To the west are the youngest and most volcanic islands of the archipelago, also the largest. It’s here where we spent the day and had several activities. The first was at Urbina Bay, where our guests chose between a short and long hike. Both offered good wildlife opportunities, large land iguanas and giant tortoises were plentiful almost from beginning to end.
Land birds are also everywhere here, from Darwin’s finches, Galapagos hawks, warblers and Galapagos mockingbirds to some waders and sea birds like the unique flightless cormorants and penguins.
Another interesting feature of the area is the 1954 uplift that caused the elevation of the marine bottom by 12 feet over an area of about 5 miles. During this action a great number of marine creatures like sea turtles, sea urchins, lobster, sharks and many more were left high and dry and can be seen as you walk through the inland trail recently colonized by vegetation of different sorts. The area has large coral a distance from the water and now vegetation grows on it.
After a delicious Ecuadorian lunch and a mandatory siesta we prepare for the afternoon activities at another location on Isabela called Tagus Cove. Formerly visited by naturalist Charles Darwin, some started early doing some kayaking along the shore of tuff formation with sea birds like penguins and cormorants resting or nesting.
This was followed by some guests snorkeling off the zodiacs along the coastline. Here green sea turtles are abundant and incredibly friendly. Penguins come very close as they follow small fishes, cormorants do the same and sometimes are attracted to snorkels and other items people have on and usually play or try to take to include as part of nest. This session in the water was just amazing.
The adventure continued for those going on a power hike to a small elevation from where you can see a salt water lake in an old crater. Mostly made of ash and surrounded by local vegetation, the water is twice as salty as the ocean’s. Some guests decided to take it easy and went on a zodiac ride to look for the amazing animals that usually hang on the rocks and swim close the shore where is possible to see and take pictures of them easily.
Behind us the sun on the horizon announced the last warming ray of the day, one of those days that will stay in memory for a long time. Another incredible day in the Galapagos!
