The day started early when a big group of dolphins surrounded our ship during navigation. Everyone enjoyed their show from the observation deck on the misty morning sunrise.
The first outing took our groups to Vicente Roca Point, the northernmost site on Isabela Island. We explored the outer rim of the Ecuador Volcano and geological formations surrounding the area. The geology of the site does not allow disembarkation, so from our Zodiacs we witnessed courtship ritual of flightless cormorants, Galapagos penguins and tons of sea turtles.
Right after the Zodiac ride, we went snorkeling on a sheltered bay full of sea turtles. Crystal clear water, small horn sharks, and hundreds of colorful fish made our outing an amazing way to start the day.
On the afternoon we visited Fernandina Island, the youngest island of all. The disembarkation took place by one of the only mangrove forests of the island. The area is covered by hundreds of iguanas that permanently live there. The area is a nesting site for these animals, so the presence of Galapagos hawks, their main predator, is very common. As we were exploring the site, a hawk came down on a baby iguana and ate it all in front of us—a National Geographic moment right before sunset!
