Today is the second full day of our expedition aboard National Geographic Islander II, and we visited Floreana Island. We started the day with a pre-breakfast kayak in Baroness Bay and visited Post Office Bay, where we found one of the oldest postal systems in the Pacific Ocean. We picked up postcards to deliver back home and dropped off some of our own to keep the tradition alive. Later in the day, we enjoyed a Zodiac ride and snorkeled in Champion Islet. Then we moved locations to Punta Cormorant and enjoyed a beautiful walk on the shore. We observed nature in action as we watched frigatebirds eating baby turtles, boobies plunging for fun, and more. It was an amazing day in this wonderful archipelago.
- Daily Expedition Reports
- 09 Jun 2024
Floreana Island, 6/9/2024, National Geographic Islander II
- Aboard the National Geographic Islander II
- Galápagos
Charles Wittmer, Naturalist
Charles was raised in the Galápagos Islands. He is the grandson of Rolf Wittmer, the first person documented to have been born on the island of Floreana after his parents, Margret and Heinz Wittmer, emigrated from Germany in 1932.
Read MoreShare Report
Galápagos Escape: An 8-Day Voyage
VIEW ITINERARYRelated Reports
5/20/2025
Read
National Geographic Islander II
North Seymour and Rabida Islands
Today was an amazing day from sunrise to sunset. We explored the beautiful North Seymour Island in the first part of the day. So many birds! We even saw the fascinating courtship dance of the blue-footed boobies. What a treat! In the afternoon, we went for our first snorkeling experience in the Galapagos, swimming with sea lions and so many fish. To end our day, we had the option to go for a photo-oriented or natural history walk along the astonishing red sand beach of Rabida Island. I oversaw the photo-oriented walk, and we had so much fun. Our guests put into practice what they learned during the photo presentation we had yesterday, and the result was amazing. We cannot wait for another day full of adventures in the Galapagos Archipelago.
5/19/2025
Read
National Geographic Islander II
Santa Cruz Island
Our first full day had plenty of wonderful surprises as we disembarked in Puerto Ayora, the main town on Santa Cruz Island. As soon as we arrived, we took a bus all the way to the highlands of Santa Cruz until we reached El Trapiche Farm, a unique site where the guests of National Geographic Islander II learned about the production of organic coffee, cocoa, and sugarcane liquor. Afterwards, we visited the Twin Craters. This amazing site is comprised of two incredible pit craters formed by the collapse of volcanic magma chambers. The area is surrounded by a forest of the unique Scalesia pedunculata, a tree that is endemic to the area. The spectacular visit to El Manzanillo Ranch gave us the opportunity to walk among the incredible Galapagos giant tortoises, often found in the early afternoon having lunch and resting. Being surrounded by these gentle giants was the best way of ending our visit.