With a very relaxing pre-breakfast hike, our day began. We had a nice time seeing iguanas and lots of cacti. In the afternoon, we visited Santa Fe Island where we snorkeled with a bunch of reef fish species and even saw a hawksbill turtle, a rare discovery of the day. We finished the day surrounded by sea lions and the pale land iguanas from Santa Fe. At night we enjoyed a nice barbecue dinner.
- Daily Expedition Reports
- 20 Mar 2025
South Plaza and Santa Fe Islands, 3/20/2025, National Geographic Islander II
- Aboard the National Geographic Islander II
- Galápagos
Bernardo Jacome, Naturalist/Certified Photo Instructor
Bernardo, known by his friends and family as Bernie, was born In the Andean city of Quito, located in the highlands of Ecuador. His grandfather, however, moved to the Galapagos Islands in the mid-70s, and worked as one of the first Naturalist Guides,...
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Genovesa Island
Genovesa Island is a sensory delight. In the morning, we spent time on a sandy trail at Darwin Bay, where the absolute best of the Galapagos can be seen. This time of year – April – is extra spectacular with nesting red-footed boobies, great frigatebirds, swallow-tailed gulls with chicks, lava gulls, and sea lions with pups. Snorkeling was our last chance to see the underwater realm of the Galapagos before flying back to civilization tomorrow. Calm waters off the beach allowed for long minutes without human sounds. We were successful in finding a short-eared owl. The owls hunt during the day, adapting to their prey’s diurnal habits. This island is…extraordinary in an already extraordinary place.