Isabela and Fernandina
The day had a promising start. Navigating along northern Isabela on board the Islander was beautiful. The ocean was like blue tinted glass and the equatorial sun began early to scorch our side of the planet. At around 06:45 in the morning, about 2 miles ahead of us we spotted the spout of a whale. As we approached we realized that there were at least 2 sperm whales! They looked like dark gray logs blowing waterspouts at 45-degree angles from their blowholes. The sperm whales stayed on the surface for about 15 minutes, until they were around 300 yards away from the boat, and then they dove and disappeared from our sight. We headed south and crossed the equator line for the second time this trip. Then we took Zodiac rides at Punta Vicente Roca below the magnificent and steep cliffs of volcano Ecuador. There were green sea turtles grazing underwater, blue-footed boobies and noddy terns perching on the cliffs and our first flightless cormorants. Large swells prevented us from snorkelling there, but most of us had the chance to see the dorsal fins of a couple of pelagic sunfishes.
The afternoon also started off well, when the bridge spotted a pod of common dolphins that met us during our crossing to Fernandina. Our typical Ecuadorian Sunday lunch was slightly delayed, but then enjoyed by us all. After siesta there was a snorkeling excursion at the coast of Fernandina, which put a broad smile on everybody’s face. We saw penguins, sea turtles and myriad fish. The walk along the black lava shores of Fernandina was amazing, with large groups of fat marine iguanas, playful sea lions, flightless cormorants nesting and a Galápagos Hawk. Hawks are the top predator of the Archipelago and his presence brings fear to many of the residents. But the Galápagos hawk is a majestic and beautiful bird and like the island of Fernandina itself is wild and untamed nature at its best.
The day had a promising start. Navigating along northern Isabela on board the Islander was beautiful. The ocean was like blue tinted glass and the equatorial sun began early to scorch our side of the planet. At around 06:45 in the morning, about 2 miles ahead of us we spotted the spout of a whale. As we approached we realized that there were at least 2 sperm whales! They looked like dark gray logs blowing waterspouts at 45-degree angles from their blowholes. The sperm whales stayed on the surface for about 15 minutes, until they were around 300 yards away from the boat, and then they dove and disappeared from our sight. We headed south and crossed the equator line for the second time this trip. Then we took Zodiac rides at Punta Vicente Roca below the magnificent and steep cliffs of volcano Ecuador. There were green sea turtles grazing underwater, blue-footed boobies and noddy terns perching on the cliffs and our first flightless cormorants. Large swells prevented us from snorkelling there, but most of us had the chance to see the dorsal fins of a couple of pelagic sunfishes.
The afternoon also started off well, when the bridge spotted a pod of common dolphins that met us during our crossing to Fernandina. Our typical Ecuadorian Sunday lunch was slightly delayed, but then enjoyed by us all. After siesta there was a snorkeling excursion at the coast of Fernandina, which put a broad smile on everybody’s face. We saw penguins, sea turtles and myriad fish. The walk along the black lava shores of Fernandina was amazing, with large groups of fat marine iguanas, playful sea lions, flightless cormorants nesting and a Galápagos Hawk. Hawks are the top predator of the Archipelago and his presence brings fear to many of the residents. But the Galápagos hawk is a majestic and beautiful bird and like the island of Fernandina itself is wild and untamed nature at its best.
