Española Island, on the southeastern end of the archipelago is an old shield volcano that is slowly but surely losing the battle against the elements after drifting over 200 kilometers from its birthplace. Moving above of the Nazca Plate, it has drifted so far from its birthplace that it is effectively losing the life force that fuels most volcanic activity in this group of islands. Despite being presently only a fraction of its original size, it is still home to vast numbers of seabirds, as well as an endemic species of mockingbird and lava lizard. During the morning hours, we explored the northeastern end of the island at Gardner Bay and nearby Gardner Islet as well as the western end at Suarez Point during the afternoon.
4/17/2025
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National Geographic Islander II
Plaza and Santa Fe Islands
The sunrise was spectacular today! It was a pleasant morning to explore the magical wildlife present on South Plaza Island, an uplifted area full of endemic species. As soon as we disembarked on a little pier, dozens of sea lions came to say welcome. Just a few yards inland, many land and marine iguanas shared the same ecosystem with seabirds, such as swallow-tailed gulls and pelicans. Along the cliff we saw frigates, boobies, shearwaters, tropic birds, and petrels gliding along. After breakfast, our guests enjoyed kayaking and swimming from National Geographic Islander II , while others took part in a stretching session with our wellness specialist on board. In the afternoon, we motored to Santa Fe Island to snorkel with sea lions. Our guests were astonished to encounter these creatures and so many multicolor fish so close that we felt part of their aquatic world. Later, we disembarked on a very small beach which is home to a colony of sea lions. Further inland we spotted some Santa Fe land iguanas resting at the foot of giant prickly pear cacti. It was an amazing day! Galapagos is a breathtaking place.