We started today’s expedition by visiting Fernandina Island. It was a wild visit. We saw a Galapagos snake just next to our feet. A Galapagos hawk captured a baby marine iguana right in front of us, and a crab was bubbling foam as it prepared to shed. Sea lion mothers nursed their babies, and sea turtles swam in the bay. In the afternoon, we visited Punta Vicente Roca and took a Zodiac ride along the coast. We saw Galapagos penguins, many sea turtles, and some Mola mola, known as the second largest fish in the world. Guests enjoyed learning about the geology of the place, and we spotted a flightless cormorant. The Galapagos Islands never stop surprising us. It was a wonderful day aboard National Geographic Endeavor II.
4/28/2024
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National Geographic Endeavour II
Española Island
Española Island is considered the oldest of the Galapagos Islands. This island is home to diverse and abundant species, even if from afar it looks like a deserted island. Mockingbirds, endemic to this islands, lava lizards, and large colonies of sea lions are a few of the species that we observed today. Our morning took us to one of the most wonderful and pristine white sandy beaches in the world, Gardner Bay. Here we could try out our snorkeling gear and practice some snorkeling among curious baby sea lions that swam by. We couldn’t miss the opportunity to take our guests on a boat ride to observe the breathtaking coastline of Española. Its dramatic cliffs make the perfect runway for waved albatrosses to take off, as they are a very heavy bird. This species of albatross only nest on this tiny island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and our guests were lucky to observe the first albatrosses of the season, as April is the month in which they return to breed.