Floreana Island, 8/21/2022, National Geographic Islander II
Aboard the
National Geographic Islander II
Galápagos
Humans played an important role in the history of Floreana Island. The island was severely impacted when humans introduced many different animals. People left behind the animals, which led to serious harm.
Despite this impact, we still had the privilege to see a lot of native and endemic wildlife. The Galapagos National Park has a mission to continue helping to restore this island.
Walter was born in a very small town on the mainland of Ecuador. His first trip to the Galápagos was when he was 12 years old, visiting friends and aunt, who had moved to the islands. From the first moment he saw the Islands, he fell in love with the...
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For our first full day in the Galápagos Islands we navigated for three and a half hours toward Bartolomé Island. This famous island is located on the eastern side of Santiago Island, with an area of only 1.3 square kilometers (0.5 square miles). On the early morning walk we appreciated unique geological formations, pioneer vegetation, and — after a 30-minute walk up 372 steps — our guests were rewarded with the most iconic view of the Galápagos. This view is featured in a scenic shot from the movie “Master and Commander.” After this activity we finished our time with an underwater exploration of Bartolomé’s marine life. Next we continued navigating for an hour and forty minutes toward Santa Cruz Island. We visited the northwestern side of the island to explore an area known as Dragon Hill, named after the endemic Galápagos land iguana. For our last outing today we enjoyed a 1.7-mile hike along a dry forest to spot some iguanas.
We had a fantastic day in the Galapagos Islands. Floreana made an impression on us with its incredible natural beauty and extraordinary sightings. We visited three different sites on the island. Early in the morning, we went to historic Post Office Bay, where whalers used to anchor to drop off and pick up mail. Later, snorkeling in Champion islet was full of surprises. A whale shark passed below us! In the afternoon, flamingos and sea turtles offered wonderful photo opportunities during the golden hour at Punta Cormorant.
Our expedition is almost ending, and we spent our last day visiting the unique island of Santa Fe, located in the southeastern portion of the archipelago. Our morning started with multiple activities. While kayaking in Santa Fe Bay, guests were followed by playful Galapagos sea lions. Meanwhile, part of our group took a hike on a rocky trail to search for Santa Fe land iguanas. With its pale coloration, the species is exclusive to Santa Fe Island. Early in the morning, we found the iguanas emerging from nests as they got ready for the warmth of the sun. Finally, we were ready for breakfast! The morning had just started, though, and after breakfast we prepared for snorkeling. We were surrounded by sea lions in this calm bay. In the afternoon, we landed at the most beautiful white sand beach, Cerro Brujo. This was the first site that Charles Darwin landed the H.M.S Beagle on San Cristobal. Galapagos sea lions were sound asleep along the beach, and we enjoyed our last swim in the calm waters.
