Isabela Island
Our outing for this morning started at Puerto Villamil, located at Isabela Island. As soon as we dropped anchor at the bay we took a glimpse of Sierra Negra Volcano, but something weird happened; it was not there! Soon, we realized that it was only the mist and the clouds that had covered the otherwise imposing view of this active giant. The tide was extremely low this morning, changing our plans at the last minute for a wet landing at the beach. One of our options today was a hike to the rim of Sierra Negra volcano and to a side volcanic vent that was active until 1979. This was a very aerobic-oriented outing, since it implied a ten-mile walk over patches of mud and lava flows. Nowadays, this volcanic vent, called also “volcan chico,” is one of the most visited places of this island, due to the unique lava formations and also because there are still signs of activity on it. Sometimes columns of smoke with a distinctive sulphurous odor steam come from the very center of the formation.
For the rest of us, the choice to visit the Charles Darwin’s rearing center for giant tortoises sounded really appealing. After learning about the projects for conservation and the efforts done to preserve this emblematic species, we headed for a wonderful walk through the true brackish lagoons of the island. Lots of species of shore birds were found here such as the white cheeked pintail duck and every one’s favorite, flamingoes.
The sun finally came out just in time for some beach action, practically inviting us with its warm rays to get a quick dip in the waters of this beautiful beach.
After a delicious lunch back on board the Islander, we were up and ready to go again to our next destination, the wall of tears. This is practically a remainder to the cruelty that some people performed back in the ‘40s, where several prisoners from a penal colony died during the process of erecting a wall made of basaltic rocks. They had to carry, barebacked, heavy rocks easily weighing up to one hundred pounds. The idea was to get the prisoners weak and exhausted, so they will die in the process of building the wall. It was a tragic event, but luckily we have learned of it. The town has its very foundation from this event, and the wall keeps reminding us of the cruelty that some people is capable of, and hopefully, it would remind us to become better people, too.
Our outing for this morning started at Puerto Villamil, located at Isabela Island. As soon as we dropped anchor at the bay we took a glimpse of Sierra Negra Volcano, but something weird happened; it was not there! Soon, we realized that it was only the mist and the clouds that had covered the otherwise imposing view of this active giant. The tide was extremely low this morning, changing our plans at the last minute for a wet landing at the beach. One of our options today was a hike to the rim of Sierra Negra volcano and to a side volcanic vent that was active until 1979. This was a very aerobic-oriented outing, since it implied a ten-mile walk over patches of mud and lava flows. Nowadays, this volcanic vent, called also “volcan chico,” is one of the most visited places of this island, due to the unique lava formations and also because there are still signs of activity on it. Sometimes columns of smoke with a distinctive sulphurous odor steam come from the very center of the formation.
For the rest of us, the choice to visit the Charles Darwin’s rearing center for giant tortoises sounded really appealing. After learning about the projects for conservation and the efforts done to preserve this emblematic species, we headed for a wonderful walk through the true brackish lagoons of the island. Lots of species of shore birds were found here such as the white cheeked pintail duck and every one’s favorite, flamingoes.
The sun finally came out just in time for some beach action, practically inviting us with its warm rays to get a quick dip in the waters of this beautiful beach.
After a delicious lunch back on board the Islander, we were up and ready to go again to our next destination, the wall of tears. This is practically a remainder to the cruelty that some people performed back in the ‘40s, where several prisoners from a penal colony died during the process of erecting a wall made of basaltic rocks. They had to carry, barebacked, heavy rocks easily weighing up to one hundred pounds. The idea was to get the prisoners weak and exhausted, so they will die in the process of building the wall. It was a tragic event, but luckily we have learned of it. The town has its very foundation from this event, and the wall keeps reminding us of the cruelty that some people is capable of, and hopefully, it would remind us to become better people, too.
