Today we woke up to a post-rain aroma, which is very characteristic during this season in the tropics. The visit to Urbina Bay was amazing today, as there were many animals that were active: finches, hermit crabs, insects, giant tortoises, and land iguanas. Every creature in the area was awake after the rainy night they had. Even the incense trees looked vibrant green due to the precipitation of the past days. Beautiful contrasting colors surrounded the slopes of Alcedo Volcano.
- Daily Expedition Reports
- 13 Feb 2024
Isabela Island: Urbina Bay and Tagus Cove, 2/13/2024, National Geographic Endeavour II
- Aboard the National Geographic Endeavour II
- Galápagos
Paola Luque, Naturalist
Paola was born in the major Ecuadorian port city of Guayaquil, raised near the ocean and rivers. Since childhood she felt a deep connection with nature, which led her to settle in the Galapagos Archipelago in 1998, on the central island of Santa Cruz...
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Bahía Urbina and Tagus Cove, Isabela Island
As the sun rose, we headed to Urbina Bay, a visitor site found on Isabela Island at the slopes of the marvelous Alcedo Volcano. Isabela is home to a unique morphotype of dome-shelled tortoises and arguably the most pristine island of the Galapagos. We went for a short walk, and in addition to spotting the popular giants, we also observed the evidence of an uplift event which occurred in 1954. In the afternoon, we navigated for an hour to the historical Tagus Cove, the same place where HMS Beagle once anchored. With elusive octopi, fast swimming penguins, funny looking cormorants, and breathtaking views, we finished another great day in this enchanted archipelago.
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National Geographic Endeavour II
Isabela Island
Navigation brought us to the largest island in the Galapagos Archipelago, Isabela. Holding half of all land mass in the Galapagos, it has a diverse selection of ecosystems that we were able to visit. Urvina Bay was geologically uplifted in the 1950’s, taking two square kilometers of seafloor that was thrust upward, in certain areas up to four meters out of the water. Intertidal species were stranded inland, and we walked upon this area. Galapagos giant tortoises and land iguanas were found on our trail, and we were surrounded by Darwin finches and Galapagos mockingbirds. The afternoon brought us to Tagus Cove where we explored the surrounding waters, encountering Galapagos penguins and Pacific green sea turtles swimming among the kayakers and snorkelers. As the sun dipped below the horizon, adventurous hikers took a fast-paced hike to enjoy an incredible view of Darwin Lake and the immense island of Isabela.