Stop #4 was Isla Isabela in the Galapagos. We paid $150 for the 6 of us to catch an early 2-hour boat ride to Isla Isabela from Isla Santa Cruz. Again, there were no points hotels, so we paid $120/night for 2 nights at Hotel Fragatas for a quadruple room. There were baby sea lions lounging all over the place, on people's porches and park benches.
We dropped our stuff at the hotel and headed straight out to a half day snorkel tour to Los Tuneles. This was one of the best, if not the best, snorkel that we had ever done (much different from the Maldives, Ningaloo Reef, and Koh Phi Phi, with lots of different types of wildlife...the sharks probably were what made it so awesome). We were able to see dozens of reef sharks at very close range, several huge sea turtles, multiple stingrays, colorful fish, good coral, interesting terrain below the water (caves, tunnels, and a labyrinth of mangrove roots), seahorses, and more. Outside the water was interesting as well...we saw penguins, blue-footed boobies (birds), and sea lions.
A family of sharks backed into a cave at Los Tuneles.
We saw this ray while we were snorkeling.
Stingray over the coral.
Seahorse.
2 sea turtles.
Sea turtle swimming with us.
Sea turtle with Cody (on the right) chasing and Eliza, Ryder, and Nash (on the left) chasing.
From left to right...Nash, Eliza, Ryder, Sawyer...the water was a little cold without wet suits.
Cody, taking a picture of the sea turtle.
Sea turtle with Cody in the background.
3 reef sharks down in one of sea caves.
Reef shark at close range.
A family of reef sharks in a cave at Los Tuneles, Isla Isabela, Galapagos, Ecuador.
Reef sharks swimming in and out of the cave.
Nash, Eliza, and Ryder.
Reef shark.
2 Penguins...Cody snorkeled right up to them on the rocks.
A blue-footed boobie in the desolate terrain at Los Tuneles.
Blue-footed boobie.
The landscape and terrain at Los Tuneles was very unique and interesting. There were penguins, sea lions, blue-footed boobies (birds), sea turtles, reef sharks, seahorses, stingrays, and all other kinds of unique wildlife both above and below the surface.
Daddy, with Zander and Nash, walking on the rocks at Los Tuneles.
Daddy and Zander at Los Tuneles.
Sea lion at Los Tuneles.
Ryder and Zander with the sea lion at Los Tuneles.
The kids at Los Tuneles.
Cody and Eliza, in year 12 of marriage, at Los Tuneles, Isla Isabela, Galapagos, Ecuador.
Family picture at Los Tuneles.
Sawyer and Mommy at Los Tuneles.
Video of some reef sharks at Los Tuneles.
Video of a blue-footed boobie at Los Tuneles.
The second day, we went to see some more land turtles (in a reserve and not as good as the ones in the wild on Isla Santa Cruz), wild flamingos, and went to 2 different beaches: Playa del Amor, and Playitas. At Playa del Amor, there were marine iguanas all over the place on the lava rocks. We got to play in a tide pool with a giant marine iguana and a sea lion.
Flamingos on Isla Isabela, Galapagos, Ecuador.
Close up of flamingos.
Sawyer and Zander playing in the tide pool at Playa del Amor.
Ryder, getting close to the big marine iguana that came to play with the kids in the tide pool.
Big Papi marine iguana checking out the kids in the tide pool.
Cheers...Lulo flavored Bon Bon Bum lollipops...we ate these by the bag in Ecuador.
Daddy, Ryder, Sawyer, and Zander in the tide pool at Playa del Amor.
The kids at Playitas, Isla Isabela, Galapagos, Ecuador.
Ryder and Sawyer, in the land of make believe at Playitas.
Walking on the rocks at Playa del Amor and watching the crabs and fish scurry away.
A marine iguana swimming across a tide pool at Playa del Amor.
Ryder, walking among dozens of marine iguanas at Playa del Amor.
Chasing a marine iguana into the tide pool.
The giant marine iguana swimming past the kids in the tide pool and scaring an Ecuadorian man half to death.
Two things that Isla Isabela has in abundance...marine iguanas and sea lions.
Isla Isabela is a very relaxed place...just ask the sea lions...they seem to enjoy the park benches as much or more than the tourists.
The marine iguanas are abundant and will greet you the minute you step off the boat.
The beautiful walkway to Concha Perla near the dock on Isla Isabela.
Most of the island is just lava rock...no real opportunity to do anything with it. Isla Isabela is a rough place, but there are some very unique things to see and do.
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