Punta Vicente Roca & Punta Espinoza

Sat. 1/4 - For our first full day we visited the islands of Isabela and Fernandina where we stopped at Punta Vicente Roca and Punta Espinoza.  Isabela is long and skinny with an outcrop that makes it look like a seahorse.  After breakfast we boarded a Zodiac for a ride along the coast of Isabela with a geography lesson on how the volcanos shapped these islands.  A cave on the water was once a lava tube.  Most of the islands were formed by volcanos that sprung up non-violently but this particular volcano exploded outward to form the 'nose' of Isabela.

This is the only place in the world where one will find marine iguanas who are dependent on the ocean for their food.  The males will actually dive under the water for food while the females and young will feed at waters edge.  This is their breading season so the males were very colorful and actively protecting their territory so they were facinating to watch.  We also watched the flightless cormorants hop around on the rocks.  Once a flying bird they now have very small wings that are used for balance only but they still dive in the ocean for fish.  One of the rarest sights on the islands is the Galapagos penguin.  Only about 2000 live here and it is the warmest place you will ever see any penguins.

Following the boat ride we prepared to go snorkling in the same waters we explored above the water line.  Besides all the colorful fish we were startled by a sea lion and enjoyed floating with the sea turtles.  This is one of our favorite activities and one we will get to do everyday on this trip.

Following lunch we watched a movie about the Galapagos then the pangas took us to shore n Fernandina Island where we walked on ancient lava fields and witnessed the transformation of the volcanic rock into mango groves where many birds live and where iguanas and sea lions find shade and shelter.

Speaking of iguanas, Fernandina Island has one of the largest populations of marine iguanas on any of the islands.  So many, in fact, that we had to watch every step so that we wouldn't step on any.  We also got to watch them swim and fight over the females.  We saw the Galapagos hawk, the Galapagos mockingbird, a yellow warbler, sea lions, and one penguin.  And did I mention we saw hundreds of the iguanas?