Galápagos Penguins on Isabela Island: Moreno Point & Elizabeth Bay
Overnight, the boat moved from Puerto Ayora to the west coast of Isabela Island. The ride was a little bumpy at times, but nothing too uncomfortable. We didn’t take any seasickness medication or use bands and felt fine by morning.
Our first stop of the day was Moreno Point, a lava field coastline on Isabela Island known for its wildlife and tidal lagoons.
Searching for Galápagos Penguins at Moreno Point
The morning activity offered a choice between a panga ride and then a hike, or an extended panga ride.
We chose the panga for one very specific reason. Penguins.
Seeing Galápagos penguins on Isabela Island was the whole reason we were here. We saw one during our previous trip, but 1) he had a chunk out of him and 2) the photos were barely more than a proof-of-life shot. So this felt like a long-overdue second chance.
There is only one naturalist aboard the Ecogalaxy, and he was going on the hike. Before we left, we heard him tell the panga driver, “Muéstrales pingüinos.”
Show them penguins.
With that, we left the rest of the group on shore and headed out for our extended panga ride.
A few minutes later, the driver started shouting, “Pingüino, pingüino,” and pointing toward the rocky shoreline.
At first, all I could see was what looked like bird guano on the rocks. As we got closer, it became clear that it wasn’t guano at all. It was a moulting Galápagos penguin.
I was happy we had technically seen a penguin, but I was hoping for one that was a little more photogenic.
About ten minutes later, we got it.
There were suddenly penguins everywhere. Clean, active, and exactly what we had been hoping for.
Alongside them were marine iguanas, lava heron, flightless cormorants, brown noddies, brown pelicans, Galapagos sea lions, and even a lone blue-footed booby.
It was as if the entire Galapagos checklist gathered together to welcome us back.
Snorkelling with Sea Lions off Isabela Island
After about an hour with the penguins, we returned to the Ecogalaxy to gear up for snorkelling.
The water was cold, but manageable with a wetsuit. Sea turtles seemed to be everywhere, calmly moving through the water, but the highlight came near the end when a sea lion appeared. The more Andy dove down, the more curious the sea lion became. It circled back repeatedly, darting around like a puppy that had just discovered a new toy. At some point we looked up and realised we were the only ones still in the water. Everyone else had already returned to the boat, and we had lost track of time entirely.
Penguins and Sea Turtles at Elizabeth Bay
During lunch, the boat repositioned farther along Isabela Island to Elizabeth Bay.
The afternoon activity was a panga ride through the mangroves. Along the way we spotted a few more Galapagos penguins.
The standout moment was finding a mating aggregation of sea turtles. Apparently once a female is located, multiple males will gather around her. The extra males linger closely to immediately challenge the mounting male or mate with the female as soon as he detaches
A Very Successful First Day on Isabela Island
We had come to the Galápagos to see penguins.
By the end of our first full day, we had seen more Galápagos penguins on Isabela Island than we could have hoped for. It was already enough to call the trip a success.
And we were only just getting started.
We’re Andy and Jennifer—two former corporate executives who chose long ago to prioritise experiences over stuff while pursuing our passions for travel and photography. From the Arctic to Antarctica, and most places in between, we’ve captured the world through our lenses and love sharing those stories. Our careers gave us the means, but our purpose is inspiring others to explore and helping people create images they’re proud of.
