Santiago Island, 7/7/2023, National Geographic Islander II
Aboard the
National Geographic Islander II
Galápagos
Today we woke up early for a pre-breakfast walk at Espumilla Beach on Santiago Island. Here we observed bird species, such as blue-footed boobies and brown pelicans. After a delicious breakfast, guests went snorkeling along the shore of Buccaneers’ Cove.
In the afternoon, we visited Puerto Egas, where the shoreline teemed with sea lions playing on the beach and marine iguanas basking on lava rocks. We finished this last full day in the Galapagos Islands with a cocktail in the lounge of National Geographic Islander II.
Javier grew up on Santa Cruz island where his grandparents first arrived in the 1940´s. Veritable pioneers, his grandparents settled in the highlands where they found a place to raise their children.
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Today, we visited one of the most dramatic landscapes in the Galapagos Islands. Roca Redonda Island is a paradise for seabirds. As the sun rose above the horizon, our guests were on deck watching the island come to life, with birds swarming around this tiny rock which is actually the tip of an active volcano that plunges over ten thousand feet to the seafloor. We continued navigating south, crossing the equator and celebrating with our guests onboard. Our journey then took us to Punta Vicente Roca on the southwest flank of Ecuador Volcano, just a few miles south of the equator. We explored by Zodiac and snorkeled with turtles, flightless cormorants, and Galapagos penguins—an unforgettable morning! In the afternoon, we repositioned National Geographic Islander II to Fernandina Island. Our visitor site, Punta Espinoza, is on the northeast side. We hiked across uneven, dark lava flows, seeing hundreds of marine iguanas basking on the shore while curious sea lion pups greeted us. Fernandina is the most recent island in the archipelago, and though it may look like a barren rock from a distance, its surrounding nutrient-rich ocean supports a thriving ecosystem.
Early this morning we disembarked on North Seymour Island, greeted by overcast skies and a pleasant temperature. As we ventured inland, we encountered numerous frigatebirds, some nesting atop trees and shrubs, while male frigatebirds displayed their vibrant red gular pouches in an impressive courtship ritual. The recent rainfall had transformed the landscape, rendering the paths slightly muddy and prompting the palo santo trees to sprout fresh green leaves after a prolonged dry spell. Continuing our exploration, we observed several land iguanas and lava lizards scurrying across our path, showcasing the island’s diverse reptilian life. In the afternoon, National Geographic Islander II navigated northwest to Rábida Island, easily identified by its distinctive reddish hue due to oxidation of iron-rich lava. Our guests had the opportunity to snorkel from the island’s red sand beach where the clear waters revealed a vibrant marine ecosystem. After snorkeling, we returned to shore to explore the area surrounding a saltwater lagoon located just behind the landing beach. To our delight, we spotted numerous flamingos, some were feeding, while others tended to their nests or cared for their chicks. As the sun set, we returned aboard, reflecting on a day filled with remarkable wildlife encounters and the stunning natural beauty of the Galápagos Islands.
Today, National Geographic Islander II anchored at Academy Bay on southeast Santa Cruz Island where we spent a full day enjoying amazing activities. Starting with a visit to a local farm in the highlands, we enjoyed Don Adriano Cabrera stories about life on the islands in the 60s. Afterward, we had the opportunity to visit “The Twins”, two interesting geological features located in the humid zone of the island. After a delicious lunch at a local ranch, we enjoyed walking among the giant tortoises along their migration route. There was even a couple mating while others grazed around us. Then we went to the Charles Darwin Research Station to learn about the breeding program of the tortoises in captivity.
