This morning the ship moved towards Urbina Bay, at the belly of seahorse-shaped Isabela Island.
Breakfast was announced and some of us were already beginning to eat when we heard on the PA system that orcas were outside the ship. We all ran to the outer decks to see them, and in the meantime the crew put the Zodiacs in the water, so we embarked them with cameras in hand and the rest is a fantastic story – one of the highlights of the expedition and maybe one of those moments we’ll remember forever. So, of course, the delayed breakfast was well worth it.
Later we landed on the island for long and short walks through an area of interesting geology and biology. The shore was moved backwards following a tectonic event in 1954. Uplifted coral is now scattered all around the area, about half of a mile inland. Tortoises of Alcedo Volcano wander around freely. Some were nesting, while others were waiting to grow strong enough to climb up the volcano slopes. Land iguanas live here permanently and almost always smile at us.
Later we visited Tagus Cove for snorkeling, kayaking and hiking. There we saw penguins, cormorants and more interesting wildlife. This how we enjoy the Galapagos at its best.
