Española Island, on the southeastern end of the archipelago, is an old shield volcano. This island is slowly but surely losing the battle against the elements, after drifting over 200 kilometers from its birthplace. AS of today, it is positioned on top of the Nazca plate, having drifted so far from its birth place and effectively losing all influence of the Galapagos Hotspot, the life force that fuels most volcanic activity in this group of islands. Despite being presently only a fraction of its original size, it is still home to vast numbers of sea birds, as well as an endemic species of mockingbird and lava lizard, unique not only to the archipelago, but specifically to Española. We explored the northeastern end of the island at Gardner Bay and nearby Gardner Islet during the morning and the western end at Suarez Point during the afternoon.
5/13/2025
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National Geographic Gemini
Isabela Island
Isabela Island has five active volcanoes and from time to time we can observe how the geology continues to change in a short period of time. Some areas on this island are still in the process of colonization, while other areas are covered with a dense, lush vegetation. This morning, we visited Urbina Bay, which has a lot of vegetation, making it the ideal place for Alcedo giant tortoises and Galapagos land iguanas. This site is one of the best for birding and geology interpretation. Punta Vicente Roca is another fascinating visitor site on Isabela Island. We snorkeled with turtles, sharks, rays, and lots of fish. During our Zodiac ride, we saw many different species of seabirds, such as pelicans, brown noddy terns, Nazca boobies, frigates, and blue-footed boobies resting on the cliffs and plunge diving for fish.
