Fernandina & Isabela Islands
After crossing the equator during the night as we travelled north around the island of Isabela, we reached Fernandina island, an imposing volcano rising to nearly 5,000 ft / 1520 m in elevation. Fernandina is one of the most active volcanoes in the world and the world's largest completely pristine island.
Here the frigid waters of the deep equatorial countercurrent rise up along the western edge of the undersea Galápagos Platform. These extraordinary conditions are also at the heart of a very rich marine ecosystem, at times attracting whales and dolphins to the region.
After breakfast we visited Punta Espinoza, streaked with innumerable fresh lava flows, most of them still black and lifeless. Hundreds of marine iguanas lied basking on the dark lava, while sea lions, penguins, flightless cormorants were all around us. We spent the morning walking along the shoreline, over solid black slabs of "ropy" lava, referred to by the Hawaiian term "pahoehoe."
After the walk we had the chance to snorkel along the lava coastline of Fernandina, an excellent opportunity for us to share the experience with sea turtles, some flightless cormorants, and iguanas feeding on algae under the water!
After a well-deserved lunch we crossed over Bolivar Channel that separates Fernandina and Isabela, to reach Ecuador Volcano. This spectacular shield volcano, bisected by the equator, collapsed and slumped away into the ocean, leaving fascinating views of the inner caldera wall and the caldera floor. Here, we went for a Zodiac ride along the base of the imposing cliffs, in an area called Punta Vicente Roca, on the lookout for penguins, cormorants, turtles, marine iguanas and fur sea lions.
After the Zodiac ride, we all came aboard and headed north to cross the equator line, with the incredible scenery of Ecuador Volcano and the northern part of Isabela. We celebrated the crossing of the equator with champagne, and all of us – staff and guests – as a happy family enjoying a beautiful sunset under a pink and orange sky!
