Fernandina Island
Today, we visited the westernmost part of the Archipelago. The volcanic landscapes in this area are breathtaking. Striking shield volcanoes dominate the surroundings. Young lava flows are seen everywhere, the dark coloration contrasts in an artistic way with the blues of the ocean and sky. In the morning we went for a Zodiac ride along the cliffs of Ecuador volcano. This highly eroded volcano is one of the six volcanoes found on Isabela Island. During this outing we observed many sea bird species, large colonies of marine iguanas, sea lions, fur seals, turtles, penguins, etc. It was a truly enjoyable ride.
Later in the afternoon with the sun shining and with the company of a gentle cool breeze, ideal conditions, we went for a walk. We landed at Punta Espinoza, the only visitor site on Fernandina Island. Fernandina is the youngest island in the Archipelago; its estimated age is only 300,000 years old. Some specialists consider this island to be even younger! Fernandina Island’s land area is 248 square miles; it has only one volcano known as “La Cumbre,” which is Spanish for the summit. This huge shield volcano rises up to 4900 feet above sea level. The island is entirely covered by young lava flows. It is very impressive to walk on them; everything looks like it is still very fresh.
In addition to the primitive-looking volcanic landscape, we observed the interesting wildlife that lives here as well. Our visitors were impressed with the big numbers of marine iguanas and their large sizes. Two of the rarest bird species in the world live on Fernandina, the unique flightless cormorant and the Galápagos penguin. With the last rays of sunlight we came back onboard after an unforgettable experience in this paradisiacal realm of the Archipelago.
Today, we visited the westernmost part of the Archipelago. The volcanic landscapes in this area are breathtaking. Striking shield volcanoes dominate the surroundings. Young lava flows are seen everywhere, the dark coloration contrasts in an artistic way with the blues of the ocean and sky. In the morning we went for a Zodiac ride along the cliffs of Ecuador volcano. This highly eroded volcano is one of the six volcanoes found on Isabela Island. During this outing we observed many sea bird species, large colonies of marine iguanas, sea lions, fur seals, turtles, penguins, etc. It was a truly enjoyable ride.
Later in the afternoon with the sun shining and with the company of a gentle cool breeze, ideal conditions, we went for a walk. We landed at Punta Espinoza, the only visitor site on Fernandina Island. Fernandina is the youngest island in the Archipelago; its estimated age is only 300,000 years old. Some specialists consider this island to be even younger! Fernandina Island’s land area is 248 square miles; it has only one volcano known as “La Cumbre,” which is Spanish for the summit. This huge shield volcano rises up to 4900 feet above sea level. The island is entirely covered by young lava flows. It is very impressive to walk on them; everything looks like it is still very fresh.
In addition to the primitive-looking volcanic landscape, we observed the interesting wildlife that lives here as well. Our visitors were impressed with the big numbers of marine iguanas and their large sizes. Two of the rarest bird species in the world live on Fernandina, the unique flightless cormorant and the Galápagos penguin. With the last rays of sunlight we came back onboard after an unforgettable experience in this paradisiacal realm of the Archipelago.
