As the sun rose this morning and the air cleared, we realized that massive shield volcanoes surrounded us. The western part of Isabela gives us a clear idea of how these volcanic islands were formed, as there are recent flows visible everywhere. We started our exploration of this new land at Urbina Bay, where the terrain was uplifted in 1954 out of the tidal zone due to violent volcanic action. We find remnants underfoot of the seafloor as we encounter giant tortoises, land iguanas, and a plethora of Darwin finches. The afternoon gave us a history lesson as we walked in Darwin’s footsteps at Tagus Cove, gaining an incredible view of the hundred-mile long island of Isabela. We explored every detail of this area, land and sea, as we snorkeled with Galapagos penguins, marine iguanas, and Pacific green sea turtles, and kayaked below the massive tuff cones of the coastal area. We returned to the ship just as the sun burned a warm glow into the land as it dipped into the ether.