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. That 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 gave us an exclusive environment full of endemic wildlife. Very exciting sightings during the walk were the several hundred marine iguanas seen near the trail, sun bathing and swimming. Walking along the shoreline we could see a colony of flightless cormorants with some couples that were nesting. Fernandina is surely one of the jewels on the crown, with a mix of geology and wildlife.
In the afternoon we visited the northwestern side of Isabela, the seahorse shaped island. It is another volcanically active place in Galápagos, formed by six shield volcanoes connected together. As soon as we arrived, the Zodiacs were loaded with deep water snorkelers, who wanted to take a chance to discover the underwater world of the area. The activity was very exciting. For many of our guests, it was the first time in their lives they were able to snorkel with lots of fish, penguins, flightless cormorants, and green pacific sea turtles. All of these creatures were swimming next to us in waters very rich in plankton. Shortly after deep water snorkeling, some guests went for a Zodiac ride and later we all crossed the Equator line while our hotel manager set up a wine tasting table for everyone. It was accompanied by an astonishing sunset, which made our afternoon.
It is great to know that still there are magical places like the Galápagos where several species coexist in a protected ecosystem, including us!
