This is the final day of a great week spent exploring the enchanted Galapagos Islands. Early in the morning, we visited Santa Fe, a very small island with a turquoise bay. We had the opportunity to see the land iguanas that inhabit this unique place. We found an endemic Galapagos snake, nursing baby sea lions, and giant prickly pear Opuntia cacti along the trail. In addition, we snorkeled with playful sea lions and multicolored fish. Our morning was exceptional. In the afternoon, we moved to Cerro Brujo, considered one of the most beautiful beaches of the Galapagos. We had a wonderful afternoon swimming and walking on a white sand beach. Later, we circumnavigated Kicker Rock, a legendary tuff cone at the foot of San Cristobal. The sun set quickly, and we celebrated a great week around this incredible archipelago.
- Daily Expedition Reports
- 29 Mar 2024
Santa Fe and San Cristobal Islands, 3/29/2024, National Geographic Endeavour II
- Aboard the National Geographic Endeavour II
- Galápagos
Ixora Berdonces, Naturalist
Ixora was born in the Galapagos Islands, back when the streets were made of sand and gravel. Void of TV and tablets, her childhood friends and pristine natural surroundings made for an inspiring upbringing. She was always drawn to the ocean and her l...
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Exploring Galápagos
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Santiago Island
We began our day with a very active snorkeling excursion, where some of our snorkelers saw several whitetip reef sharks, a few sea lions, and fish of all kinds. We also kayaked and went paddleboarding. The geological formations are impressive here, such as the world-famous praying monk that captured our attention while on a Zodiac ride. If that wasn’t enough, we had a few rounds of glass bottom boat rides, a fabulous tool that allows us to have a clear view of the fish, and especially those sharks. Soon after lunch, we had an adventurous wet landing on Puerto Egas, with its black sandy beach that we had all to ourselves. We walked along the shore and intertidal pools of Santiago with sightings of marine iguanas, sea lions, shore birds, and Galapagos fur seals. After cocktail hour and a fun recap, we enjoyed a barbeque dinner on the top deck.
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Isabela Island
Isabela is the largest island in Galapagos and today we had the opportunity to explore Elizabeth Bay and Punta Moreno. These two visitor sites are very close but very different from one another. Elizabeth Bay is covered with black lava and a mangrove forest, which becomes a perfect shelter for many species. The bay is home to flamingos, brown pelicans, and white-cheeked pintail ducks. This combination is a good reflection of the colonization of flora and fauna of the Galapagos.