Today we had a fantastic exploration of Galapagos wildlife and natural history by visiting the western side of Fernandina and Isabela islands. The concentration of phytoplankton was remarkable as we entered Canal Bolivar, one of the nutrient-rich areas of the archipelago.
After a comfortable dry landing on Fernandina Island, we quickly came upon an impressive number of marine iguanas basking on lava rocks. Decorated by enormous shield volcanoes, the rocky terrain gave us an idea of how these islands were formed thousands of years ago, when pioneering plants like lava cactus broke down rocks into soil.
Returning to the National Geographic Endeavour, we navigated to our next destination: Punta Vicente Roca, where we snorkeled in deep water along the cliffs. Punta Vicente Roca is a part of the magnificent Galapagos Marine Reserve. Entering the water was like being inside a natural aquarium. Colorful reef fish swam among the lava rocks, and Pacific green sea turtles floated close to the surface of the water or rested on the sandy bottom.
An exciting Zodiac ride completed our journey around Punta Vicente Roca. We saw Galapagos penguins resting on the rocky coastline, blue-footed boobies plunging into the ocean, and flightless cormorants fishing. At the end of the day, we enjoyed a magical sunset while sipping wine as we crossed the Equator line.
