Southern Isabela Island
Today dawned sunny and mild but did not stay that way for long. The weather changed dramatically all day long: from chilly, damp garua drizzle to warm sunshine in a matter of minutes. The volcano hikers, those who climbed to the rim of Sierra Negra, had droplets dripping down their faces on the ride in the back of taxi pickup trucks to the end of the road. Then they hiked along a trial through lush vegetation and mud until they reached the summit where the garua burned off and they had a fabulous view of one of the largest calderas in the world.
The sun shone bright and the mud dried to dust as they continued to a shade tree to the north where they took a sandwich break and then descended to Volcan Chico. There have been two recent eruptions at this site, in 1964 and 1979 and the barren rough lava still appears to have cooled just yesterday. The hikers picked their way through the sharp and jagged lava carefully, and skirted deep chasms and pits that remind one of Tolkien’s Land of Mordor. The “volcanic wonderland” and the vistas to the north towards the splendid shield volcanoes of Alcedo and Fernandina made the effort of this 9-mile hike well worthwhile.
Our volcano hikers and those who stayed in the lowlands alike, visited the Tortoise Breeding Center that is run by the National Park and Darwin Station. We viewed the adult tortoises of several populations from Sierra Negra and Cerro Azul volcanoes that are breeding in captivity and whose offspring are being repatriated to their native areas. The curator showed us eggs that had been laid the previous night and a healthy 8-month-old little tortoise that has 5 or 6 more years of the pampered life before he is returned to the wild.
Beach walks, boogie boards and swimming in the gentle surf, hanging out in hammocks and indulging in a Pilsner beer, plus the option to join one of the excursions to Tintoreras Islet or the Muro de las Lagrimas (the wall of tears built by prisoners in the late 1940s) or explore town by bicycle occupied us during the remainder of the day. By late afternoon we gathered for beer, soft drinks and seafood snacks at La Choza Restaurant.
An evening presentation by the Darwin Station representative was enhanced by the presence of two “iguana kids’ and a “piquerito” (baby booby). These 3 cute kids, who are members of two of the three very active local environmental clubs for children, gave us hope for the future of conservation in the islands. They were delighted to join our younger guests for an early dinner and even 3-year-old Alejandra had the courage to say her name and age into the microphone and admitted that her favorite booby club activities are the excursions and field trips.
Today dawned sunny and mild but did not stay that way for long. The weather changed dramatically all day long: from chilly, damp garua drizzle to warm sunshine in a matter of minutes. The volcano hikers, those who climbed to the rim of Sierra Negra, had droplets dripping down their faces on the ride in the back of taxi pickup trucks to the end of the road. Then they hiked along a trial through lush vegetation and mud until they reached the summit where the garua burned off and they had a fabulous view of one of the largest calderas in the world.
The sun shone bright and the mud dried to dust as they continued to a shade tree to the north where they took a sandwich break and then descended to Volcan Chico. There have been two recent eruptions at this site, in 1964 and 1979 and the barren rough lava still appears to have cooled just yesterday. The hikers picked their way through the sharp and jagged lava carefully, and skirted deep chasms and pits that remind one of Tolkien’s Land of Mordor. The “volcanic wonderland” and the vistas to the north towards the splendid shield volcanoes of Alcedo and Fernandina made the effort of this 9-mile hike well worthwhile.
Our volcano hikers and those who stayed in the lowlands alike, visited the Tortoise Breeding Center that is run by the National Park and Darwin Station. We viewed the adult tortoises of several populations from Sierra Negra and Cerro Azul volcanoes that are breeding in captivity and whose offspring are being repatriated to their native areas. The curator showed us eggs that had been laid the previous night and a healthy 8-month-old little tortoise that has 5 or 6 more years of the pampered life before he is returned to the wild.
Beach walks, boogie boards and swimming in the gentle surf, hanging out in hammocks and indulging in a Pilsner beer, plus the option to join one of the excursions to Tintoreras Islet or the Muro de las Lagrimas (the wall of tears built by prisoners in the late 1940s) or explore town by bicycle occupied us during the remainder of the day. By late afternoon we gathered for beer, soft drinks and seafood snacks at La Choza Restaurant.
An evening presentation by the Darwin Station representative was enhanced by the presence of two “iguana kids’ and a “piquerito” (baby booby). These 3 cute kids, who are members of two of the three very active local environmental clubs for children, gave us hope for the future of conservation in the islands. They were delighted to join our younger guests for an early dinner and even 3-year-old Alejandra had the courage to say her name and age into the microphone and admitted that her favorite booby club activities are the excursions and field trips.
