5. Isabela, Punta Vicente Roca, Fernandina, Punta Espinoza
'Volcanic" doesn't begin to describe it.
06.20.2022 - 06.20.2022 78 °F
Day 5 (3), Monday, June 20
It got hectic yesterday afternoon as we hosted guests on our balcony, fascinating Spaniard David and Phillipino Geralyn, a great young couple aboard with their children Francesco (5) and Noa (7). Here are some shots that I didn't upload because we were holding that delightful get-together.
Today’s agenda: Isabela, Punta Vicente Roca, Fernandina, Punta Espinoza.
Two bits of news: 1. It got a wee bit rough last night as we rounded the north end of Isabela Island crossing, as we mentioned yesterday, the equator northbound and then again southbound. Our "anchorage" this morning is in what--for the moment at least--are waters sporting a light chop. You can clearly see the current off our starboard bow. Simply said, the water is not as peaceful here. 2. Yesterday--and we had a champagne toast to celebrate it--was the one year anniversary of Silver Origin's first cruise with paying passengers aboard. Happy Birthday to both the operation of the ship and to the pianist who plays during lunch and evening at whatever venue we are gathered.
Isabela island covers 1,790 square miles and is the largest of these islands. There are five active volcanoes here lead by the Volcano Sierra Negra which is the second largest caldera in the world. The elevation spawns cloud forests, home to giant tortoise sub-species. Mangrove lagoons are home to stingrays.
Volcanic eruptions on Isabela are common, the most recent being the January 6, 2022, eruption of the Wolf volcano which was only declared “no longer active” on May 6, just over six weeks ago.
A 2018 event at the “well-behaved” shield volcano Sierra Negra (the “Black Mountain”) was more spectacular. Sierra Negra is “well-behaved” because, prior to erupting, it warns you by exhibiting telltale signs such as groundswell, gas release and increased seismic rumbling. “It is called a Shield” volcano because it has a broad dome, gently sloping sides and sends off thin lava flows between ash layers. Shield volcanos normally feature two consecutive eruptions separated by a brief rest sending lava (because of the gently sloping sides) long distances.
Sierra Negra has erupted six times during my lifetime: 1948, 1953, 1963, 1979, 2005 and 2018. Other still active volcanoes on this, the largest island of Galapagos, are Darwin, Alceda and Cerro Azul. A sixth, Ecuador, is extinct.
Vicente Ramon Roca, Ecuadorian President who served from 1845 until 1849 opposed the annexation of these islands when he had earlier been Prefect of Guayas still is the namesake for Punta Vicente Roca--a cove really. There are many lava tubes and underwater caves. Brown Noddies nest on cliffs and mate here. I am reunited with penguins—these being Galapagos Penguins who, along with Flightless Cormorants (building nests) have established colonies here. We see more here than anywhere previously but the choppy water makes photography difficult. There are dozens of sea turtles, marine iguanas lounging on the rocks, more Blue Footed Boobies, and the occasional parental mishap (otherwise known as a lost egg). Nonetheless, here is what Zodiac Girl saw:
Some rays were leaping but far away and hard to catch.
B4 opted for an "after-Zodiac" massage while I was scheduled for a deep water snorkel. I decided the water was too choppy for me so I opted to skip that. And, wouldn't you know it, within ten minutes of the Zodiacs' departure, the sea calmed. I would have been fine. Oh, well.
At noon, we depart for Punta Espinoza, Fernandia: 248 square miles hosting Flightless Cormorants, marine iguana, pelicans, sea lions and fur seals. “La Cumbre,” an active volcano, created the island through many different types of lava flows. There are lots of marine iguana perched on black rock formations gathering heat from the sun near where they lay their eggs which seem to be patrolled by Sally Lightfoot Crabs. Here's what was in residence there.
I also shot some flix.
