The National Geographic Islander visited the largest of the enchanted islands and the second youngest within the archipelago. We disembarked, having a wet landing on a place called Urbina Bay (named after one Ecuadorian President). Our hike this morning consisted on a loop trail to the inner part of the island where the endemic yellow dragons inhabit (land iguanas). The hike happened on an uplifted area from 1954 when about three square kilometers of the coastline uplifted above sea level. Right at the beginning we encountered many species of Darin finches and yellow warblers. We also saw some small tortoises from nearby Alcedo Volcano population - they spend their first years of life here before they find their way to the summit of the volcanoes nearby.
Thousands of broken shells and large coral heads out of the water are still best evidence of a piece of the ocean floor now inhabited by a complex land ecosystem. After the hike we got some time to jump in the water and go for a refreshing swim.
Our afternoon destination was Tagus Cove. This place is where pirates, whalers, and early sailors anchored in protected waters. Some came here to hunt giant tortoises, others just for the tranquility of its waters. Evidence of that is some graffiti carved deep in the volcanic ash registering their visit. It’s a great place to enjoy water activities like kayaking and snorkeling, for the area offers a wide variety of wildlife - penguins, cormorants, sea lions, iguanas, turtles, and more. This can be all seen and enjoyed either from the water, a kayak, or from the Zodiac. Several options are offered to our guest to maximize their experience of exploration.
