Fernandina Island
Last night we navigated over 100 nautical miles from the southern most island in Galapagos to the area which is richest in marine life: the west part of this Archipelago. We crossed the equator line into the Northern Hemisphere during the wee hours of the morning. We returned to the Southern Hemisphere at about 7: 10 a.m. Someone claimed they felt a bump as we crossed the line... but I didn’t feel anything.
Today’s morning panga ride and afternoon walk, were both fabulous. We found, watched and photographed fur sea lions, flightless cormorants, marine turtles, and blue-footed boobies. But there was one tiny bird, which is unique to these islands, which really stole the show: the Galapagos penguin.
The Galapagos penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus) has the northern most range of any penguin in the world. It is amazing to see this bird swimming in water that today we measured at over 74 degrees Fahrenheit. Where else in the world do penguins rest on tropical shores of barren black lava? Or where, except in the Galapagos, can you get a picture of a penguin and a lava cactus (Brachycereus) in the same frame?
The closest relatives of the Galapagos penguins are the Humbolt and the Magellan penguins of southern South America. The penguins that have adapted to the relatively warmer conditions of these islands are significantly smaller than either of those South American birds. In fact the Galapagos penguin is one of the smallest species of penguins found anywhere.
Today we saw these charming creatures flying through the water as they chased inch long fish. And we were lucky enough to find several penguins preening on a rock, apparently having already caught enough fish and deserving a short rest. It was amazing how close we were able to approach them in our Zodiacs. They went about their normal penguin day, as if we weren’t even there.
Last night we navigated over 100 nautical miles from the southern most island in Galapagos to the area which is richest in marine life: the west part of this Archipelago. We crossed the equator line into the Northern Hemisphere during the wee hours of the morning. We returned to the Southern Hemisphere at about 7: 10 a.m. Someone claimed they felt a bump as we crossed the line... but I didn’t feel anything.
Today’s morning panga ride and afternoon walk, were both fabulous. We found, watched and photographed fur sea lions, flightless cormorants, marine turtles, and blue-footed boobies. But there was one tiny bird, which is unique to these islands, which really stole the show: the Galapagos penguin.
The Galapagos penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus) has the northern most range of any penguin in the world. It is amazing to see this bird swimming in water that today we measured at over 74 degrees Fahrenheit. Where else in the world do penguins rest on tropical shores of barren black lava? Or where, except in the Galapagos, can you get a picture of a penguin and a lava cactus (Brachycereus) in the same frame?
The closest relatives of the Galapagos penguins are the Humbolt and the Magellan penguins of southern South America. The penguins that have adapted to the relatively warmer conditions of these islands are significantly smaller than either of those South American birds. In fact the Galapagos penguin is one of the smallest species of penguins found anywhere.
Today we saw these charming creatures flying through the water as they chased inch long fish. And we were lucky enough to find several penguins preening on a rock, apparently having already caught enough fish and deserving a short rest. It was amazing how close we were able to approach them in our Zodiacs. They went about their normal penguin day, as if we weren’t even there.
