Bartolome and Chinese Hat Islands, 5/16/2024, National Geographic Endeavour II
Aboard the
National Geographic Endeavour II
Galápagos
We had the opportunity to visit two wonderful islands today. Our exploration of Bartolome in the morning was spectacular. Its volcanic landscapes, crystalline waters in many shades of blue, golden beaches, and black rocky coast make it a very picturesque place with which to fall in love.
For our afternoon activities, we anchored by Chinese Hat. Penguins were the main attraction of our Zodiac ride, but sharks made our snorkeling session a remarkable experience to remember.
Cristian was born and raised on Santa Cruz Island, at the heart of the Galapagos Archipelago. He had the privilege of enjoying the beauty of the natural world of Galapagos every weekend, sailing in his family's small fishing boat. His parents passed ...
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The day started with the gentle sway of the ship and a crisp ocean breeze, a refreshing reminder that adventure was just ahead. At Playa Espumilla, early risers stepped onto the soft sand after a wet landing, ready to explore. Some grabbed their cameras and followed National Geographic Photo Instructor Omar to capture the golden morning light, while others took a scenic walk with a naturalist, soaking in the island’s beauty. Meanwhile, kayakers paddled along the coast, gliding past curious sea lions and diving seabirds. For those easing into the day, a stretching session on the Observation Deck offered the perfect slow start. After a filling breakfast, National Geographic Endeavour II continued to Buccaneer Cove where the real fun began. Kayakers set off again, while others explored the underwater world through snorkeling or glass-bottom boat tours. The crystal-clear waters were teeming with colorful fish, graceful sea turtles, and the occasional reef shark cruising by. In the afternoon, Puerto Egas welcomed explorers for either a walk through striking lava formations or a relaxing beach break. As the sun dipped toward the horizon, guests returned to the ship, sharing stories of close encounters with wildlife.
Today we have explored different spots on Isabela Island. We started the day visiting Urbina Bay where we did a long hike over an uplifted area which occurred in 1954. It is amazing to see how nature has recovered after this geological event and now offers so many things to see, like land iguanas and giant tortoises that we found along the trail. During the afternoon, we headed to Tagus Cove. We explored by kayak, Zodiac, snorkeling, and hiking. With every single activity we were surrounded by penguins, lots of seabirds, flightless cormorants, and other unique animals from the Galapagos. It was a very special day exploring the islands aboard National Geographic Endeavour II.
Today we started early in the morning as we navigated to the youngest western islands in the Galapagos, Fernandina and Isabela. We found marine mammals and many seabirds as we were mesmerized by the volcanoes all around us. We had a dry landing to explore a 1.5-mile trail among marine iguanas. Today we saw many, so many that our guests asked us what a group of iguanas are called, and we revealed that it’s called a mess. Lol. Soon after our hike, we went for an impressive snorkeling outing with marine iguanas and turtles, and today the visibility was outstanding. Back on board National Geographic Endeavour II , we repositioned to our next visitor site, Isabela Island, for a Zodiac ride along the shore. Today we saw the Galapagos penguin up close and many more seabirds, sea lions, and fur seals. We continued navigating, this time towards the equator to celebrate our expedition among new friends. We followed this up in the lounge for recap and briefing about tomorrow’s activities, ready for more magic from these enchanted islands.
