Isabela
We awoke refreshed after a long and comfy night snuggled in our cabins while National Geographic Islander quietly swung at anchor off Punta Espinoza, Fernandina. In the wee hours before dawn Captain Pablo ordered the boson to haul up our anchor and we navigated a short distance across the Bolivar Channel to Urbina Bay at the base of Volcan Alcedo, Isabela. This morning we disembarked onto a small, steep black sand beach that in the next few months will become a major sea turtle nesting site. Sea turtles and rays were swimming gracefully right off shore and were not even frightened as we slowly approached in our shiny brand-new Zodiacs.
Naturalists Jason and Jeffo took their groups of guests inland on the longer trail of about two miles. They had a delightful walk, treading on substrate that had once been part of the ocean floor and was uplifted, high and dry, instantaneously by several meters in 1954. We saw huge coral heads that are slowly disintegrating in the hot equatorial sun, and evidence of marine organisms that once clung to sub-marine rocks, and the guides pointed out the old beach, which is now a half mile inland! Finches, yellow warblers, large brightly colored land iguanas and – to our surprise, a giant tortoise – were some of the living creatures that we discovered along the rocky trail.
Naturalist Aura led a group of guests along a shorter trail that looped out and then came back to the beach. They too found the endemic passerine birds (the song birds) and the various large endemic reptiles. One land iguana was excavating its subterranean burrow, kicking dust and gravel high and unaware, at least at first, that we were spying on him as he worked. Back at the beach several of us took a chilly plunge into the sea and those relaxing on the warm black volcanic sand greatly enjoyed watching a golden breasted juvenile hawk that seemed at least as curious about us as we were about him. He perched for a time on a National Park “stop” sign designed to keep us off the crest of the beach where the sea turtles nest. Then he hopped onto the sand and picked at leaves, shells and mangrove shoots and investigated everything that was within his grasp, much as any teenager might.
After a fabulous lunch and a welcome siesta Jeffo took a dozen kayakers paddling along the cliffs at Tagus Cove. Calm seas and a glorious warm sun made for a perfect outing; there were cormorants and penguins, pelicans, boobies and noddy terns along the shore. Aura took another dozen “hard core” snorkelers to the northern point of Tagus Cove where they bravely slipped into the 68º F water and spent a SPECTACULAR hour swimming among fast moving feeding penguins and sea turtles. The water was cold but also unexpectedly the visibility was great – those who dared the chilly water temps had an unforgettable experience!
A second round of kayakers departed at 1630 and happily paddled along the shoreline until dusk, and the two groups who went for Zodiac rides watched feeding blue-footed boobies, penguins and pelicans and discovered nesting cormorants with tiny chicks. For our final outing today, a group of ladies made a dry landing on the smooth rocky shore and climbed to a view point above a mineral laden lake that sparkled blue far below them. We were all back on board by shortly after 1800 since sunset this time of the year is at 1746 and when the evening drops like a curtain we make sure we are safely back on the National Geographic Islander before dark. Tonight during our cocktail hour I shared photos and my experiences of my PhD research on giant tortoises and introduced donkeys and told them of my year and a half camped on one of the volcanoes of Isabela. It had been a fantastic, full day, with great weather, excellent wildlife sightings and wonderful camaraderie. Viva las islas encantadas!
