Isabela & Fernandina Islands
Our day started with beautiful morning light striking the hills of Roca Redonda; this formation is the remnants of an ancient extinct volcano, and once upon a time, its impressive features could have been seen way above the deep ocean where they now belong. Nowadays, this structure is no more than a couple of hundred feet in altitude and is a mixture of basaltic rocks and volcanic cinder. Its eroded hills are the permanent home for hundreds (if not thousands) of sea birds that forage in the nutrient-rich waters that surround it. Our early morning was dedicated to circumnavigate it and to identify the different species of animals that one could see even with naked eyes.
I must admit that we were all wishing to see whales and dolphins, as Roca Redonda is known to be frequently visited by these beautiful species. We did not have to wait too long to see our wish come true, because shortly after breakfast a large group of common dolphins arrived and stayed for the longest time alongside the ship!
Once the ship dropped anchor at Punta Vicente Roca, the Zodiacs were ready to take us all on a Zodiac ride along its dramatic hills. It was here were we encountered not only penguins, flightless Cormorants and turtles, but the bizarre looking fish known as Mola mola. One look at this fish and we might think that even the process of evolution could make mistakes, since it looks as if mother nature forgot to create a body and a tail for a gigantic fish head! A closer look would reveal a very specialized machine for pelagic (deep ocean) waters, and its appearance is only the beginning of a series of strange characteristics. Once we learned all about it, we were about to continue with our snorkeling outing but were abruptly interrupted by the presence of a whale! We gladly accepted the delay and approached the large marine mammal which randomly decided to appear even in between the Zodiacs. After a while observing it, we headed to the ship to get ready for our next adventure… snorkeling! The large array of marine invertebrates attracts several species of animals that were spotted during the snorkeling; penguins, flightless cormorants, sea turtles and of course sea lions were swimming happily with the guests in this calm little bay.
Our afternoon was just as precious! The imposing view of Fernandina volcano accompanied us during the whole afternoon. This giant dormant (who knows for how long) has had lately a series of indications of possible future volcanic activity; the latest ones have been earthquakes that have translated in unexpected columns of ash rising from the center of its caldera.
As the sun was setting at the horizon, we decided to call it a day and return to our beloved National Geographic Polaris. As we approached the ship I was asked if this could get any better, to which I replied…"You'll just have to wait and see!"
