Fernandina and Isabela Islands
After an overnight navigation we started a new day in the western regions of the Enchanted Islands. The youngest volcanoes are located there. This morning we set off to explore Punta Espinosa, on Fernandina. Its summit is hidden from us by a veil of clouds, and its black shoreline doesn’t look attractive from the distance. But as soon as we disembarked, we realized how life thrives in this small peninsula! It has one of the highest concentrations of endemic marine iguanas. The tide was low and much of the green algae they feed on were exposed, readily available to them. Their breeding season has already begun, as we spotted many nests spread over the sand. Other endemic inhabitants of this place are the flightless cormorants, as well as a small colony of Galapagos sea lions. A solitary great blue heron scanned the tide pools for some food. The whole place looked as if it was part of some prehistoric dimension. The surrounding waters are extremely rich, so we had to include an opportunity to explore it. Despite colder waters today, our fearless snorkelers enjoyed close encounters with Pacific green sea turtles and various species of fish, amongst them blue-chin parrot fish, giant damselfish and rainbow wrasses.
The National Geographic Endeavour navigated north towards Punta Vicente Roca. During the crossing we spotted some killer whales, which came pretty close to our ship! Once the anchor was dropped at our new site and the Zodiacs were on the water, we started a ride along this impressive coastline of dark and imposing cliffs. The area is full of life: we found a large group of endemic Galapagos penguins on the rocks, while others were still in the water chasing a large school of anchovies. Not far, there is a bolder beach where flightless cormorants nest. Blue-footed boobies were the most numerous: on ledges in the cliff wall and at the top of the rock formations, many of them were performing their famous ‘booby dance’. A real delight to watch! We also witnessed the joy of a group of young fur sea lions playing in the water and on the rocky shore. In the water, even more creatures: golden rays, ocean sunfish and sharks. Punta Vicente Roca has never been inhabited by humans, and has remained almost untouched, which makes it one of the most amazing places in this archipelago.
