Ecuador: Galapagos Islands – Isla Isabela

Upon landing at Las Tintoreras near Isla Isabela; we were greeted by a marine iguana resting on the rock catching the first rays of the sun just after 6.30 am. There wer many marine iguanas clinging to the rocks and they varied in size from about 10 cm to over a metre including length of their tail. The recommended 2 metre rule from the wildlife was sometimes a challenging one to follow when they would be suddenly be on the path in front of you. We also came across a group of sea lions who were taking advantage of the shade in the mangroves to have a rest.

Low tide and the churning sands made the snorkelling off Puerto Villamil a larger challenge than anticipated. The image that I had in my head of walking off the beach till the depth that I could just push-off and snorkel did not…