Isabela & Fernandina Islands
Our expedition today was one of the most spectacular places we have in the Galápagos archipelago, the western side. The volcanic scene is just breathtaking. Young and active shield volcanoes dominate the area.
We started early in the morning looking for marine mammals in the deep waters that surround this area. We were very fortunate, for we spotted a Bryde’s whale not very far from our ship. Shortly after we crossed the equatorial line we approached Punta Vicente Roca, located in the northwestern part of Isabela Island. The waters that surround this area are very rich in nutrients due to the upwelling from the Cromwell current.
Later in the morning we took a Zodiac ride along the coastline of Ecuador volcano. We soon encountered many green turtles, sea lions, penguins, flightless cormorants, and Mola mola, the oceanic sunfish, among some other creatures. The productivity of this area was so evident that we observed a feeding frenzy that involved blue-footed boobies, Galápagos penguins and sea lions. The next activity was snorkeling; we went to a nearby area to enjoy the underwater world. Our guests had great experiences swimming with colorful fish but especially with sea turtles, sea lions and penguins.
After lunch we navigated to our next destination, Fernandina Island. This island is considered to be the youngest and the most pristine island in the Galápagos. This visit was very special for us because we knew that there was some seismic activity going on, as we had heard some news from our colleagues on the Polaris the day before.
We disembarked on Punta Espinoza which is the only visitor site on this island. We started our exploration with a walk on young black lava flows and hoping to hear or see any special event. All of a sudden we started to feel some small tremors until we felt one that was very strong (5.6 magnitude!). We were all astonished, we could not believe it. Just few seconds later we saw several clouds of ash rising from different points within the caldera. We also observed some fumaroles on the slopes of the volcano and later on there was a long cloud of ash covering the summit of the volcano. It was really thrilling for us to experience this type of geological event.
The shorelines of this island are home for large marine iguanas, Galápagos penguins, flightless cormorants, sea lions, etc., that were peacefully resting in their environment, despite the ground moving under them every now and then. Due to its pristine conditions and the spectacular landscape, this island is considered by many of us to be the jewel on the crown in this enchanted archipelago. We came back onboard with high spirits and eager to share our experiences with our fellow travelers.
What an amazing day!
Our expedition today was one of the most spectacular places we have in the Galápagos archipelago, the western side. The volcanic scene is just breathtaking. Young and active shield volcanoes dominate the area.
We started early in the morning looking for marine mammals in the deep waters that surround this area. We were very fortunate, for we spotted a Bryde’s whale not very far from our ship. Shortly after we crossed the equatorial line we approached Punta Vicente Roca, located in the northwestern part of Isabela Island. The waters that surround this area are very rich in nutrients due to the upwelling from the Cromwell current.
Later in the morning we took a Zodiac ride along the coastline of Ecuador volcano. We soon encountered many green turtles, sea lions, penguins, flightless cormorants, and Mola mola, the oceanic sunfish, among some other creatures. The productivity of this area was so evident that we observed a feeding frenzy that involved blue-footed boobies, Galápagos penguins and sea lions. The next activity was snorkeling; we went to a nearby area to enjoy the underwater world. Our guests had great experiences swimming with colorful fish but especially with sea turtles, sea lions and penguins.
After lunch we navigated to our next destination, Fernandina Island. This island is considered to be the youngest and the most pristine island in the Galápagos. This visit was very special for us because we knew that there was some seismic activity going on, as we had heard some news from our colleagues on the Polaris the day before.
We disembarked on Punta Espinoza which is the only visitor site on this island. We started our exploration with a walk on young black lava flows and hoping to hear or see any special event. All of a sudden we started to feel some small tremors until we felt one that was very strong (5.6 magnitude!). We were all astonished, we could not believe it. Just few seconds later we saw several clouds of ash rising from different points within the caldera. We also observed some fumaroles on the slopes of the volcano and later on there was a long cloud of ash covering the summit of the volcano. It was really thrilling for us to experience this type of geological event.
The shorelines of this island are home for large marine iguanas, Galápagos penguins, flightless cormorants, sea lions, etc., that were peacefully resting in their environment, despite the ground moving under them every now and then. Due to its pristine conditions and the spectacular landscape, this island is considered by many of us to be the jewel on the crown in this enchanted archipelago. We came back onboard with high spirits and eager to share our experiences with our fellow travelers.
What an amazing day!
