Isabela and Fernandina Islands
We started our early morning outing before breakfast by sailing around Roca Redonda, the top of a humongous volcano which collapsed and now is home for many marine birds that live in there. After breakfast we crossed the Equator line with a spectacular display of common dolphins, right in front of Ecuador Volcano. In the most western part of the archipelago the upwelling current of Cromwell brings nutrients to many marine species, among them whales that we may see year round in these waters.
We dropped anchor off Punta Vicente Roca and went to explore part of one of the youngest and most volcanically active islands, getting very close to this dramatic landscape of the north-western part of Isabela Island. We had the chance to give panga driving lessons to the youngest guests of our expedition and it was outstanding. We got to observe the giant ocean fish, known as Mola mola, Galápagos penguins, flightless cormorants and green sea turtles.
We came back for lunch and weighed anchor to our next destination, Punta Espinoza on Fernandina Island. A pristine island home for the largest marine iguanas and the only flightless cormorants on earth, and it is where we also find the Galápagos penguins, the most tropical species on earth. We snorkeled with green sea turtles, and wandered among marine iguanas. To walk here is to walk in the prehistoric world where life first appeared and the world is still in formation.
Sea lions are living in harmony with marine iguanas and birds with no presence of big land predators that might disturb the stillness of this little piece of heaven on earth. We walked through a little mangrove jungle next to a lava desert, where the tide was coming down and we had to cross a small tide pool making this experience more challenging. We came back onboard expecting more adventures in the next days to come.
We started our early morning outing before breakfast by sailing around Roca Redonda, the top of a humongous volcano which collapsed and now is home for many marine birds that live in there. After breakfast we crossed the Equator line with a spectacular display of common dolphins, right in front of Ecuador Volcano. In the most western part of the archipelago the upwelling current of Cromwell brings nutrients to many marine species, among them whales that we may see year round in these waters.
We dropped anchor off Punta Vicente Roca and went to explore part of one of the youngest and most volcanically active islands, getting very close to this dramatic landscape of the north-western part of Isabela Island. We had the chance to give panga driving lessons to the youngest guests of our expedition and it was outstanding. We got to observe the giant ocean fish, known as Mola mola, Galápagos penguins, flightless cormorants and green sea turtles.
We came back for lunch and weighed anchor to our next destination, Punta Espinoza on Fernandina Island. A pristine island home for the largest marine iguanas and the only flightless cormorants on earth, and it is where we also find the Galápagos penguins, the most tropical species on earth. We snorkeled with green sea turtles, and wandered among marine iguanas. To walk here is to walk in the prehistoric world where life first appeared and the world is still in formation.
Sea lions are living in harmony with marine iguanas and birds with no presence of big land predators that might disturb the stillness of this little piece of heaven on earth. We walked through a little mangrove jungle next to a lava desert, where the tide was coming down and we had to cross a small tide pool making this experience more challenging. We came back onboard expecting more adventures in the next days to come.
