The Spaniards used to call the Galapagos “Las Encantadas” (The Enchanted Islands) because of the mist that often descended upon the islands, making them seem to disappear from the horizon. Today was one of those enchanted mornings in which a thick fog made the experience more dramatic. Right before breakfast, the surface of the ocean was disrupted by a 40-foot tropical whale that surfaced right next to the ship. It was a breathtaking scene: the mist, the mirror-like sea, and the dorsal fin of a huge whale.
After breakfast we disembarked at Punta Espinoza, the only visitor site on Fernandina Island. We felt privileged to visit such a pristine area. Once ashore, we spotted Galapagos marine iguanas sunbathing on the landing jetty. A few steps later, juvenile sea lions played in the tidal pools while waiting for their mothers. The interaction among them took us far outside our everyday existence.
After our three-hour-long hike, we returned to the National Geographic Endeavour for a delicious pasta lunch featuring many different versions of Ecuadorian pesto (just dried basil and olive oil, no pinoli needed). Simple, yet exquisite!
In the afternoon, we arrived at Punta Vicente Roca on Isabela Island. During our snorkeling session, we swam among sea turtles, penguins and flightless cormorants. Then we boarded Zodiacs to survey the astonishing volcanic landscape of Isabela Island’s northern volcano.
Back onboard the ship that evening we celebrated the crossing of the equator line with friendly pirates on the foredeck. With wine glasses in hand and the sun setting, we toasted another day in paradise.
