Punta Vicente Roca & Punta Espinosa
Sailing along the coastline of Isabela Island today gave us the opportunity to be on deck very early in the morning. We took advantage of this fact and spent a good deal of time since the day started whale watching and enjoying the navigation. Now, the ocean is not just whales and the big group of early risers was actually watching for everything that disrupted the already choppy surface of the ocean. Just before breakfast was announced our patience was rewarded with the sighting of no less than two hundred common dolphins that accompanied us in our navigation for about fifteen minutes. The cheerful marine mammals were swimming swiftly ahead of the bow of the National Geographic Islander. In no time we were passing the equatorial line and soon after our Expedition Leader invited us to join the different activities planned for the morning. During the Zodiac ride we were mesmerized by the presence and closeness (immense presence in fact) of several pacific sun fish. These immense fish with their gentle motion can cover great distances in rather short time, making it difficult for us to photographically catch them, nevertheless; we had a fabulous time. We even witnessed some erosion going on when a big rock fell off the cliff and entered the water enlarging the underwater substrates. As for the snorkeling session, it couldn’t be better. All the endemic species and some that were not, came upon giving us the most delightful of the times and experiences. When we came out of the water we couldn’t feel but a sensation of peace and wellbeing.
The afternoon was defined by a mellow weather, with enough light for excellent photography and enough cloud cover for our comfort. Scores of flightless cormorants were displaying courtship behavior, surrounded by the numerous marine iguanas of the region. While we were admiring the diversity in design of the Sally Lightfoot crabs, a majestic Galápagos hawk escorted us along the trail. We had no choice but to summon ourselves to the magnificence of nature and do our best effort to get immersed in it.
Sailing along the coastline of Isabela Island today gave us the opportunity to be on deck very early in the morning. We took advantage of this fact and spent a good deal of time since the day started whale watching and enjoying the navigation. Now, the ocean is not just whales and the big group of early risers was actually watching for everything that disrupted the already choppy surface of the ocean. Just before breakfast was announced our patience was rewarded with the sighting of no less than two hundred common dolphins that accompanied us in our navigation for about fifteen minutes. The cheerful marine mammals were swimming swiftly ahead of the bow of the National Geographic Islander. In no time we were passing the equatorial line and soon after our Expedition Leader invited us to join the different activities planned for the morning. During the Zodiac ride we were mesmerized by the presence and closeness (immense presence in fact) of several pacific sun fish. These immense fish with their gentle motion can cover great distances in rather short time, making it difficult for us to photographically catch them, nevertheless; we had a fabulous time. We even witnessed some erosion going on when a big rock fell off the cliff and entered the water enlarging the underwater substrates. As for the snorkeling session, it couldn’t be better. All the endemic species and some that were not, came upon giving us the most delightful of the times and experiences. When we came out of the water we couldn’t feel but a sensation of peace and wellbeing.
The afternoon was defined by a mellow weather, with enough light for excellent photography and enough cloud cover for our comfort. Scores of flightless cormorants were displaying courtship behavior, surrounded by the numerous marine iguanas of the region. While we were admiring the diversity in design of the Sally Lightfoot crabs, a majestic Galápagos hawk escorted us along the trail. We had no choice but to summon ourselves to the magnificence of nature and do our best effort to get immersed in it.
