Most of the Galápagos Islands are just the tips of larger, submerged volcanos; some, however, are the product of mechanical events where former submarine platform was uplifted a long time ago. North Seymour is an example of this being flat and dry, but it is located amidst highly productive waters. Various seabird colonies have made it their home, amongst them great and magnificent frigatebirds, native species of the Galápagos Archipelago. Each island we visit during our expedition is very different to the previous one, and Rábida has high elevations and a green vegetation cover. The most striking feature of this island is that its rocks and sands have high concentrations of iron oxide, giving it a reddish appearance.
2/25/2025
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National Geographic Endeavour II
Isabela Island
Today we had a day full of wildlife encounters on Isabela Island. We started early in the morning exploring the coastline of Urbina Bay at the bottom of the slopes of Alcedo Volcano. During this spectacular hike, our guests had their first encounter with giant tortoises in the wild. Unlike on the island of Santa Cruz where we see tortoises while visiting private farms, the giant tortoises of this visitor site had made a long journey all the way down from the volcano, far from any human settlement, to lay their eggs and feed on the lush vegetation. In the afternoon, some of our guests went for a Zodiac ride along the coast of Tagus Cove, a tuff volcanic formation that is home to several species of seabirds. Blue-footed boobies and Galapagos penguins were the main attractions of this exploration. After a successful Zodiac ride before sunset, our Zodiac driver, José, spotted a feeding frenzy. Many blue-footed boobies and brown noddies put on a show for us to close a wonderful day exploring Isabela Island.
