Isabela and Fernandina Island
Early morning began with a sunrise and observation of marine mammals and birds along the shoreline of Roca Rendonda. The Zodiacs departed just after breakfast for a ride along Punta Vincente Roca. We spotted penguins resting on the rocks, marine turtles swimming and the flightless cormorant, found only in the Galápagos Islands. As we explored a costal cave, we were alerted to the sighting of a Bryde’s Whale. We quickly joined the pursuit and were rewarded with spectacular views of a mother and her calf. We were close enough to smell the whales’ breath! (Not a particularly pleasant odor).
While tracking the whales, we came upon a large manta ray. It delighted us by fully jumping out of the water. Its entire body was visible from our Zodiac!
During lunch, the bridge officers spotted an Orca. We abandoned our meal to gather on deck for this fortunate encounter. The captain was able to maneuver the Polaris within yards of the surfacing whale.
Our lunch was again interrupted by a second sighting. This time, approximately two hundred common dolphins were swimming and jumping yards off the bow! A school of yellow fin tuna accompanied the dolphin and were nearly the same size. The dolphins and tuna appeared to be hunting in tandem.
The afternoon snorkeling trip was at Punta Espinoza. This was the best snorkeling yet, due to the abundance of sea turtles and marine iguanas feeding on the algae. Shortly after entering the water, five juvenile sea lions joined our group. They played with us intermittently for over an hour while we inspected the surrounding environment. Other highlights included a two-foot Galápagos bullhead shark.
Our snorkeling expedition was followed by a land journey also on Punta Espinoza. We disembarked on the lava rocks and were first astounded by the sheer number of marine iguanas warming in the sun. We had a rare glimpse of a bloody frogfish in a tidal pool. Further along our path we witnessed a baby cormorant being fed. Other treasures included Galápagos snakes, sea lions, penguins, and turtles.
We can’t wait for our next adventure aboard the Polaris!
Early morning began with a sunrise and observation of marine mammals and birds along the shoreline of Roca Rendonda. The Zodiacs departed just after breakfast for a ride along Punta Vincente Roca. We spotted penguins resting on the rocks, marine turtles swimming and the flightless cormorant, found only in the Galápagos Islands. As we explored a costal cave, we were alerted to the sighting of a Bryde’s Whale. We quickly joined the pursuit and were rewarded with spectacular views of a mother and her calf. We were close enough to smell the whales’ breath! (Not a particularly pleasant odor).
While tracking the whales, we came upon a large manta ray. It delighted us by fully jumping out of the water. Its entire body was visible from our Zodiac!
During lunch, the bridge officers spotted an Orca. We abandoned our meal to gather on deck for this fortunate encounter. The captain was able to maneuver the Polaris within yards of the surfacing whale.
Our lunch was again interrupted by a second sighting. This time, approximately two hundred common dolphins were swimming and jumping yards off the bow! A school of yellow fin tuna accompanied the dolphin and were nearly the same size. The dolphins and tuna appeared to be hunting in tandem.
The afternoon snorkeling trip was at Punta Espinoza. This was the best snorkeling yet, due to the abundance of sea turtles and marine iguanas feeding on the algae. Shortly after entering the water, five juvenile sea lions joined our group. They played with us intermittently for over an hour while we inspected the surrounding environment. Other highlights included a two-foot Galápagos bullhead shark.
Our snorkeling expedition was followed by a land journey also on Punta Espinoza. We disembarked on the lava rocks and were first astounded by the sheer number of marine iguanas warming in the sun. We had a rare glimpse of a bloody frogfish in a tidal pool. Further along our path we witnessed a baby cormorant being fed. Other treasures included Galápagos snakes, sea lions, penguins, and turtles.
We can’t wait for our next adventure aboard the Polaris!
