Fernandina Island
It was another day in paradise!! We anchored at Punta Espinoza on the northeastern coast of Fernandina Island. We landed on barren lava rocks, but this visitor’s site can be described with one word: MAGIC. Everywhere we looked something was happening: the cormorants were displaying in the water, sea lions pups were nursing and marine iguanas were taking advantage of the low tide and feeding on the algae.
An optimist flightless cormorant appears to be trying to fly, but he has definitely lost this ability. A small population arrived to the islands millions of years ago. They found an environment with plenty of food (fish and octopus) and no land predators. As these birds began to adapt to their new home, natural selection forces favored those cormorants that invested less energy in flying and instead had an increase in their body size and almost doubling their normal weight. In addition, their feet became larger and they lost the keel on their breastbone. Interestingly, they still keep the cormorant behavior of stretching out their wings to dry them. Both parent birds feed the chicks which grow very quickly. After 3 months the female leaves them and looks for another mate.
The Equatorial Counter Current hits the western side of the Galapagos and a huge upwelling of cold water is created. There is more oxygen dissolved, there are more nutrients, but the water temperature was 69°F. In Galapagos, the underwater ecosystem is as spectacular as the land ecosystem. Snorkeling with algae grazers such as sea turtles, marine iguanas and sea urchins was really special. As we were finishing lunch, a lone Bryde’s whale showed up and while we were whale watching, a solitary hammerhead shark passed by the starboard of the ship.
King Neptune was upset because we were crossing the Equator without his permission. He sacrificed some virgin marine iguanas and baptized the pollywogs by making them drink their blood. Once we received his approval we continued to Isabela Island for our afternoon’s excursion. During a dinghy ride along the spectacular coast of Punta Vicente Roca, our naturalists showed us geological formations known as “dikes” and helped us understand a bit more about how these islands had been formed. Around us, sea turtles were popping their heads out of the water, boobies and pelicans were plunge-diving and flocks of brown noddy terns were hovering over the waves in search of dinner.
Today was a day with lots of varied experiences!
It was another day in paradise!! We anchored at Punta Espinoza on the northeastern coast of Fernandina Island. We landed on barren lava rocks, but this visitor’s site can be described with one word: MAGIC. Everywhere we looked something was happening: the cormorants were displaying in the water, sea lions pups were nursing and marine iguanas were taking advantage of the low tide and feeding on the algae.
An optimist flightless cormorant appears to be trying to fly, but he has definitely lost this ability. A small population arrived to the islands millions of years ago. They found an environment with plenty of food (fish and octopus) and no land predators. As these birds began to adapt to their new home, natural selection forces favored those cormorants that invested less energy in flying and instead had an increase in their body size and almost doubling their normal weight. In addition, their feet became larger and they lost the keel on their breastbone. Interestingly, they still keep the cormorant behavior of stretching out their wings to dry them. Both parent birds feed the chicks which grow very quickly. After 3 months the female leaves them and looks for another mate.
The Equatorial Counter Current hits the western side of the Galapagos and a huge upwelling of cold water is created. There is more oxygen dissolved, there are more nutrients, but the water temperature was 69°F. In Galapagos, the underwater ecosystem is as spectacular as the land ecosystem. Snorkeling with algae grazers such as sea turtles, marine iguanas and sea urchins was really special. As we were finishing lunch, a lone Bryde’s whale showed up and while we were whale watching, a solitary hammerhead shark passed by the starboard of the ship.
King Neptune was upset because we were crossing the Equator without his permission. He sacrificed some virgin marine iguanas and baptized the pollywogs by making them drink their blood. Once we received his approval we continued to Isabela Island for our afternoon’s excursion. During a dinghy ride along the spectacular coast of Punta Vicente Roca, our naturalists showed us geological formations known as “dikes” and helped us understand a bit more about how these islands had been formed. Around us, sea turtles were popping their heads out of the water, boobies and pelicans were plunge-diving and flocks of brown noddy terns were hovering over the waves in search of dinner.
Today was a day with lots of varied experiences!
