galapagos penguins. Tall red cliffs pierced the clouds. The landscape was simply breathtaking, and the light was perfect.
Toward the end of the afternoon, we sailed closer to the equator. As in times past, we marked our crossing with a small ceremony. We also spotted an Arctic tern, a migratory bird, when it landed on the ship. What a great surprise! We ended the day with a colorful sunset and wine.
