Isabela Island
Continuing our expedition around the archipelago, we finally arrived at a mysterious place on the Island of Isabela: the uplift formation of Urbina Bay.
The weather allowed us to take out the special photo team as early as possible in a wet landing on the island. Once there the soft light covered the volcano Alcedo and the sun rose, reflecting every cloud. The colors of the early morning welcomed the local wildlife, which were local birds and some very curious tortoises.
As the slow paced hike began, some land tortoises came out of the forest just to lay down in our way. It was very easy to find a good spot to sit and enjoy what we know the best: good photography. My opinion about tortoises being very peaceful changed this morning, when one juvenile male noticed something was wrong on the trail. I stayed away to one side of the path and he walked slowly, approaching us. He saw me and finally got tired, but opened his toothless jaw (which has a sharp beak) and almost tasted me! Not today, I said, and finally moved away from him. This experience was a lot of fun for everyone behind me.
In the afternoon at Tagus Cove the snorkeling was amazing. A great number of Galapagos penguins and flightless cormorants were fishing and an impossibly large group of nearly 60 golden rays also arrived.
Another highlight was our power hike. It was obviously hot but the landscape was exceptional as we walked to the highest point of the old cinder cone. There was a very clear horizon and plenty of green vegetation at this unique place. At the end of the day we returned to a glorious sunset, and the display became the final sweet memory for our two days well spent at the western part of our archipelago.
