Today was an amazing day. There are some places around the world that are unique because of one great fact, “man hasn’t touched or lived there yet.”
The pristine and youngest island of Fernandina is one of the most active places in the Galapagos since is located in what we believe is the Hotspot. During the last 300,000 years, with every volcanic eruption the lava flows have heightened the surface nearly 900 km2. Plants, reptiles, insects and even one species of mammal naturally arrived and successfully established themselves in an environment where there is a terrible lack of water.
Most creatures here depend on the cold water’s influence, like the marine iguanas. They have an unusual large size due to the amount of green seaweed that grows in almost every place.
A warm light covered the place and this was the perfect moment to disembark at Punta Espinosa and start the hike over the young flows in search of marine iguanas. Before stepping anywhere we had to be careful to look down and not stand in the wrong place. Two baby sea lions about two months old were part of the show, as they played with some other animals.
By the time we walked along the beach some flightless cormorants rested over the edge of rocks, warming up their wings. Meanwhile, the water was almost 70 degrees F and the snorkelers were ready to go on the next adventure. At our next destination, Punta Vicente Roca, we had a great Zodiac ride along the dramatic landscape of Isabela Island. For the first time we saw dozens of baby Galapagos fur seals jumping as they played.
We had a good time in the western part of Isabela Island!
