Today we woke up very early to find marine life in the light of the sunrise. Some of us had a stretching session with wellness specialist Estefania. It was very relaxing since we were surrounded by the landscape of the collapsed caldera of the Ecuador Volcano. Right after breakfast, we crossed the equator. We had a gathering on the front deck, and a naturalist carried an Ecuadorian flag as we symbolically crossed the equatorial line.
Our first outing was a Zodiac ride along the coast of Punta Vicente Roca. We observed the natural life around this magnificent area. Green sea turtles, blue-footed boobies, flightless cormorants, and brown noddies went about their daily activities.
We enjoyed a long swim. While snorkeling, we encountered marine iguanas, sea turtles, cormorants, and various fish. We even saw a Galapagos penguin on the rocks.
We enjoyed a delicious Andean lunch with fresh produce and interesting dishes from Ecuador.
For photography lovers, an introduction to shooting wildlife was very informative and useful.
Our afternoon hike in Punta Espinoza was amazing. Sunset was on its way, and the light was perfect. We watched an impressive number of marine iguanas as they returned from feeding in the ocean. They tried to soak up the last rays of the day to raise their body temperature after a dip in the cold water.
Sailing has been smooth. We have clear views of Isabela and Fernandina, and we appreciate their shield shapes. Images like these ones are definitely beautiful souvenirs of our trip, and they will be difficult to forget.
We even saw bottlenose dolphins as they sailed to shore with us. What an amazing day we had!
