Urbina Bay and Tagus Cove
The Galápagos Islands are a sanctuary for many animal species, and today we had a perception of this as visited west Isabela Island. The first adventure of the day was at Urbina Bay near Alcedo Volcano, and a wet landing was the perfect way to begin our journey. The long hike was full of surprises. The first amazing sight was of the marine iguanas; their impressive body size is due to the algae they feed on in this up-dwelling area.
Farther into the trail, big brain coral heads were seen several meters inland as a consequence of an older uplifting process. The first land iguana of the morning appeared as we explored the inner coastline. The brilliance of the place was shown in a symphony of land birdsong, vegetation colors, and reptile displays. At the end of the hike, we had a pleasurable time as we swam at the beach before coming back on board the National Geographic Endeavour. Once everything was ready, we pulled anchor and moved to our next destination, Tagus Cove.
Home to whalers and refuge to pirates, Tagus Cove is one of the most historical places in the entire archipelago. The first adventure was deep-water snorkeling along the cliffs of an old tuff cone. As we came into the water, the marvels of the ocean were revealed to us: reef fishes of multiple colors surrounded us as if inside a natural fish tank and green sea turtles looked gentle as they rested on the bottom, but the most impressive show was given by the Galápagos penguins as we swam into their feeding frenzy.
The exploration was completed by going on a hike all the way up to Darwin Lake. Young male sea lions were abundant, as if at a bachelor congress. Farther up the steps, we enjoyed a spectacular view of Darwin Lake with Darwin Volcano as decoration in the background. Dry zone vegetation, and land birds flying overhead were part of the attractions of the hike. At the end of the trail, we had a marvelous view of the northern volcanoes as the sun set behind the dominant figure of Fernandina Island.
The marvels of the Galápagos Islands could captivate any explorer witness to its wonders.
