Isabela & Fernandina Island
A large pod of common dolphins woke us up early in the morning. Later, during our Zodiac ride, we experienced a spectacular morning sighting of the unparalleled Mola mola (also known as the ocean sun fish) at Punta Vicente Roca on Isabela Island. Fabulous snorkelling with sea turtles, penguins, cormorants, sea lions and colourful fishes, along with the Equator crossing comprised the fun of today’s early hours.
After lunch, we went for a nice relaxing walk at Punta Espinoza on Fernandina Island. Big marine iguanas in enormous aggregations were scattered all along the trail. We heard a very interesting talk about the female iguana’s skills to search, keep and protect their nesting sites which are scarce around the area. Our Naturalists explained the geological genesis of the uplifted rock mass of Punta Espinoza and the little beach area which has been taken by female iguanas to lay their eggs. They just finished digging them and laying their eggs last March and now the eggs are being incubated by the sun. Flightless cormorants and the Galápagos hawks came along with us.
We continued exploring this beautiful rocky shore, and we discovered more in the intertidal pools like hermit crabs, sea anemones and sea stars.
At the end of the afternoon the sun started to go down, and its wonderful yellow light brightened up the whole scenery. A rainbow over the volcanoes of neighbouring Isabela Island as we rode back to the National Geographic Islander it was simply the perfect end of today.
A large pod of common dolphins woke us up early in the morning. Later, during our Zodiac ride, we experienced a spectacular morning sighting of the unparalleled Mola mola (also known as the ocean sun fish) at Punta Vicente Roca on Isabela Island. Fabulous snorkelling with sea turtles, penguins, cormorants, sea lions and colourful fishes, along with the Equator crossing comprised the fun of today’s early hours.
After lunch, we went for a nice relaxing walk at Punta Espinoza on Fernandina Island. Big marine iguanas in enormous aggregations were scattered all along the trail. We heard a very interesting talk about the female iguana’s skills to search, keep and protect their nesting sites which are scarce around the area. Our Naturalists explained the geological genesis of the uplifted rock mass of Punta Espinoza and the little beach area which has been taken by female iguanas to lay their eggs. They just finished digging them and laying their eggs last March and now the eggs are being incubated by the sun. Flightless cormorants and the Galápagos hawks came along with us.
We continued exploring this beautiful rocky shore, and we discovered more in the intertidal pools like hermit crabs, sea anemones and sea stars.
At the end of the afternoon the sun started to go down, and its wonderful yellow light brightened up the whole scenery. A rainbow over the volcanoes of neighbouring Isabela Island as we rode back to the National Geographic Islander it was simply the perfect end of today.
