Floreana Island, 5/16/2022, National Geographic Endeavour II
Aboard the
National Geographic Endeavour II
Galápagos
We started our day with a pre-breakfast activity to visit Cormorant Point, one of the best places in the Galapagos to see pink flamingos and the nesting areas of Pacific green sea turtles.
Right after breakfast, we continued our activities with outings in the glass-bottom boat. Later, we enjoyed drift snorkeling.
In the afternoon, we visited Post Office Bay. We explored the area by Zodiacs, kayaks, and paddleboards. Everybody had a chance to visit the famous post office barrel. We finished our day with a marvelous sunset.
Walter was born in a very small town on the mainland of Ecuador. His first trip to the Galápagos was when he was 12 years old, visiting friends and aunt, who had moved to the islands. From the first moment he saw the Islands, he fell in love with the...
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Our second day in the western region brought a lot of surprises and great encounters. We started the morning with a hike at Urbina Bay on Isabela Island. The popular visitors’ site is known for its unique geological formations and diverse wildlife. The bay itself was formed during a volcanic uplift event in 1954 when the sea floor was lifted several meters, exposing a vast stretch of rocky coastline. One of the highlights this morning was the opportunity to observe Galapagos giant tortoises in their natural habitat. These tortoises are endemic to the Galapagos Islands and are famous for their large size and longevity. Aside from the giant tortoises, Urbina Bay is also home to a variety of other wildlife species, including marine iguanas, sea lions, land birds, and Galapagos penguins. After the hike, guests had a chance to snorkel in the bay. They spotted a variety of marine life, such as sea turtles, penguins, and colorful fish. Alcedo Volcano is one of the active volcanoes on Isabela Island; it is the highest volcano in the Galapagos, reaching an elevation of approximately 5,600 feet. This volcano is known for its population of Galapagos giant tortoises. The slopes of the volcano provide an ideal habitat for these creatures. These giant tortoises have some unique characteristics compared to tortoises found on other islands in the Galapagos, including a larger size and differences in shell shape. We sailed to Tagus Cove during lunch. With its amazing human history, the site is also known for its historical significance and stunning natural beauty. The cove is named after the British warship HMS Tagus , which anchored in the area in 1814. Tagus Cove offers impressive views of volcanic formations, including tuff cones and lava fields. Here, we snorkeled, kayaked, hiked, and took a Zodiac ride to end another magnificent day in the Galapagos!
Our first full day of adventures started on North Seymour, known as a bird paradise for seabirds like the frigates and blue-footed boobies that nest here at this time. The dry zone of palo santo (incense trees), a few cacti, and the grass on this small, dry island make it an ideal place for birds to land. The second part of our adventurous day took place on Rabida Island. Here we practiced snorkeling and observed the wonders of the underwater world in the Galapagos. Many species of fish, turtles, and invertebrates were found during our first underwater session. Later, we landed on red mineral sand that is rich in iron for a visit to observe American flamingos and ducks. At sunset, we enjoyed the views and sea lions on the beach before we returned to National Geographic Endeavour II .
Today we explored the north coast of Santiago Island, at Buccaneer’s Cove and Puerto Egas. This central island offers outstanding landscapes with high cliffs and interesting rock formations. Wildlife around this area consists of several seabird species such as blue-footed boobies, brown pelicans, and swallow-tailed gulls. We explored this island by kayaks, Zodiac rides, snorkeling, and walking along a magnificent trail. Today our guests had a blast learning about the natural history and geology of this island. We celebrated the end of this week with a farewell cocktail with Captain Mario Lomas in the lounge of National Geographic Endeavour II .
