Sunday 19 Feb 2012.

on Isabela Island but now in Urbina Bay. We stayed at anchor last night and left at 5.30am, anchored again at 7.30. Another wet landing (but taking walking shoes) at 7.45.

We saw a green sea turtle still in her nest either digging or covering eggs. There were lots of giant tortoise and huge land iguanas. The island rose 5m due to volcanic activity/eruption of Alcedo volcano in 1954 and lots of marine life was stranded and died. There were remains of coral and bones of sharks and other fish. The coast moved 1km further out to sea. It was strange to snorkel in the rain!! We moved to Tagus Cove at about 11am and Martin and myself went kayaking at 2pm – Darwin saw a galapagus shark below my kayak but I was absorbed with the fun of staying upright and kayaking!! This cove had been used by ships since the 1800s. The trail leads up past Laguna Darwin. The landing was very difficult – when we left the Cachalote it was flat calm but within 5 minutes there was a fair swell in the bay which Darwin said was due to seismic acitivy.

There was a sea lion half way up the wooden steps and we had to step over her!! She was still there when we returned but slipped into the sea as we boarded our pangas.

It rained while we were on the way up, but the view over Darwin’s lake was spectacular. While snorkelling off the panga later I saw another green turtle feeding, chocolate chip starfish and lots of others, sea urchins, parrot fish clicking noisily and a flightless cormorant swimming for fish underwater.