Ecuador Adventure #4, Isabela Island & Fernandina Island, Galapagos Islands

Wednesday we experienced two unscheduled special events that Pinky and I had never seen before, except on TV. The first required our awaking at 5 AM to go on deck to observe in early morning darkness the bright glow of flowing lava from the Sierra Negra volcano on Isabella Island. Because the island is uninhabited, as are most of the Galapagos islands, there was no danger to humans. Volcanic activity has been

quite common over the years – in fact the islands were all created from volcanic activity. The second happened when we were returning on our zodiac from Urbina Bay on Isabella Island and saw a mother and pup hump back whales, which passed between Isabela Is and our ship. To watch such large animals breach from below the water’s surface is unforgettable. Actually, everything we have seen and experienced here in the Galapagos is unforgettable! Our hike around Urbina Bay included stops to examine huge tortoises, serenely munching on poison apples – at least they are poisonous to humans. Our hike on Thursday took us across very slippery lava, where Pinky and I walked hand-in-hand to avoid slipping and falling down. We saw all sorts of wildlife on Isabella Island, including stinky marine iguanas, lots of sea lions, including a mother and her hours-old pup, flightless cormorants, “Princeton“ crabs and a Galapagos hawk. So far my pictures are great – it’s hard to for them not to be considering the subject matter. When friends and family have nothing better to do for a few hours, I’ll be happy to show them off.......For those who may be interested, I have posted a few on Facebook.🌎