Isabela & Fernandina
An early optional wake up call finds us navigating on the northwestern part of the archipelago headed towards Isabela Island; this area has rich nutrients brought by an underwater current which finds this wall and brings all different kinds of nutrients to the surface. This is the reason whales and dolphins of different kinds gather here; sure enough here they were, common dolphins all around us, calm ocean and the sun rising right in front of us… what a way to start the day.
Soon after breakfast we crossed the equator and our guests were no longer pollywogs but instead proud shellbacks baptized on the National Geographic Islander in the Galápagos; it became official, they all received a certificate from our master of the ocean, Neptunus Rex, singed at sea by our Captain Pablo Garces. Life will never be the same.
We deployed our pangas and as soon as we departed we were shocked to see the largest bony fish on the planet, the ocean sunfish. All our guests were able to catch a glimpse of this enigmatic fish, and this was just the beginning. Closer to the island the rock comes alive with iguanas, penguins, flightless cormorants, crabs, and birds of different kinds – all against a wonderfully impressive volcanic background. Sea lions and turtles constantly invited us to share this underwater world and so we snorkeled among them. Our guests eagerly shared their experiences and even though they were underwater, fish were surrounded by penguins, cormorants, sea lions, turtles and much more wonderful life.
After lunch we had a dry landing at Fernandina Island which has new volcanic features and so new colonies are formed; massive marine iguanas and flightless cormorants were our highlights, just to mention a few. It was an overcast afternoon surrounded by volcanoes, a gentle breeze and new friends. This place has a magic caused by the coexistence of wildlife which can be contagious.
Our expedition has reached its peak and even though our guests think they have seen it all, that it can not get better then this, they are in for a wonderful surprise. I just hope one day you make it here my dear reader, this place is hard to convey; you just have to be here to experience it and then you, as our guests, will know why we simply call Galápagos “The Enchanted Islands”.
An early optional wake up call finds us navigating on the northwestern part of the archipelago headed towards Isabela Island; this area has rich nutrients brought by an underwater current which finds this wall and brings all different kinds of nutrients to the surface. This is the reason whales and dolphins of different kinds gather here; sure enough here they were, common dolphins all around us, calm ocean and the sun rising right in front of us… what a way to start the day.
Soon after breakfast we crossed the equator and our guests were no longer pollywogs but instead proud shellbacks baptized on the National Geographic Islander in the Galápagos; it became official, they all received a certificate from our master of the ocean, Neptunus Rex, singed at sea by our Captain Pablo Garces. Life will never be the same.
We deployed our pangas and as soon as we departed we were shocked to see the largest bony fish on the planet, the ocean sunfish. All our guests were able to catch a glimpse of this enigmatic fish, and this was just the beginning. Closer to the island the rock comes alive with iguanas, penguins, flightless cormorants, crabs, and birds of different kinds – all against a wonderfully impressive volcanic background. Sea lions and turtles constantly invited us to share this underwater world and so we snorkeled among them. Our guests eagerly shared their experiences and even though they were underwater, fish were surrounded by penguins, cormorants, sea lions, turtles and much more wonderful life.
After lunch we had a dry landing at Fernandina Island which has new volcanic features and so new colonies are formed; massive marine iguanas and flightless cormorants were our highlights, just to mention a few. It was an overcast afternoon surrounded by volcanoes, a gentle breeze and new friends. This place has a magic caused by the coexistence of wildlife which can be contagious.
Our expedition has reached its peak and even though our guests think they have seen it all, that it can not get better then this, they are in for a wonderful surprise. I just hope one day you make it here my dear reader, this place is hard to convey; you just have to be here to experience it and then you, as our guests, will know why we simply call Galápagos “The Enchanted Islands”.
