Isabela and Fernandina Islands
When we awoke this morning we were navigating on azure, calm seas. We spotted a Bryde’s whale and calf off the northern coast of Isabela before breakfast. As we crossed from the northern hemisphere into the southern, the Captain counted down and the helmsman blew the ship’s whistle. I signed up anyone who wanted for a certificate and decided not to tar and feather the many “pollywogs” we had on board. The morning Zodiac cruise along Ecuador Volcano was spectacular: sea turtles, fur seals, penguins, flightless cormorants, two huge manta rays and a mola mola were just some of the many creatures we observed.
The afternoon’s visit to Fernandina combined a fabulous walk on the lava shores of this huge shield volcano. The trail wound through colonies of sluggish and fat marine iguanas, sea lions with young pups in tidal pools and resting on the sandy beaches, penguins along the shore, a pair of oyster catchers and nesting flightless cormorants with two week old chicks. When we reached the very point of Punta Espinoza the Naturalist Rafael Pesantes shouted, “orcas!” and we watched with amazement a feeding frenzy of frigates, noddy terns, and storm petrels around two hunting orcas.
I had taken the non-walkers on a Zodiac ride in search of penguins, iguanas and cormorants. I encouraged those who did not like the idea of hiking on rough lava to join me, telling them it would be a lovely outing. But even I never imagined what an incredible experience we would have!
It’s hard to describe the excitement of riding in a Zodiac along a wild lava shoreline with two orcas – a large male with a 5 foot dorsal fin and a smaller female – hunting beside us. The male threw his tail up, straight out of the water, and crashed it down with a huge splash. At times they surfaced so close to us that we yelped in surprise, felt the spray from their blow holes on our faces and smelled their fishy breath. Frigates dove and hovered in clouds above the whales apparently feeding on scrapes of the hunter’s prey. The moon rose over Darwin Volcano, huge and almost full. The sunset and many small fluffy white clouds turned to orange and pink and the male orca leapt completely out of the ocean and was silhouetted against the fading sunset.
What an awesome experience in a unique and marvelous place, these enchanted Galápagos Islands. We are privileged indeed to have witnessed this display of nature’s untamed beauty and power.
When we awoke this morning we were navigating on azure, calm seas. We spotted a Bryde’s whale and calf off the northern coast of Isabela before breakfast. As we crossed from the northern hemisphere into the southern, the Captain counted down and the helmsman blew the ship’s whistle. I signed up anyone who wanted for a certificate and decided not to tar and feather the many “pollywogs” we had on board. The morning Zodiac cruise along Ecuador Volcano was spectacular: sea turtles, fur seals, penguins, flightless cormorants, two huge manta rays and a mola mola were just some of the many creatures we observed.
The afternoon’s visit to Fernandina combined a fabulous walk on the lava shores of this huge shield volcano. The trail wound through colonies of sluggish and fat marine iguanas, sea lions with young pups in tidal pools and resting on the sandy beaches, penguins along the shore, a pair of oyster catchers and nesting flightless cormorants with two week old chicks. When we reached the very point of Punta Espinoza the Naturalist Rafael Pesantes shouted, “orcas!” and we watched with amazement a feeding frenzy of frigates, noddy terns, and storm petrels around two hunting orcas.
I had taken the non-walkers on a Zodiac ride in search of penguins, iguanas and cormorants. I encouraged those who did not like the idea of hiking on rough lava to join me, telling them it would be a lovely outing. But even I never imagined what an incredible experience we would have!
It’s hard to describe the excitement of riding in a Zodiac along a wild lava shoreline with two orcas – a large male with a 5 foot dorsal fin and a smaller female – hunting beside us. The male threw his tail up, straight out of the water, and crashed it down with a huge splash. At times they surfaced so close to us that we yelped in surprise, felt the spray from their blow holes on our faces and smelled their fishy breath. Frigates dove and hovered in clouds above the whales apparently feeding on scrapes of the hunter’s prey. The moon rose over Darwin Volcano, huge and almost full. The sunset and many small fluffy white clouds turned to orange and pink and the male orca leapt completely out of the ocean and was silhouetted against the fading sunset.
What an awesome experience in a unique and marvelous place, these enchanted Galápagos Islands. We are privileged indeed to have witnessed this display of nature’s untamed beauty and power.
