Urbina Bay & Punta Moreno
The early risers went to the sky deck to bird watch at six in the morning, and were rewarded by the presence of the already rare waved albatross. Normally these birds occur on the southeastern part of the archipelago, but at this time, most if not all of them are gone; following the schools of fish out onto the open ocean. So, the sighting was a bonus.
During our landing we enjoyed a very pleasant breeze and total calm seas. The sun was already high up in the sky and it was just 08:30 in the morning. The first part of the hike was on a very hot basin, but as the morning grew hot we marveled at the display of nature surrounding us. At some point however, all the possible discomfort that some of us may have experienced was forgotten. Right there in front of the group, underneath two big poison apple trees, were two very large giant tortoises.
They looked as if they were waiting for us, waiting for some pictures to be taken of them; at least, that is what we said to each other in our brief moment of anthropomorphizing nature. But that moment didn’t last long. Few minutes later the tortoises reassume their routines and of course we were not included in them.
The afternoon gave to some of us what we locally call a “lavaly” experience; we had an intense communion with all the lava that forms the extensive field in between Cerro Azul volcano and Sierra Negra volcano on southern Isabela. We watched as three flamingos wandered into the shallow pond that they occasionally inhabit.
During the Zodiac ride, the rest of us enjoyed the presence of no less than twenty penguins, most of them juveniles. Cormorants are still nesting and we found with great joy that pelicans have started their nesting activities. So, love is in the air once more, but what’s new about it? This is Galápagos.
The early risers went to the sky deck to bird watch at six in the morning, and were rewarded by the presence of the already rare waved albatross. Normally these birds occur on the southeastern part of the archipelago, but at this time, most if not all of them are gone; following the schools of fish out onto the open ocean. So, the sighting was a bonus.
During our landing we enjoyed a very pleasant breeze and total calm seas. The sun was already high up in the sky and it was just 08:30 in the morning. The first part of the hike was on a very hot basin, but as the morning grew hot we marveled at the display of nature surrounding us. At some point however, all the possible discomfort that some of us may have experienced was forgotten. Right there in front of the group, underneath two big poison apple trees, were two very large giant tortoises.
They looked as if they were waiting for us, waiting for some pictures to be taken of them; at least, that is what we said to each other in our brief moment of anthropomorphizing nature. But that moment didn’t last long. Few minutes later the tortoises reassume their routines and of course we were not included in them.
The afternoon gave to some of us what we locally call a “lavaly” experience; we had an intense communion with all the lava that forms the extensive field in between Cerro Azul volcano and Sierra Negra volcano on southern Isabela. We watched as three flamingos wandered into the shallow pond that they occasionally inhabit.
During the Zodiac ride, the rest of us enjoyed the presence of no less than twenty penguins, most of them juveniles. Cormorants are still nesting and we found with great joy that pelicans have started their nesting activities. So, love is in the air once more, but what’s new about it? This is Galápagos.
