To the west are the youngest and most volcanic islands of the archipelago, also the largest. It’s here where we spent the day for our several activities, the first at a location called Urbina Bay where our guests chose between a short and long hike, both offering good opportunities to see wildlife like large land iguanas and also giant tortoises occasionally.

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 pelicans.

Another interesting feature of the area is the 1954 uplift that caused the elevation of the marine bottom by 12 feet over 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. A great area has large coral heads a distance from the water, now with vegetation growth on them.

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 guests started early, doing some kayaking along the shore of tuff formation regularly with sea birds like penguins and cormorants resting or nesting.

This was followed by some guests going snorkeling off the Zodiacs along the coastline. Here, green sea turtles are abundant and incredibly friendly, also penguins come very close as they follow small fish. Cormorants do the same and are sometimes attracted to snorkels and other items people have on and try to play with them or take them to include as part of their 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 inside is twice as salty as the ocean’s. Some others just 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 was on the horizon announcing the last warming ray of the day, one of those days that will stay in our memories for a long time.

Another incredible day in the Galapagos.