Today was a very memorable moment of our expedition in the Enchanted Islands, because we explored the most volcanically active place in Galapagos with the most productive waters; this combination creates a unique ecosystem for the local flora and fauna.
Fernandina, the youngest island in Galápagos, was our morning’s visiting site. Turquoise waters, a mangrove forest and a lava field result in a unique environment full of endemic wild life. We experienced some very exciting sightings during the walk, including several hundred marine iguanas seen near the trail, sun bathing or swimming in the clear water. As we made our way along the shoreline, we could see a colony of flightless cormorants with some couples that were nesting. Fernandina is for sure one of the jewels on the crown, with an incredible mix of geology and wildlife.
In the afternoon, we visited the northwestern side of Isabela, the seahorse shaped island. It is another volcanically active site in Galápagos, formed by six connected shield volcanoes. As soon as we dropped anchor, we began loading the Zodiacs with deep water snorkelers, who were eager to explore the underwater world of the area. The outing was very exciting; for most of our guests, it was their first opportunity to snorkel with lots of fish, penguins, flightless cormorants, and green pacific sea turtles, all around us in these rich, plankton-filled waters. Shortly after deep water snorkeling, some guests went for a Zodiac ride, and later in the evening we crossed the equator line while our hotel manager set up a wine tasting table for everybody, with an astonishing sunset as our backdrop. It was a wonderful way to end our day of adventure.
It is great to know that there are still magical places like the Galápagos. where several species coexist in a protected ecosystem, including us!
