Isabela & Fernandina Islands
It was about six o clock in the morning and some of our guests were already on the top deck of our vessel watching the first rays of the sun coming out of the horizon. The fresh air feels good after dreaming about this incredible place, the Galápagos Islands.
The breakfast was exceptional like every day and just after that, the ceremony of the equatorial line occurred. Many of us were watching the GPS on the bridge when the announcement for the countdown began. After a few minutes, we were right at the middle of the line for a few seconds.
Before the arrival to Punta Vicente Roca, the geology of Volcano Ecuador preceded what was waiting for us. There are only a few places in the world that show a caldera split in half; as we were sailing by, we could easily see some of the lava dikes in the distance because of the great visibility.
We noticed that the water had an interesting color - it was absolutely green. We know that the ocean currents bring millions of nutrients, and some microscopic organisms take advantage of them, causing explosions of life in some places. The phytoplankton is blooming between Isabela and Fernandina right now and is the responsible for this green effect.
On the panga ride we found ocean sunfish and a single Bryde’s whale not so far off the ship. The snorkel had limited visibility with all the algae in the water, however we managed to find sea turtles all around and one particularly friendly flightless cormorant.
In the afternoon, Punta Espinosa was a great place to disembark and walk along the lava flows. The climate conditions were the best. Dozens of female marine iguanas have been digging small tunnels in the only soft places available and it was clear that those were for nesting. Between females, some competition could be observed for the tunnels that were being made. This is because the lava rocks, found almost everywhere, reduce the best nesting areas.
One tidepool held a female marine turtle that has been seen in the area for the last month or so. With one front flipper missing, we’ve been watching as the healing process advances. Small fish and shrimp have been cleaning the wound, and it now looks quite a bit better. Life goes on no matter what.
To view footage from this day, please click here.
