Southern Isabela Island
We started our day in the best way, with Common dolphins jumping as high as they could; we enjoyed watching them for several minutes as we approached Urbina Bay.
Once we got to Isabela, we went ashore and had a wet landing on a mineral sand beach; from far, we were able to distinguish several sea turtles tracks and nests all over the place, and it looked like last night was an intense one. As a matter of fact, February is usually when the highest peak of their mating season takes place.
This morning we had a couple of options, one for long walkers and the other for short walkers. In both cases, we encountered several male and female land iguanas in their brightest colors because it is their mating season. We also witnessed a fight between two males land iguanas for their territory. The reason for all this activity is because the warm wet season is the best for reptiles and land birds to reproduce. There is a lot of food and fresh water, and, in the case of reptiles, the temperature is perfect to incubate their eggs.
After we left Urbina we sailed again towards the southern realm of Isabela. We got close to Cerro Azul volcano which is where the last volcanic eruption took place last year. We explored a vast black lava flow. For a moment it looks like an ocean of rocks where the sound of blowing wind and desolation contrasts with some lagoons of brackish water; there, we encountered several oases full of green vegetation, and lagoon birds that call this place their home. One finds here cacti, mangroves, lava, penguins and cormorants in the same area, sharing the same spot!
We returned aboard and ended this day with a spectacular sunset.
We started our day in the best way, with Common dolphins jumping as high as they could; we enjoyed watching them for several minutes as we approached Urbina Bay.
Once we got to Isabela, we went ashore and had a wet landing on a mineral sand beach; from far, we were able to distinguish several sea turtles tracks and nests all over the place, and it looked like last night was an intense one. As a matter of fact, February is usually when the highest peak of their mating season takes place.
This morning we had a couple of options, one for long walkers and the other for short walkers. In both cases, we encountered several male and female land iguanas in their brightest colors because it is their mating season. We also witnessed a fight between two males land iguanas for their territory. The reason for all this activity is because the warm wet season is the best for reptiles and land birds to reproduce. There is a lot of food and fresh water, and, in the case of reptiles, the temperature is perfect to incubate their eggs.
After we left Urbina we sailed again towards the southern realm of Isabela. We got close to Cerro Azul volcano which is where the last volcanic eruption took place last year. We explored a vast black lava flow. For a moment it looks like an ocean of rocks where the sound of blowing wind and desolation contrasts with some lagoons of brackish water; there, we encountered several oases full of green vegetation, and lagoon birds that call this place their home. One finds here cacti, mangroves, lava, penguins and cormorants in the same area, sharing the same spot!
We returned aboard and ended this day with a spectacular sunset.
