The National Geographic Islander explored the calm blue waters under the beautiful orange light of sunrise. We gathered on the decks with warm coffee to admire the majesty of the volcanoes of Isabela Island and the flocks of sea birds as they skimmed the ocean in search of their morning meals. We, on the other hand, were searching for dolphins. Suddenly we spotted big splashes close to the horizon and we changed the course of the ship. Certainly there were dolphins. There was a pod of five hundred or more common dolphins which were breaching everywhere! This was an amazing beginning to this exciting day.
Still in the early morning hours we reached Punta Vicente Roca on Isabela Island. As soon as the ship anchored, we boarded the Zodiacs to explore the coast. The rocky shore and cliffs on this island are home to unique species of animals such as Nazca boobies, penguins, cormorants and many other birds. At the end of the Zodiac ride we went snorkeling in the calm waters at Punta Vicente Roca. This little corner is another world with vibrant life. There were many types of fish, penguins fishing and sea turtles!
In the afternoon we headed to Fernandina Island. This island is the youngest of the Galapagos. It is covered by vast lava flows and it is one of the active volcanoes of the region. The last eruption on Fernandina took place in April 2009. Here, we explored the shore, the colonies of marine iguanas and the lava field with the endemic lava cactuses. As we walked, we had baby sea lions all around us, sally light foot crabs literally on each rock, and last but not least, the emblematic flightless cormorants.
This young island harbors the largest colonies of marine iguanas. These reptiles form large groups which bask along the shore. During the walk we could see that the breeding cycle for the marine iguanas is at its starting point. There are large male iguanas bobbing their heads marking their territories.
It was a fantastic day!
