Urbina Bay & Punta Moreno, Southern Isabela Island
We have been navigating along the Bolivar channel between Fernandina and Isabela: the avenue of the volcanoes. This morning we anchored off the western flank of the spectacular volcano of Alcedo. The weather conditions could not be better; a very calm sea, a blue sky and a cool breeze.
After a wonderful and hearty breakfast we went ashore to explore this unique site. We made a wet landing on a steep black sand beach and after drying our feet and putting on good walking shoes in anticipation of the long hike, we were thrilled when a top land predator landed only yards away. He posed while many of our guests got great pictures of this majestic Galápagos hawk.
Hiking along the coast we were amazed to see the remains of organisms that were suddenly taken out of their element, the sea water. This section of the coast was uplifted by four to five meters in 1954. Along the inland path we found many colorful land iguanas, recently emerged from their underground burrows and resting in the sun. After the hikes we all ended up on the beach where we did not hesitate long before plunging in the cool ocean for a refreshing dip.
The afternoon found us at Punta Moreno where we went out for a walk across miles and miles of lava fields. Surprisingly, in the midst of the barren black lava we found several flamingoes in tiny brackish lagoons. Meanwhile the rest of our guests went for a long panga ride. The windy conditions made for an exciting outing. We observed rays, turtles, nesting pelicans, huge resting and swimming marine iguanas and penguins both in the water and along the shore line of this magic place.
We have been navigating along the Bolivar channel between Fernandina and Isabela: the avenue of the volcanoes. This morning we anchored off the western flank of the spectacular volcano of Alcedo. The weather conditions could not be better; a very calm sea, a blue sky and a cool breeze.
After a wonderful and hearty breakfast we went ashore to explore this unique site. We made a wet landing on a steep black sand beach and after drying our feet and putting on good walking shoes in anticipation of the long hike, we were thrilled when a top land predator landed only yards away. He posed while many of our guests got great pictures of this majestic Galápagos hawk.
Hiking along the coast we were amazed to see the remains of organisms that were suddenly taken out of their element, the sea water. This section of the coast was uplifted by four to five meters in 1954. Along the inland path we found many colorful land iguanas, recently emerged from their underground burrows and resting in the sun. After the hikes we all ended up on the beach where we did not hesitate long before plunging in the cool ocean for a refreshing dip.
The afternoon found us at Punta Moreno where we went out for a walk across miles and miles of lava fields. Surprisingly, in the midst of the barren black lava we found several flamingoes in tiny brackish lagoons. Meanwhile the rest of our guests went for a long panga ride. The windy conditions made for an exciting outing. We observed rays, turtles, nesting pelicans, huge resting and swimming marine iguanas and penguins both in the water and along the shore line of this magic place.
