Urbina Bay and Tagus Cove
Alcedo Volcano is the center of the largest Island in this archipelago, and the area where we hiked this morning is the very essence of this place, the most interesting area we could ever imagine. Isabela Island was formed from six volcanoes that have joined together over time; giant tortoises and the prehistoric-looking land iguanas roam the green vegetation found in the lower areas of the volcanoes that is their habitat. Five species of tortoises have radiated from a common ancestor. We could not have been more lucky than today, enjoying several giant tortoises and the natural habitat of the land iguanas.
The coast of Urbina Bay was uplifted in 1959, and geology has given a touch of magic to the place over time. A large area rose above the water, due to the movement of tectonic plates, leaving behind giant brain corals and the remains of the marine life that now is part of the sedimentary rock, also known as the marine fossils on land.
This afternoon we snorkeled with penguins and sea turtles in a place full of life; productivity is high here due to the presence of nutrient-rich oceanic submarine countercurrents.
Later we visited Tagus Cove, a place where the H.M.S Beagle anchored in 1835, with the young naturalist Charles Darwin aboard. As we hiked up to the see the volcanoes we observed Darwin’s Lake, a brackish water lagoon .It is a beautiful formation in the heart of a tuff cone. The landscape of this place, together with the birds and plants that inhabit the island, has given us the joy of becoming part of nature. The Zodiac ride in the late afternoon was also very relaxing.
We realize that these islands deserve to be conserved, not only for us humans to visit but for all of the wonderful creatures that have made this place their home…
