Fernandina & Isabela Islands
After a long navigation we arrived in the western regions of the Galápagos archipelago. Fernandina and Isabela Islands hold the youngest volcanoes, and with today’s clear skies we had an unusual chance to see the summits of most of them! Along the Bolivar Channel, which divides both islands, we were able to observe the spouts of at least a dozen Bryde’s whales. We set foot at Punta Espinosa, a young lava flow which is the product of a volcanic eruption from 1825. Fernandina is one of the last pristine islands in the world; few species inhabit this hostile environment but one of them is incredibly abundant: the marine iguana. We found large aggregations of them as they were warming themselves up on the black lava. There is also a small colony of Galápagos sea lions here, and on the trail we found a couple of very young pups, waiting for their mums to come back to nurse them. A typical inhabitant of this shoreline is the endemic flightless cormorant; this species has traded its ability to fly to become a better swimmer and diver. After the walk we had a chance to snorkel in the surrounding coast. The waters here are cold and highly productive, so soon after jumping in we spotted several Pacific green sea turtles and marine iguanas, as well as abundant fish and marine invertebrate species.
In the afternoon we enjoyed a Zodiac ride along the stunning coastline of Punta Vicente Roca. The outer slopes of Ecuador Volcano are the habitat of several marine species, amongst which we found flightless cormorants, Galápagos penguins and brown noddy terns. The deep waters of the area provide sufficient food to a colony of Galápagos fur sea lions, and we were amazed by the numbers of Pacific green sea turtles either resting or feeding in the calm bay.
To end a fantastic day, we celebrated the crossing of the equator line in front of the bridge of the National Geographic Endeavour, with a magnificent sunset and a drink in hand. Salud!
