To the west of the archipelago are two large islands, both with recent volcanic activity, making them the youngest of the group.

The morning starts very early for the best observation of marine mammals. We are lucky to see whales spouting in the distance. The captain moves the National Geographic Endeavour for a closer look. We are able to take pictures of the whales arching their backs as they swim along the surface. Several times they dive deep, showing their flukes as a “See you soon.”

After breakfast we head to a place called Punta Espinoza on Fernandina, which is considered one of the largest still pristine islands in the world. This location is teeming with life. We find large numbers of marine iguanas all over the area, still huddled together in the morning to stay warm through the night. We take lots of pictures of them as they crawl toward the water for the first meal of the day, which largely consists of green seaweed.

Sea lions are another attraction of the place. They seem to call for people’s attention with a special charm. Different kinds of birds are also found here, including one species that can only be found in this part of the world. Appropriately called flightless cormorants, they have lost the ability to fly possibly because they don’t need to roam very far due to the abundance of food. Penguins, fur seals, boobies, pelicans and other creatures also benefit from the rich concentration of food in these young islands for most of the year.

Everywhere we see turtles and the attractive Sally Lightfoot crabs that paint the rocks with splashes of red and orange.

Later in the afternoon we are ready to go in the water for snorkeling. The amazing Pacific green turtles are just everywhere here. It is impossible to miss them as we swim in a little cove at Punta Vicente Roca on Isabela Island. Penguins, cormorants and sea lions also make things more interesting.

Coming back on board for a quick turnaround, we soon engage in another activity: Zodiac rides along the coast, where fur seals, diving boobies, sea lions, penguins, cormorants and sea turtles all put on a show. A sun fish shows up for a time before disappearing in the blue ocean as if saying, “You’ve had enough for the day.” The celebration for the passing of the equator awaits.

Another amazing adventure in the Galapagos.