Isabela & Fernandina Islands
The Galápagos Islands are a paradise for any nature loving person, and today we experienced some of the marvels of these enchanted islands. We began today’s exploration by sailing to the western side of the archipelago, and we were joined by some short-beaked common dolphins that swam alongside our ship. Seabirds flew overhead and the sunrise was the perfect intro for the day’s fantastic journey. After a charming experience, it was time to continue a very old sea tradition: crossing the Equator. As soon as we were all ready, we anchored at one of the most charming places in the islands: Punta Vicente Roca. Once we dropped anchored, we disembarked for a marvelous experience that only a Zodiac ride can offer. Pacific green sea turtles, Galápagos penguins, fur seals, Galapagos sea lions, and a symphony of seabirds were the main attractions of the place.
After a delightful Zodiac ride, there was no time to waste; we prepared our gear to explore the magical underwater world. As soon as we dove into the water, we saw a big spotted eagle ray, as if it was welcoming us. Farther along the cliffs, golden cownose rays looked fascinating — we felt we were inside a wonderland. The magical colors of the reef fish were the perfect contrast for a delightful experience. The highlight was definitely the Pacific green sea turtles that were swimming all around us.
In the afternoon the adventure got only better. We took a break to enjoy a pleasant Ecuadorian buffet lunch on board National Geographic Islander, then we pulled anchor and we began our navigation to our next destination: Punta Espinosa. A dry landing was the perfect arrival to place dominated by lava rocks. Lava lizards were our companions throughout the visit, and the Galápagos hawks circled overheard. Farther along the trail, marine iguanas were absolutely stunning covering the lava rocks all over the area, and right at the farthest point of the trail, flightless cormorants looked as magnificent as always as they were drying their feathers on the lava rocks. On the way back the Galapagos sea lions looked elegant as they bent their necks in order to play with their partners.
As we returned to the ship, the magnificence of the place was shown in a concoction of colors that the sunset showed at the end of a fantastic day. The Galápagos Islands are an experience of a lifetime.
