Fernandina and Isabela
The westernmost islands of this archipelago, Fernandina and Isabela – where our expedition brought us today – are the youngest islands of them all. The scenery of the shield-shaped volcanoes made it easy for our guests to understand what geologic time means and how erosion shapes the landscapes of the planet. This area of the archipelago is bathed by the cold Cromwell Current which is very rich in nutrients and responsible for the marine wildlife found in the Galápagos and also for the green color of the water in what are known as upwellings.
We visited Punta Espinoza on Isla Fernandina in the morning. An island that takes us back to the very beginning of time, Fernandina is around 150,000 years old, the youngest of the chain; in geologic time it’s considered a baby. During the walk we talked about the very early processes of life taking place. The simplicity of the ecosystem, together with its fragility, made us think that this place well deserves to be conserved so the life cycles of the species that inhabit this part of the planet will not be altered by humans and can continue with their evolutionary processes… the true power of nature!
As we crossed the equatorial line, we saw how Ecuador Volcano has already submerged into the water, letting us observe it from inside; very interesting lava formations that make oceanic islands.
In the afternoon, we explored Punta Vicente Roca along the coastline of Isabela Island and the unique species that inhabit this area: Galápagos penguins among the smallest of the globe, flightless cormorants, marine iguanas and Pacific green sea turtles made our Zodiac ride very enjoyable.
Back on board we got ready to see again the same creatures, but this time underwater. The snorkeling was just amazing; having the opportunity to swim with the sea turtles and tropical fish of the area made this one of the best snorkel outings so far this week on board the National Geographic Endeavour.
As we returned to the ship at sunset we realized that the overwhelming power of nature surrounding us this week makes us feel that this part of our precious planet deserves to be conserved!
