Southern Isabela Island
The Ditty for the day was broadcast at 6:30 a.m. It was a memorable tune that went like this:
“Early one morning just as the sun was rising
I heard a whale spouting on the ocean all about
Oh come and dive with me
Oh come and jive with me
Come and see what it is like way down in inner space”
Our morning started off with a commando-like leap into the surf and an ascent onto a steep beach. The first skull we saw was that of a feral goat sitting atop a stop sign.This was a message to intruders who might otherwise step on a sea turtle nesting site just beyond. There was a fascinating conglomeration of black contorted lava conjuring up all kinds of beasts and critters. As we worked through the challenging lava hummocks, life pulsed all around us. Hermit crabs skittered around our feet and fat black carpenter bees rubbed their hairy bodies on the flowers of the yellow Cordia trees. Mockingbirds were singing some vibrant tunes and there were finches a plenty. But the bones along the beach were also of great intrigue. There was a malodorous, bulbous puffer fish atop a rock which had passed away and the air was ripe with its smell. There were beautiful bleached skulls of a pelican and a sea lion. There were turtle bones, ribs, shells and crab legs a plenty.
As we moved away from the coast we began to see the fascinating circumstances of a volcanic uplift. Far inland we found huge brain corrals that had been lifted up out of the ocean in 1954. Land iguanas and their sleeping holes began to appear in the fine sands of the interior and for a while we spent time with a big male who was munching on a prickly pear cactus. Many of the iguanas had freshly molted and their beautiful golden scales shone in the equatorial sun. We found a glorious lime-green sphinx moth on the trail who kept us snapping pictures with our macro lens and, back at the beach now, we dove into the lovely waves of Urvina Bay for a refreshing dip. Nearby marine iguanas surfaced after a dive to the ocean floor for the sea-lettuce that sustains them.
Josh Laughren gave us a most thought provoking talk on marine conservation titled: “Should I Eat That?” We were amazed and shocked to hear that less than 1% of the world’s oceans are protected. Equally disturbing was learning the levels of animals and fish that are killed as bycatch each year. We learned that the World Wildlife Fund is working hard internationally to reduce waste and illegal fishing practices. It is a planetary responsibility to protect our ocean resources and these efforts are worth supporting.
A large group of colorful lava hikers set out from Punta Moreno across the massive lava flows. We were awe-struck by the shapes and patterns of the lava and by the hardy cacti plants and flowers eking out an existence in this once molten mass of volcanic material.
When we arrived at a large sinkhole it was a delight to see a pair of flamingoes feeding in the pool along with some Franklin gulls and galinules. After a few kilometers travel we made our way back to the sea where we met blue-footed boobies, penguins, huge marine iguanas and sea lions all on one little islet. To top off a fantastic day, Lynn shared her fascinating experiences while researching giant tortoises on the flanks of Alcedo Volcano starting many decades ago. She was but a young lass - alone with the giant tortoises for months at a time.
The Ditty for the day was broadcast at 6:30 a.m. It was a memorable tune that went like this:
“Early one morning just as the sun was rising
I heard a whale spouting on the ocean all about
Oh come and dive with me
Oh come and jive with me
Come and see what it is like way down in inner space”
Our morning started off with a commando-like leap into the surf and an ascent onto a steep beach. The first skull we saw was that of a feral goat sitting atop a stop sign.This was a message to intruders who might otherwise step on a sea turtle nesting site just beyond. There was a fascinating conglomeration of black contorted lava conjuring up all kinds of beasts and critters. As we worked through the challenging lava hummocks, life pulsed all around us. Hermit crabs skittered around our feet and fat black carpenter bees rubbed their hairy bodies on the flowers of the yellow Cordia trees. Mockingbirds were singing some vibrant tunes and there were finches a plenty. But the bones along the beach were also of great intrigue. There was a malodorous, bulbous puffer fish atop a rock which had passed away and the air was ripe with its smell. There were beautiful bleached skulls of a pelican and a sea lion. There were turtle bones, ribs, shells and crab legs a plenty.
As we moved away from the coast we began to see the fascinating circumstances of a volcanic uplift. Far inland we found huge brain corrals that had been lifted up out of the ocean in 1954. Land iguanas and their sleeping holes began to appear in the fine sands of the interior and for a while we spent time with a big male who was munching on a prickly pear cactus. Many of the iguanas had freshly molted and their beautiful golden scales shone in the equatorial sun. We found a glorious lime-green sphinx moth on the trail who kept us snapping pictures with our macro lens and, back at the beach now, we dove into the lovely waves of Urvina Bay for a refreshing dip. Nearby marine iguanas surfaced after a dive to the ocean floor for the sea-lettuce that sustains them.
Josh Laughren gave us a most thought provoking talk on marine conservation titled: “Should I Eat That?” We were amazed and shocked to hear that less than 1% of the world’s oceans are protected. Equally disturbing was learning the levels of animals and fish that are killed as bycatch each year. We learned that the World Wildlife Fund is working hard internationally to reduce waste and illegal fishing practices. It is a planetary responsibility to protect our ocean resources and these efforts are worth supporting.
A large group of colorful lava hikers set out from Punta Moreno across the massive lava flows. We were awe-struck by the shapes and patterns of the lava and by the hardy cacti plants and flowers eking out an existence in this once molten mass of volcanic material.
When we arrived at a large sinkhole it was a delight to see a pair of flamingoes feeding in the pool along with some Franklin gulls and galinules. After a few kilometers travel we made our way back to the sea where we met blue-footed boobies, penguins, huge marine iguanas and sea lions all on one little islet. To top off a fantastic day, Lynn shared her fascinating experiences while researching giant tortoises on the flanks of Alcedo Volcano starting many decades ago. She was but a young lass - alone with the giant tortoises for months at a time.
