22nd and 23rd May - Santiago, Isabela & Fernandina
Playa Espumilla - Santiago
22nd May - Santiago
After an overnight cruise from Genovesa we awoke offshore at Santiago, in James Bay. After an early breakfast we set off in the Pangas and had a wet landing at Puerto Egas. An easy walk here led along the shore and inland. We saw a total of 40 Galapagos Mockingbirds, which here are of the race personatus. The shoreline gave us good views of a Semi-palmated Plover, American Oystercatcher, several Whimbrel of the dark rumped husonicus race, 6 Wandering Tattler, Yellow-crowned Night-heron, and also Lava Herons. We also managed to find 7 Galapagos Hawks during our walk. In the afternoon we visited the beautiful red sand Espumilla Beach with the volcanic tuff cone of Pan de Azucar in the distance. The beach is backed by mangrove, and we looped through a trail which should have been adjacent a saline lagoon but which was dry. The trail led through the dense growths of Mangrove where we were able to see the different species that grow here. We saw our first Galapagos Flycatcher in the trees.
After an overnight cruise from Genovesa we awoke offshore at Santiago, in James Bay. After an early breakfast we set off in the Pangas and had a wet landing at Puerto Egas. An easy walk here led along the shore and inland. We saw a total of 40 Galapagos Mockingbirds, which here are of the race personatus. The shoreline gave us good views of a Semi-palmated Plover, American Oystercatcher, several Whimbrel of the dark rumped husonicus race, 6 Wandering Tattler, Yellow-crowned Night-heron, and also Lava Herons. We also managed to find 7 Galapagos Hawks during our walk. In the afternoon we visited the beautiful red sand Espumilla Beach with the volcanic tuff cone of Pan de Azucar in the distance. The beach is backed by mangrove, and we looped through a trail which should have been adjacent a saline lagoon but which was dry. The trail led through the dense growths of Mangrove where we were able to see the different species that grow here. We saw our first Galapagos Flycatcher in the trees.
23rd May - Isabela and Fernandina
Another overnight transfer saw us off the NW corner of the main island of Isabela, moored off the spectacular Punta Vicente Roca. In the early morning there was a thick Garua fog which gradually burned off to give way to a hot day. There is no landing at Punta Vicente Roca but we had a good Panga cruise in the lee of the cliffs in the morning. All the photos below were taken from the panga, with the exception of the Dolphin which was from the main boat in the mist.
Another overnight transfer saw us off the NW corner of the main island of Isabela, moored off the spectacular Punta Vicente Roca. In the early morning there was a thick Garua fog which gradually burned off to give way to a hot day. There is no landing at Punta Vicente Roca but we had a good Panga cruise in the lee of the cliffs in the morning. All the photos below were taken from the panga, with the exception of the Dolphin which was from the main boat in the mist.
In the afternoon of 23rd we visited the neighbouring island of Fernandina, the youngest of the archipelago. Its last eruption was in 2007. This was a more arduous walk on very sharp and rugged solidified magma of weird and wonderful formations. Sadly there were many dead or dying Marine Iguanas - we estimated there to be on 1000-2000 live animals present compared the the normal population of 20,000. Both Andy and Ernesto were mystified as to the cause. Apparently investigations were under way to try and discover what was causing this unfortunate catastrophe. We saw our first two Galapagos Penguins, and a number of Flightless Cormorants. A skeleton of a Bryde's Whale which had been stranded, was very impressive and we found a confiding Galapagos Snake. Equally impressive was a Large Painted Locust.