Punta Vicente Roca & Fernandina Islands
This morning we had the opportunity to enjoy once again the marine ecosystem of the Galápagos. Punta Vicente Roca, located at the Southern side of Ecuador Volcano, offered an excellent opportunity to see lots of sea turtles in the water. The clearness of the water gave us the chance to spot many of them, cruising all under us, giving us the snorkeling of a life time! Turtles weren’t the only thing we saw, but also sea lions, penguins, flightless cormorants and many different species of tropical fish. It was magical to be among so many different species, and I can confidently say that Galápagos is like no other place in the world!
Since we spent a lot of energy while snorkeling, we headed to re-fuel our bodies with a well-prepared Ecuadorian buffet lunch. It was a little taste (actually, it was a lot of food, but no complaints on that one!) of the variety and diversity that exist in our country.
Once done with our lunch we continued with our mandatory siesta, but it got interrupted when an announcement was made: “ladies and gentlemen, we are surrounded by dolphins!” Estimations were made that more than a thousand Spinner dolphins were all over around us! Their characteristic acrobatic jumps were what clearly identify them as spinner dolphins, while the naturalists were commenting that they have rarely seen a show like this before!
We did not get tired of watching the dolphins, but we had a wonderful afternoon to come and we wanted to have plenty of time for it, as well. We anchored off the shore of Fernandina Island, the most pristine in the Galápagos. Once on land, we discovered why it is among naturalists’ favorite. The marine iguanas’ nesting season is at its peak, and we watch them trying to find the right place to lay their eggs. Baby sea lions came to sniff the guests’ shoes, as if expecting to be picked up for adoption. At the end of the walk, flightless cormorants were welcoming us “open wings” as they were drying them after their foraging activities.
Magical moments are what inspire us all to pursue the exploration and preservation of these wonderful islands, as well as to keep our eyes wide open, so nothing would put in risk this paradise lost in time.
This morning we had the opportunity to enjoy once again the marine ecosystem of the Galápagos. Punta Vicente Roca, located at the Southern side of Ecuador Volcano, offered an excellent opportunity to see lots of sea turtles in the water. The clearness of the water gave us the chance to spot many of them, cruising all under us, giving us the snorkeling of a life time! Turtles weren’t the only thing we saw, but also sea lions, penguins, flightless cormorants and many different species of tropical fish. It was magical to be among so many different species, and I can confidently say that Galápagos is like no other place in the world!
Since we spent a lot of energy while snorkeling, we headed to re-fuel our bodies with a well-prepared Ecuadorian buffet lunch. It was a little taste (actually, it was a lot of food, but no complaints on that one!) of the variety and diversity that exist in our country.
Once done with our lunch we continued with our mandatory siesta, but it got interrupted when an announcement was made: “ladies and gentlemen, we are surrounded by dolphins!” Estimations were made that more than a thousand Spinner dolphins were all over around us! Their characteristic acrobatic jumps were what clearly identify them as spinner dolphins, while the naturalists were commenting that they have rarely seen a show like this before!
We did not get tired of watching the dolphins, but we had a wonderful afternoon to come and we wanted to have plenty of time for it, as well. We anchored off the shore of Fernandina Island, the most pristine in the Galápagos. Once on land, we discovered why it is among naturalists’ favorite. The marine iguanas’ nesting season is at its peak, and we watch them trying to find the right place to lay their eggs. Baby sea lions came to sniff the guests’ shoes, as if expecting to be picked up for adoption. At the end of the walk, flightless cormorants were welcoming us “open wings” as they were drying them after their foraging activities.
Magical moments are what inspire us all to pursue the exploration and preservation of these wonderful islands, as well as to keep our eyes wide open, so nothing would put in risk this paradise lost in time.
