Isabela and Fernandina Islands
On the western side of the Enchanted Islands you never know what to expect – there is a surprise every time we voyage around these realms. This area is surrounded by the most active volcanoes, it has the deepest waters, and it receives the upwelling Cromwell Current. Early in the morning we were all on the Sundeck looking for Cetaceans, but we couldn’t find any as the mist covered the whole area; still we enjoyed a cup of coffee and observed some interesting seabirds that came close to us, including Galápagos shearwaters, Storm petrels and Nazca boobies.
After crossing the Equator, we boarded our Zodiacs to explore the shore of Isabela Island around a little cove known as Punta Vicente Roca. This place is bathed in the very productive waters of the Bolivar Channel. In the Zodiac I was on, we counted at least 34 sea turtles! In addition, we saw Flightless cormorants, Galápagos penguins, Galápagos sea lions, and all different kinds of fish. On our way back we found a couple of Oceanic sun fish (Mola mola) coming close to the surface and finally a huge manta ray.
Right after the ride we prepared for water activities. Snorkeling in Punta Vicente Roca is an unbelievable experience, especially for me! Today was the first time that I had the chance to swim with a huge manta ray! As I mentioned before: you never know what to expect from this area! The water was really clear, the magical moment was complemented by many sea turtles and colorful King angel fish that we saw. Heading to our next destination we heard an announcement that made our hearts jump: Killer whales were swimming next to our ship… What a great sighting!
Finally, Fernandina in the afternoon was a place that took our breath away. We observed hundreds of marine iguanas in our path, sea lions playing on the sand, Flightless cormorants nesting on the shore, lava cactus growing in the middle of the lava, making a great composition.
It is late now, but I’m going to bed thinking about the beauty of these places. I have been working here for the last 5 years and still every day is a great adventure, you never know what can happen in the Enchanted Islands.
