Isabela & Fernandina Islands

Isabela Island is one of the youngest of the Galápagos archipelago, but the most impressive due to its volcanic history, formed by 6 volcanoes and five of them still active, but the northernmost not anymore. This volcano is crossed by the equator line, and there we all were, looking at the collapsed caldera, an amazing view, when all of a sudden we were “surprised” by King Neptune and his group of pirates. After an equator-crossing ceremony, our names got changed and we now have fish names.

After that experience we got into the Zodiac, just to go along the coast of Punta Vicente Roca. Our morning site was just at the foots of this volcano. Due to its conditions, normally very cold water during the garua season that just came to an end, we could see the very odd combination of wildlife here – flightless cormorants, Galápagos penguins, green sea turtles, noddy terns, Nazca boobies, and marine iguanas, amongst others.

Just before the ride was over we entered a cave, and inside we found more turtles, this time small ones all together with a huge school of Creole fishes. The walls of it were covered with different kinds of invertebrates that gave the cave a beautiful texture of different colors to its walls.

After the ride we came back just to hop into our wetsuits and go snorkeling in the same area to see the same wildlife and formations, this time underwater, really great. The morning came to an end we came back on board. Lunch was being served while we lifted anchor to go to Fernandina just across the Bolivar Channel.

Punta Espinoza is the place we visited this afternoon, the only place opened on this pristine island, and perhaps the last one in this part of the world. This is the youngest island, still younger than half a million years. This island erupted about seven months ago.

There is black young lava everywhere, either pahoe-hoe or ah- ah. This is a perfect place for marine iguanas, which were everywhere this time very noticeably. Their mating season has just begun and their colors do not match lava as usual; this time they look green. This is our last opportunity to see flightless cormorants. They are endemic to this area, and we see them very close to the trail, just standing there by the water’s edge, surrounded by the local wildlife.

Once again time runs fast and we must continue with our journey. Goodbye, young Fernandina.