Just before the sun started to rise, we were already at the observation deck looking for the biggest animal on earth, the blue whale. Today we did not have good luck spotting them, but we know they are out there looking at us. After breakfast, we visited Fernandina Island. This is the youngest volcano of the Galapagos Islands and it is still active. Walking on this island is an adventure. Marine iguanas are everywhere, and sea lions play on the coast while their mothers are hunting in the ocean. The waters of the western Galapagos are very rich in nutrients. During our snorkeling outing, we saw marine iguanas and sea turtles feeding on algae covering underwater rocks.
Back onboard the ship, we enjoyed a delicious Mexican-style lunch, a talk on oceanography, and a photography class. To finish the day, we visited Punta Vicente Roca on Isabela. Here, we saw Galapagos penguins, sea turtles, and flightless cormorants all over the place. Then we sailed into the Equatorial Line, celebrating with friendly “pirates” and wine.
