Isabela & Fernandina Islands
The abundance and beauty of the wildlife in the Galápagos archipelago is without any doubt exquisite. We can not help but being fascinated with the latter fact. The western side of the archipelago is spectacular as well. These realms are dominated by young and impressive volcanic settings. The magical combination of exotic landscapes and wildlife is expressed in Isabela and Fernandina at its most. The whole day has been filled with extraordinary wildlife sightings. Just after breakfast a sighting caused commotion. Whales were spotted in the horizon! We observed at a close range a small pod of Minke whales. The Captain and his Crew skillfully maneuvered the National Geographic Polaris giving us a superb view of the cetaceans. Later in the morning, with the adrenaline still running, we went for a Zodiac cruise along the coastline of Punta Vicente Roca. We spotted the amazing and bizarre-looking ocean sunfish (Mola mola). Most of our visitors had the thrill to observe this enormous fish for the first time in their lives. The sunfish is the largest bony fish on Earth. They can reach gargantuan sizes, a full-size individual collected in Japan several years ago weighted 5,072 pounds! The endemic Galápagos penguins and the endangered Pacific green sea turtles were admired as well. These sightings delighted our guests! Galápagos sea lions were favorite subjects for photography, they are truly photogenic. This morning a small group of these beloved marine mammals were literally posing for their avid photographers. Just before lunch some guests were snorkelling with the sea turtles, penguins and a Manta ray! This experience is by itself, unforgettable.
In the afternoon we visited Fernandina Island, the youngest island of the Galápagos archipelago. This island is considered the jewel on the crown due to its pristine conditions. Striking young black lava flows cover most of the island. As we walked along the black, ropey and aa lavas, Galápagos sea lions, marine iguanas, lava lizards, nesting flightless cormorants, frigate birds, hundreds of colorful Sally Lightfoot crabs, all allowed us into their world. An inspirational sunset filled our minds with joy. We can hardly wait to discover what our expedition will bring to our lives in the next days.
The abundance and beauty of the wildlife in the Galápagos archipelago is without any doubt exquisite. We can not help but being fascinated with the latter fact. The western side of the archipelago is spectacular as well. These realms are dominated by young and impressive volcanic settings. The magical combination of exotic landscapes and wildlife is expressed in Isabela and Fernandina at its most. The whole day has been filled with extraordinary wildlife sightings. Just after breakfast a sighting caused commotion. Whales were spotted in the horizon! We observed at a close range a small pod of Minke whales. The Captain and his Crew skillfully maneuvered the National Geographic Polaris giving us a superb view of the cetaceans. Later in the morning, with the adrenaline still running, we went for a Zodiac cruise along the coastline of Punta Vicente Roca. We spotted the amazing and bizarre-looking ocean sunfish (Mola mola). Most of our visitors had the thrill to observe this enormous fish for the first time in their lives. The sunfish is the largest bony fish on Earth. They can reach gargantuan sizes, a full-size individual collected in Japan several years ago weighted 5,072 pounds! The endemic Galápagos penguins and the endangered Pacific green sea turtles were admired as well. These sightings delighted our guests! Galápagos sea lions were favorite subjects for photography, they are truly photogenic. This morning a small group of these beloved marine mammals were literally posing for their avid photographers. Just before lunch some guests were snorkelling with the sea turtles, penguins and a Manta ray! This experience is by itself, unforgettable.
In the afternoon we visited Fernandina Island, the youngest island of the Galápagos archipelago. This island is considered the jewel on the crown due to its pristine conditions. Striking young black lava flows cover most of the island. As we walked along the black, ropey and aa lavas, Galápagos sea lions, marine iguanas, lava lizards, nesting flightless cormorants, frigate birds, hundreds of colorful Sally Lightfoot crabs, all allowed us into their world. An inspirational sunset filled our minds with joy. We can hardly wait to discover what our expedition will bring to our lives in the next days.
