Isabela Island
This morning we disembarked on a dark brown beach, timing our landings to the surf breaking on shore….typical Urbina Bay. This area was uplifted in 1956, leaving large coral heads and any number of marine organisms high and dry, to be bleached white by the equatorial sun in a few short weeks. Fifty-some years later, the vegetation has grown up out of the sea bottom: Galápagos cotton, poison-apple, yellow cordia, velvet-leaf, thorn-bush, palo santo.
Those intrepid adventurers who wanted to see the coral heads hiked a long, arduous trail along the uplifted shoreline. Both long and short hikes visited the inland trail, where Alcedo Volcano land iguanas have established themselves, and the Alcedo Volcano giant tortoises have descended into the lowlands to eat, warm up, and be merry. The tortoises are not here all year long. Only when the rains come, and the plants flower and fruit, do the tortoises leave their green highlands. Here they can be both warm and well-fed.
We found a couple large individuals resting in the shade of trees, and one tiny female, but not young, walking with determination along the trail close to the beach. We noticed her left eye was closed and not used…who knows from what long-ago accident. But her scutes had many rings, indicating many years of growth. A few decades at least; it’s hard to age tortoises.
Back at the beach, five of the most adventurous, made the “megaswim” of 600 yards back to the ship. We all used fins and masks so as not to miss any undersea marvel that might pass by; indeed, a couple marine turtles, schools of sergeant majors, a sierra mackerel all put in brief appearances during our swim back home.
By afternoon we were inside Tagus Cove. Tagus Cove along with Beagle crater are possibly among the largest tuff cones on Earth. Tagus crater was breached by the ocean many millennia ago, and has proved a safe anchorage for many a ship over the last few centuries.
The H.M.S Beagle anchored here, as did many others. The graffiti around the inside rim of the cove is a history lesson in itself, including U.S. Navy ships here during WWII, and Ecuadorian Navy ships, a little more recent.
Snorkeling, kayaking, Zodiac rides, and hiking….many folks did combinations of these activities. Penguins, cormorants, pelicans, spectacular scenery, and playful sea lions added the characters to this real-time documentary.
By nightfall, all were ready for a break, recap, cocktail hour, and snacks. What a day!
