Today we visited the two youngest islands of the archipelago. We started very early entering Bolivar Canal, the channel that separates these two islands, and then navigating south following the shores of Isabela.
From our ship we enjoyed of an amazing sunrise while surrounded by majestic volcanoes. When we thought the moment couldn’t be any better, dolphins were spotted! It was 6:30 AM…time to start our day!
We anchored at Fernandina Island, the disembarkation was on a little dock hidden among mangroves. We took a couple of steps and we found hundreds of marine iguanas warming in piles! We walked along Espinosa Point. What a scene! Lava fields with the most interesting shapes, “La Cumbre” volcano in the background and the lava cactus as dots of color decorating the island. And what a place for wildlife! Marine iguanas were the beginning, but then we found some snakes, lava lizards and our popular sea lions. Sally light foot crabs were all over the lava. The birds couldn’t be any better: ruddy turnstones, golden plovers, American oyster catchers, blue footed boobies, pelicans, flightless cormorants and frigates. A great blue heron got our attention when it started walking in an area where baby marine iguanas were basking. We observed with curiosity how this predator wandered all over the place and slowly the young iguanas started hiding, trying to disappear before it was too late. Fernandina is a beautiful island, by visiting such a new and pristine area we understood the procedures of the arrival and establishment of the species, we witnessed the volcanic origin of the archipelago and finally we observed the tension on nature for the survival of the fittest!
The afternoon was a delightful water moment! We first went snorkeling in a bay and sea turtles were all over the place! We saw penguins and cormorants in the water, rays and sea lions… some of us stayed in the water for over an hour! But it felt like 5 minutes because of the amazing display of wildlife!
We explored the shores from our Zodiacs in the same area, and finally we started our navigation to cross the Equator line. With a cocktail in our hands we observed an amazing sunset from our outer decks. We closed an amazing day with so many memories and new experiences from the Enchanted Islands.
