We stayed peacefully at anchor until 0500 and then navigated in calm waters across the Bolivar Channel. This channel between Fernandina and Isabela Island is known for its vibrant marine ecosystem – fish, sea birds and cetaceans abound here – and I was delighted when the first officer called me saying, “Dolphins!” even before the wakeup call. Guests quickly and sleepily pulled on clothes and hurried out on deck. All around us bottlenose dolphins gracefully surfaced and dove and we followed them. They rode on our bow wake and then we finally headed in to drop anchor off the large island of Isabela at Urbina Bay.
The coast line and sea floor at Urbina was uplifted in the mid 1950’s and it is interesting to walk past exposed coral heads and marine encrustations that are now deteriorating in the air, but were once under the sea. We offered two hike options this morning and both began from a steep black sand beach. We dried our feet and put on our hiking shoes while a drizzle that soon turned to rain fell and low clouds shrouded the volcanoes of Isabela. Socrates took a dozen hikers on a two mile loop trail that started along the coast and turned inland. Lenin and Walter took those who opted for a mile walk. We were all soon wet to the bone! But the giant tortoises love this kind of weather and we found nearly twenty tortoises of all sizes and a few colorful yellow land iguanas. It was well worth getting wet to see these ancient lumbering reptiles in their natural habitat!
Back on board we relaxed, had lunch, took a siesta and before we knew it the afternoon activities were upon us! The first round was a choice between snorkeling or kayak/paddle boarding. The boaters leisurely explored the protected waters and coast of Tagus Cove. The snorkelers swam in chilly and somewhat murky water, but both groups were rewarded with sightings of penguins, cormorants, iguanas and many sea turtles. There were schools of shimmering fish and we were reminded again how healthy and dynamic this marine ecosystem truly is!
Later in the afternoon we sent a couple out kayaking with Walter, Lenin took a group on a Zodiac cruise and Socrates and Lynn led hikers up the Tagus Cove trail, around Darwin Crater Lake and to a view point at the base of Darwin volcano. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves. The afternoon had turned sunny and clear and rainbows appeared off and on when low clouds of moisture interacted with the sunrays. The boaters saw much wildlife- penguins, cormorants and even a few of the rare Galapagos martins. The hikers saw mostly small passerine birds – Darwin finches, mockingbirds and Galapagos flycatchers – plus spectacular vistas.
