Isabela & Fernandina Islands
Over four million years ago successive volcanic eruptions in the depths of the Pacific Ocean formed an underwater platform with projecting mountains. Eventually the tallest peaks pushed their way above the surface, creating an island chain officially named “Archipelago de Colon”, but commonly known as the Galápagos.
We watched the sunrise from the sky deck, and we circumnavigated Roca Redonda, which is a fragment of a huge underwater mountain that drops into the ocean over nine thousand feet.
The water on the western side of the Galápagos Islands is very rich in nutrients for all kinds of creatures due to the upwelling of the Cromwell Countercurrent, and where with luck it is possible to see marine mammals around this area. To our surprise, we sighted common dolphins and hundreds of sea birds that make Roca Redonda their home.
Later we crossed the Equator Line for the second time where our guests were baptized as “shellbacks” following a long nautical tradition.
By nine o’clock we deployed our Zodiacs for a ride at Punta Vicente Roca. The geological formations at this site is very fascinating and dramatic, and where we had the chance to see the green sea turtle, Galápagos penguin, flightless cormorant, sea lion, and a countless number of fishes, and for some of us a glance at the rare fish, the ocean sun fish (better known around here by its latin name Mola mola).
In the afternoon we visited Fernandina Island and had a fantastic hike. Along the trail we spotted marine iguanas which are considered the biggest in the entire archipelago. Crossing the iguana nesting beach, we reached the rocky area the flightless cormorants are using for nesting. While we watched, one of them brought a gift for the mate, algae, which are going to be used to build up the nest edges. This island is pristine and young, and for us it is like stepping back in time onto the first island ever formed in the archipelago.
Over four million years ago successive volcanic eruptions in the depths of the Pacific Ocean formed an underwater platform with projecting mountains. Eventually the tallest peaks pushed their way above the surface, creating an island chain officially named “Archipelago de Colon”, but commonly known as the Galápagos.
We watched the sunrise from the sky deck, and we circumnavigated Roca Redonda, which is a fragment of a huge underwater mountain that drops into the ocean over nine thousand feet.
The water on the western side of the Galápagos Islands is very rich in nutrients for all kinds of creatures due to the upwelling of the Cromwell Countercurrent, and where with luck it is possible to see marine mammals around this area. To our surprise, we sighted common dolphins and hundreds of sea birds that make Roca Redonda their home.
Later we crossed the Equator Line for the second time where our guests were baptized as “shellbacks” following a long nautical tradition.
By nine o’clock we deployed our Zodiacs for a ride at Punta Vicente Roca. The geological formations at this site is very fascinating and dramatic, and where we had the chance to see the green sea turtle, Galápagos penguin, flightless cormorant, sea lion, and a countless number of fishes, and for some of us a glance at the rare fish, the ocean sun fish (better known around here by its latin name Mola mola).
In the afternoon we visited Fernandina Island and had a fantastic hike. Along the trail we spotted marine iguanas which are considered the biggest in the entire archipelago. Crossing the iguana nesting beach, we reached the rocky area the flightless cormorants are using for nesting. While we watched, one of them brought a gift for the mate, algae, which are going to be used to build up the nest edges. This island is pristine and young, and for us it is like stepping back in time onto the first island ever formed in the archipelago.
