Approaching Isabella (sz)
This Wednesday morning found our ship navigating the westernmost realm of the Galapagos. This area is cooled by the frigid waters of the Cromwell current. We received an early morning call to come to the Sky Deck to find a huge school of common dolphins leaping all around us as they fed. Contrary to what their name suggests, they are not so common, but rather a very special breed of dolphin. (see left and video below)
Zodiac with passengers leaving the Islander (sz)

In the morning, we went on a Zodiac cruise around a rocky area called Punta Vicente Roca. The rugged dark volcanic rock of this landscape, formed mostly of compressed cinder and ash, crops up out of the surf all along the shore. Its surfaces were covered with plenty of sea lions, some lounging, some frolicking, plus numerous marine iguanas, blue-footed and masked boobies, and flightless cormorants.
Coastline (ps)













We sped after a sunfish (locally called a Mola mola). This huge creature resembles the giant head of a fish with a long dorsal fin, but no body behind. One of the rarest types of fish in the ocean, they can weigh up to a ton, and drift with the currents.
Giant Sunfish (Mola mola) (ps)

As if the morning dolphins were not enough, somebody spotted them again. We directed our Zodiacs towards a rather small pod of bottlenosed dolphins that, joyfully, started to bow ride as soon as we reached them.
Bottlenose Dolphin (sz)
Green Sea Turtle (ps)
Masked (Nazca) Booby (sz)
Sea Lions at Punta Vicente Roca (ps)

Punta Vicente Roca Teaming with Wildlife

  • Following the Common Dolphins on the open sea
  • Frolicking Sea Lions inviting us to join them
  • Chasing the Bottlenose Dolphins in the zodiac
  • Marine Iguana entering the water
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Following the Common Dolphins (sz)
Marine Iguana swimming towards shore (sz)
Marine Iguana climbing out of the water (sz)
Marine Iguana on the cliff (ps)
Flightless Cormorants (sz)
Brown (Common) Noddy (sz)
4iPelicans.jpg
Brown Pelicans (ln)