FERNANDINA, GALAPAGOS, THE MOST PRISTINE ISLAND ON EARTH

November 23, 2014,    (Visiting the most perfectly preserved 

island in the world)

WHY  ?????

Our cruise guidebook indicates that FERNANDINA is considered the best preserved and only pristine island in the world.  It is considered thus because no species has been brought here by man.   To date man has not introduced any species to the island.

This small tract of land and its surrounding waters has the highest diversity of endemic fauna in the Galapagos.  The waters are rich in "marine upwelling" caused by the arrival of the Cromwell Current laden with nutrients.  The current brings large amounts of plankton to the surface providing a wealth of food for the animals.

It has the largest colony of marine iguanas in the Galapagos.  It has all three types of mangrove trees (black, white and red) as well as cacti.

GETTING TO FERNANDINA

During the night our boat retraced its steps travelling north up the Bolivar Channel and anchored in the channel adjacent to Fernandina to our west. We took a dinghy ride to "make land" on  EPINOSA POINT, FERNANDINA.  All of this happened before  7 AM.



ARRIVING ON THE ISLAND

Weather conditions for our special day were perfect.  We did a two hour strenuous walk mostly across uneven and cracked lava to see the superlative sights of the island.

We could look across the channel and view Volcan Ecuador on Isabela. Along with the stunning landscape, huge numbers of iguana and other thriving flora and fauna we also saw the remains of animals that didn't make it.  Our guide thought that an el nino might be setting in thereby disturbing the food supply.

The shoreline of Fernandina is made of large lumps of lava.  I guess this is not surprising as Fernandina is the youngest Galapagos island.  All of the islands were formed by erupting volcanoes

As we walked over the lava lands of Fernandina we had to sidestep many local creatures.  This Sally Lightfoot crab was on the path

WHEN WE LOOKED IN FRONT OF US THERE WERE MARINE IGUANAS AS FAR AS THE EYE COULD SEE.  SOME WERE TURNING RED IN PREPARATION OF MATING SEASON

THE SALLY LIGHTFOOT WAS RIGHT AT HOME AMONGST THE IGUANAS

THIS IGUANA IS COLOURFULLY READY TO ATTRACT HIS MATE

MURIEL AND I HIKED OVER THE LAVA, THROUGH THE IGUANAS AND ONTO SOME SAND

ON THE NEXT PATCH OF LAVA WE DISCOVERED THE SKELETAL REMAINS OF A WHALE

AND THEN MANY MORE IGUANAS

WE GOT QUITE USED TO BEING SURROUNDED BY IGUANAS

OUR FRIEND NEIL FELT VERY COMFORTABLE RESTING WITH THE ANIMALS

A SALLY LIGHTFOOT WAS LOOKING FOR SHADE UNDER A LAVA LEDGE

IT SEEMS THAT A PIECE OF MACHINERY WAS LEFT HERE LONG AGO

PLANT LIFE IS CREEPING ONTO THE LAVA.  ACROSS THE CHANNEL VOLCAN ECUADOR IS VISIBLE ON ISABELA

PAINTING BY NATURE

ANOTHER PAINTING

AND ANOTHER

VOLCANO ECUADOR HAS A HALO OF CLOUDS

I COULDN'T DECIDE SO YOU HAVE THEM ALL.  NOTE THE LITTLE SALLY LIGHTFOOTS IN THE FOREGROUND

A SEA LION ENJOYING A TIDAL POOL

IGUANAS, IGUANAS EVERYWHERE

THE MORE WE WALKED THE MORE WE SAW

THE INTREPID HIKER, MURIEL, MY SISTER AS SHE CHECKS IT ALL OUT

THIS LITTLE FELLOW HAS TO BRIDGE THE GAP.  IT MUST LOOK LIKE A MIGHTY BIG GAP TO HIM

THE LAVA FORMED MANY INTRICATE PATTERNS

MANY BEAUTIFUL VIEWS ALONG THE HIKE ALL THE WAY BACK TO MEET OUR DINGHY

ALWAYS GREAT TO SEE THE WELCOMING DINGHY IN THIS LAND OF UNTOUCHED BEAUTY 

ALL OF MY POSTS OF BEAUTY TODAY ARE MADE IN MEMORY OF MY WONDERFUL BROTHER IN LAW PETER BOTHAM, HUSBAND OF MY SISTER MURIEL, WHO LEFT US SUDDENLY LESS THAN TWO DAYS AGO ON JANUARY 28.  RIP DEAR PETER