We rose early and rode the water taxi in for our guided trip up to Sierra Negra, a volcanic caldera that most recently erupted in 2018. The morning hinted at the possibility of clearing weather - although the view of the highlands from the harbor faded into the mists, there were breaks of blue to Windward.

We made the ten mile trip to the trailhead in a pickup truck taxi we shared with a Colombian-German couple. On the trail, Javier, our exuberant guide, alternately addressed the group as “chicos” and “senores.” Although the trailhead was quite drizzly, Javier said that was always the case, and That we would have sunshine and clear skies on the north side.

The muddy trail (really a dirt road) climbed gently through the mists and vegetation, with a wire fence marking grazing land on the right side. Javier explained that all of the shrubby vegetation was introduced invasive plants.

As promised, the sun broke out as we reached the caldera rim, and we were soon treated to an expansive view of the lake of solidified lava, with the more recent, blacker lava flows leaving their mark. We then left the rim for the area known as Volcan Chico, a largely barren moonscape of lava. Robin and I agree it was much like the similar lava flow on the island of Faial in the Azores. You could easily think you were walking on Mars, except for the blue sea and green vegetation in the distance. We stopped at a lava rock peak for lunch overlooking the channel between Isabela and Fernandina islands.

It was a hot walk back to the caldera rim, and then a muddy slog back down to the trailhead - around nine miles total. Robin and I were excited to hear that another volcano on the island, Volcan Wolf was currently erupting, and that it might be possible to sea lava flows from the sea. We started to plan a detour around Is.a Isabela on our way out of the archipelago next weekend. But back at the boat, with a little internet research, Robin discovered the eruption had ended in May.

The sailboat Independence, from Norwalk, CT is now anchored next to us, but all was quiet on board.

Another tuna night for dinner. I took the frozen filets from Wednesday and made an almond-pepper crust for them and seared them in oil. Quite good.