Every day is amazing in the Galápagos Islands but there are days that are truly unbelievable. Today was one of these days!
First off, we woke up to the announcement of dolphins. Bolivar Canal is a great place for marine mammals as the waters are the deepest and richest of the archipelago. Short-beaked common dolphins kept us company for a long time while we continued our navigation along the shores of Isabela Island.
We had an important ceremony onboard as we crossed the Equator line before arriving at Punta Vicente Roca, our visitor site for the morning. The waters were really calm, which is not always the case in this place. The turquoise sea was so clear we could see the bottom from our Zodiacs. With perfect conditions for a Zodiac ride, we found several oceanic sunfish and fur seals. We also encountered the two flightless bird species of the islands: Galápagos penguins and flightless cormorants!
Snorkeling was incredible with that visibility. Turtles floated right next to us. Fish and invertebrates painted the scene with more colors!
After lunch we had the greatest announcement of the day: “Sperm whale!” We came to the outer decks to find this giant right next to our boat. We could have observed it for hours! But once sperm whales decide to dive they can stay a long time under water. This one was very generous with us! Crew and guests all gathered on the sundeck to enjoy the company of this fascinating animal.
Our last visit of the day was Fernandina Island. The youngest and most pristine island opened its doors for us as we explored Espinoza Point surrounded by marine iguanas and Sally Lightfoot crabs. On our walk, we also found some colonies of sea lions. Then we witnessed the most amazing sunset while enjoying a cocktail in our floating home, the National Geographic islander. Could we ask for anything more?
