After a couple of days spent among the low, hilly profiles of the central islands of the Galapagos, we sailed all night to reach the more remote, western region of the archipelago.
Located at the very edge of the Galapagos Platform and right on top of the hotspot that created the islands, it was a delight to go out on deck at sunrise to find ourselves surrounded by the towering shield volcanoes of Isabela and Fernandina. Everywhere we could see signs of the intense volcanic activity that led to submarine volcanoes eventually piercing the overlying waters to form the islands we know today: flanks streaked with innumerable black lava flows and dotted with parasitic cones.
As we stood out on deck, taking in this spectacular backdrop, we were treated to sightings of many species of sea birds, such as boobies and Galapagos shearwaters. To top it off, our deck officers sighted a large school of common dolphin, Delphinus delphis, off in the distance. We changed direction and spent some time admiring the acrobatic antics of these small and attractive marine mammals, many of which were accompanied by tiny calves. We eventually took up our course again and dropped anchor off the coast on Punta Espinoza, Fernandina – the youngest and most pristine island in the archipelago. Our hikes over the strangely-textured lava flows led us through mangroves, past spiky patches of lava cactus and tidepools home to Galapagos sea lion pups, and through dense groups of the largest marine iguana population in Galapagos, many of which were displaying aggressive territorial behavior as they come into their breeding season.
Another great highlight was the opportunity to observe a bird truly emblematic of Galapagos, flightlessness being a characteristic of many bird species that have colonized oceanic islands the world over: the flightless cormorant.
We then sailed across to the northern coast of Isabela Island, Punta Vicente Roca, where the afternoon was spent swimming, snorkeling and cruising among Galapagos penguins, sea lions and fur seals, as well as green Pacific sea turtles. To top off an unforgettable day, we sailed off into a stunning sunset with champagne in hand, along the coast of the giant collapsed caldera of Ecuador Volcano and over the equator line.
