This morning, we went exploring on Fernandina Island, the youngest island in the archipelago and one of the most active islands in the Galapagos. The morning was spectacular! We enjoyed walking alongside big herds of Galapagos marine iguanas, flightless cormorants, playful sea lions, Fernandina’s endemic snake, and much more! After a delicious lunch and some time to rest, we went exploring again. This time we explored the coastline of Punta Vicente Roca on Isabela Island. Our first Galapagos penguin posed for pictures, and sea turtles popped their heads up to breathe several times. Blue-footed boobies and brown noddies were also part of the show. We finished our day by crossing the equator with a fun winetasting organized by our expedition leader and crewmembers.
5/6/2025
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National Geographic Endeavour II
Isabela Island
Navigation brought us to the largest island in the Galapagos Archipelago, Isabela. Holding half of all land mass in the Galapagos, it has a diverse selection of ecosystems that we were able to visit. Urvina Bay was geologically uplifted in the 1950’s, taking two square kilometers of seafloor that was thrust upward, in certain areas up to four meters out of the water. Intertidal species were stranded inland, and we walked upon this area. Galapagos giant tortoises and land iguanas were found on our trail, and we were surrounded by Darwin finches and Galapagos mockingbirds. The afternoon brought us to Tagus Cove where we explored the surrounding waters, encountering Galapagos penguins and Pacific green sea turtles swimming among the kayakers and snorkelers. As the sun dipped below the horizon, adventurous hikers took a fast-paced hike to enjoy an incredible view of Darwin Lake and the immense island of Isabela.
