Isabela and Fernandina
An amazing scalloped northern sky greeted us at sunrise. As we went out onto the deck, we could feel the energy of the volcanoes that has shaped Isabela, making it one of the youngest formations of the Galápagos group. As we sailed around the head of this seahorse-shaped island, we spot the Darwin volcano – one of the five shield-shaped formations that made this island and are known to be characteristic of oceanic islands. As we draw nearer, we can see the gentle basaltic lava flows that built islands over thousands or millions of years.
Isabela, also known as Albermarle, is a young formation at around 700,000 years of age. Due to its age and size this is a particularly interesting environment. The volcanoes here have their own endemic set of species that have evolved in isolation: five species of giant tortoises and the newly discovered pink iguana are among some of the iconic creatures that inhabit the volcanoes.
The rich waters around the northern Galápagos Islands are green in color right now, caused by the up wells bringing extremely rich nutrients and responsible for the marine species we found today. Although the water was slightly cloudy, we were delighted to snorkel with no less than a dozen sea turtles and a couple of friendly sea lions. Cormorants where seen from the water, but they were more interested in drying their wings in the sun that getting in the water with us. The Bolivar channel towards Fernandina Island in the afternoon was at its best!
Unlike other islands, Fernandina has not been affected by introduced species so far, and it is considered among the two most pristine island ecosystems on earth. The young lava flows that created Fernandina make for some of the most breathtaking landscapes of the archipelago. As we started out our walk, we could not get away of a female sea lion with its pup – mother and baby kept arguing about whether to get into the water or take a nap under the sunny sky. As most mothers eventually do, she relented and went along with her curious baby that wanted to experience the cold temperatures of the water. Meanwhile, both were closely protected by a beautiful alpha male.
As we headed back to the ship, the sun was starting to go down, an amazing colorful sky waved us goodbye, but less than being sad we could feel the vibrating power of nature undisturbed.
