From the National Geographic Islander in Galápagos, 1/27/2010, National Geographic Islander

Isabela & Fernandina Islands

Isabela and Fernandina islands are considered the youngest islands in Galápagos and perhaps the most beautiful of the archipelago. There are six active volcanoes on these islands and the last eruption was in April of 2009.

Early in the morning our guests had an optional wake-up call to look for sea mammals along the Bolivar channel that separates the two islands; it was worth it because we observed common dolphins, spinner dolphins, manta rays and ocean sunfish (or mola mola) swimming close to the National Geographic Islander. The landscape behind us looked spectacular with Wolf and Ecuador volcanoes showing us their whole magnificence from the eastern side of Isabela. After breakfast we observed the same volcanoes from the west, but this time sailing towards the south at the north hemisphere.

At 8 o’clock we crossed the equator line. Our guests joined with us at the bridge to check how the GPS changed its coordinates, showing us the arrival to the southern hemisphere, and afterwards they danced the limbo under an Ecuadorian flag.

We dropped anchor at Punta Vicente Roca and immediately we started the first activity. It began with a gorgeous dinghy ride along Ecuador volcano’s coastline. It was fabulous how different species of creatures interacted together. In the water, penguins, cormorants, sea lions and sea turtles swam indifferent in front of us, while on the rocks fur sea lions tried to reach the highest point to escape from the waves. The cliffs with their multiple colors looked colossal but other parts looked eroded, with no rocks but gravel; it was in this area that we observed a group of incredible marine iguanas digging burrows to lay their eggs, far away from the ocean.

We ended our activities in the morning with some spectacular snorkeling, observing multicolor tropical fish and swimming with Galápagos penguins, flightless cormorants, and green sea turtles as nowhere else in the world. Simply Fantastic!!!

In the afternoon we landed at Punta Espinosa on Fernandina Island. Our guests saw the rest of the uplifting that occurred in the 1970’s when that whole area was raised three feet up. We landed at the small dock and started walking through a small forest of red and white mangroves. The most interesting things that captivated our attention were the huge marine iguanas that looked like rocks laying on the black lava, blending in with it. We observed many males together and in other places the females. Due to the beginning of the nesting season it was normal to see them in separated areas, as on Isabela where we observed females digging their burrows to lay their eggs.

Up on the trees a hawk observed its next dinner, perhaps an iguana or lava lizards, and in the water green sea turtles fed on algae and nearby two penguins swam along the coast just in front of the cormorants’ nesting area. A light rain began and immediately a beautiful rainbow appeared in front of us as if telling us the rainy season is coming, while in a small pond of water, baby sea lions played indifferently, waiting for their moms.

The sunset was coming, so we headed back to the dinghies. The tide was too low and of course too shallow to come back to the small dock as at the beginning of our walk. Instead, we walked along the shoreline to reach the dinghies, observing the rest of the last uplifting on this area and understanding how changeable our Galápagos Islands can be.