Southern Isabela Island
We woke up today with a great surprise! Just minutes after anchoring in the vicinity of Alcedo volcano at Urbina Bay we were surrounded by a large pod of bottlenose dolphins. Even though many guests were still sleeping or just waking, I decided to make a general call announcing this event. I did not want them to miss this extraordinary event.
Everybody came out and immediately we put our Zodiac fleet on the water and went to see them. It is not easy to explain the array of feelings that this wonderful sighting arose. The dolphins were observed at a very close range bow-riding the Zodiacs. We were so close that we could hear their vocalizations! We went out there for such a long time that we missed breakfast time. We all came back extremely happy and with our adrenaline levels to the top. We finally had a slightly later breakfast, proof of our trademark flexibility, and got ready for the rest of our planned schedule.
We went for a hike on paradisiacal area known as Urbina Bay. A beautiful sunny day and a refreshing breeze were our companions. This place is very famous for the extraordinary uplifting that occurred here as recently as the early 1950’s. Huge lava flows from the nearby Alcedo volcano pushed up a big extension of the coastal bay area. As a product of this fascinating volcanic event many sea creatures were exposed to the air. After being above water for over fifty years, it is still possible to see remains of shells, barnacles and coral attached or melted on the black lava rocks. Some large white coral heads were also exposed and become an icon of this famous uplifting.
Along the trail here three different Giant tortoises were seen as well as many colorful Galápagos land iguanas. We ended our morning visit with a refreshing swim at the landing beach and/or a dip from the ship.
After lunch we disembarked on the young lava flows at Punta Moreno, located in the vicinity of Cerro Azul volcano. Walking in this surreal solitude of a seemingly endless lava field made us feel as though we’d entered into communion with the wild beauty of nature. With amazement we witnessed how life struggles to grow in even the most difficult conditions. Some guests also opted to go on a Zodiac ride exploring the surrounding mangrove ecosystems.
A spectacular sunset told us that it was time to return to our home this week, National Geographic Islander. The day we spent in these remote realms was a living example of what an expedition is all about: excitement, learning, living the unexpected, and overall love and appreciation of the power and beauty of our planet.
