Penguins and Marine Iguanas

We sailed overnight and woke up at Isabella Island, the largest in the Galápagos. A coastal exploration by panga boat was planned for the morning, where we saw sea lions frolicking, marine iguanas hanging out on the cliffs, blue-footed boobies skimming the water and our first penguins! Galápagos penguins are endemic to the islands and are the only penguin found north of the equator (we are barely north of it). They are the third smallest species of penguin in the world. The ones we’ve seen are about 18” tall.

A bit later we snorkeled in a cove, where we saw some familiar reef fish (parrot fish, tangs, etc.), but also found friendly sea lions and sea turtles. The water was much cooler than we expected for the equatorial ocean—about 75 degrees. It’s tolerable, but not as comfortable as it was in Hawaii in December.

For our last activity of the day we went to Fernandina Island, just across a channel from Isabella. It is the youngest of the islands, less than one million years old. It is also the most volcanically active. It looks a lot like the lava fields of Hawaii, with very little vegetation. Fernandina is home to heaps of marine iguanas—literally and figuratively—check out the photos. Marine iguanas like to cluster together for warmth. Land iguanas are much more solitary.Read more