Isabela & Fernandina
What an exciting and fabulous day we had today. Early risers joined the staff on the search for marine mammals. We sailed along the northern shores of Volcano Ecuador where we could see the beautiful volcanic landscapes of the surroundings. After breakfast King Neptune and his pirates came onboard to transform pollywogs into shellbacks after crossing the Equator line. Pollywog is the navy term used to describe a person who has not crossed the Equator via ship yet. The amusing ceremony was followed by a kayaking lesson. At around 9:45 we loaded the Zodiacs for our first morning outing. Our Zodiac cruise along the shoreline of volcano Ecuador was highlighted by the company of Pacific green sea turtles, flightless cormorants, Galápagos penguins, and Galápagos fur seals. Snorkeling was definitely outstanding for many of us! Only in the Galápagos you can swim with sea turtles, flightless cormorants, penguins and colorful fish, all at the same time!
After lunch, our guest speaker Dr. Sylvia Earle gave a superb presentation about both the oceans of the world and the state of the earth's fisheries. The afternoon walk on Punta Espinoza at Fernandina Island gave us more surprises, tiny newborn baby Galápagos sea lions, Galápagos hawks, Flightless cormorants, and marine iguanas in big numbers! The delightful view of Canal Bolivar and the shield volcanoes of Isabela were extraordinary today. The sunset was a golden seal for a perfect day in paradise.
What an exciting and fabulous day we had today. Early risers joined the staff on the search for marine mammals. We sailed along the northern shores of Volcano Ecuador where we could see the beautiful volcanic landscapes of the surroundings. After breakfast King Neptune and his pirates came onboard to transform pollywogs into shellbacks after crossing the Equator line. Pollywog is the navy term used to describe a person who has not crossed the Equator via ship yet. The amusing ceremony was followed by a kayaking lesson. At around 9:45 we loaded the Zodiacs for our first morning outing. Our Zodiac cruise along the shoreline of volcano Ecuador was highlighted by the company of Pacific green sea turtles, flightless cormorants, Galápagos penguins, and Galápagos fur seals. Snorkeling was definitely outstanding for many of us! Only in the Galápagos you can swim with sea turtles, flightless cormorants, penguins and colorful fish, all at the same time!
After lunch, our guest speaker Dr. Sylvia Earle gave a superb presentation about both the oceans of the world and the state of the earth's fisheries. The afternoon walk on Punta Espinoza at Fernandina Island gave us more surprises, tiny newborn baby Galápagos sea lions, Galápagos hawks, Flightless cormorants, and marine iguanas in big numbers! The delightful view of Canal Bolivar and the shield volcanoes of Isabela were extraordinary today. The sunset was a golden seal for a perfect day in paradise.
