To visit the real Galapagos Islands, you are supposed to reach the farthest regions, so the encounters with the species will be unique. And during our trip we could not miss any “must do its” like the western islands.
We woke up crossing the equatorial line moving south to the youngest of all the islands. After our delicious breakfast we got the opportunity to walk along this fantastic shoreline. Punta Espinoza on Fernandina Island has a tremendous population of marine iguanas; in fact, this is where you can find the largest of its kind. The reason is that the western coast is washed by the cold, rich in nutrients Cromwell Current, so the numbers of species like herons, oyster catchers, hawks and turtles are countless. And – they are still are unafraid of humans. This place gave us our first encounter with the well renowned flightless cormorant.
Later we received a big surprise, with an Ecuadorian buffet. It displayed all the variety of dishes traditionally cooked in the four regions of the country.
During the afternoon we moved to the sea horse-shaped island, Isabela. Specifically, we visited Punta Vicente Roca. It is a place that offers the best chance to swim surrounded by sea turtles, penguins and – surprisingly – by a curious brown pelican. And of course with some more time for a last activity, we enjoyed a Zodiac ride that can be seen as a summary of the wildlife and volcanic landscape.
So to end the marvelous day, we had a fun-filled crossing of the equatorial line once again.
