Today our guest explored the westernmost realm of the Galapagos. During the morning, we landed at Punta Espinosa on Fernandina Island to snorkel. We observed countless Galapagos marine iguanas basking along the shoreline as guests explored the island. While snorkeling, guests observed more Galapagos marine iguanas and green sea turtles feeding on seaweed. In the afternoon, guests experienced Punta Vicente Roca on Isabela Island. This site offers an impressive view of a collapsed volcano. The rocky cliffs provide shelter for Galapagos fur seals. They are also a good perch for seabirds like Nazca boobies, brown noddy terns with chicks, flightless cormorants, and Galapagos penguins.
10/3/2024
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National Geographic Endeavour II
Bartholomew Island and Sombrero Chino
We split into groups for different excursions this morning. Four groups went up the staircase to the top for the iconic view over the isthmus of Bartholomew Island and Pinnacle Rock. We walked past exposed volcanic formations of all sorts: spatter cones, tuff cones, and lava tubes. Two other groups chose to explore along the coast by Zodiac in hopes of Galapagos penguin sightings. All of us were successful in what we hoped for and even the walkers saw penguins near the dock where we disembarked! Both snorkeling off the beach and deep-water outings along the backside of the island were tremendously productive because we saw it all: penguins and sharks being the top species, and diving blue-footed boobies too! The afternoon had National Geographic Endeavour II anchored not too far south, off the coast of Santiago Island near Sombrero Chino. A dramatically barren, small volcanic cone where another snorkeling outing was offered and late-afternoon Zodiac rides to search yet one more time for penguins. We can never get enough of them!
