Floreana Island, 6/23/2024, National Geographic Islander II
Aboard the
National Geographic Islander II
Galápagos
This island has everything an explorer can imagine, from human history to outstanding wildlife, both underwater and on land. The island also has a postal system that dates to whaling times. Visitors to Post Office Bay can use the system just like people did in the past.
We spotted many species of birds and enjoyed great snorkeling. We observed turtles, sea lions, and rays. The surrounding waters are teeming with all kinds of underwater animals. We took a great walk in the afternoon to see the various animals that have adapted to island life. Our observations showcased the wonderful world of the Galapagos Islands.
Patricio, better known as Pato amongst his friends, was born in the Galápagos Islands. His family moved to the islands from the mainland and settled on the island of Santa Cruz over thirty-five years ago. Pato had an enchanted childhood in the island...
We started our expedition at Buccaneer Cove early in the morning. We had an amazing opportunity to see a unique geological formation known as the Monk, which resembles a praying monk, alongside another formation known as the Elephant. This provided an excellent opportunity to fully appreciate the dramatic geological landscape of Santiago Island. Our first activity was kayaking early in the morning. We enjoyed the calm ocean while observing seabirds such as pelicans, blue-footed boobies, and brown noddies. We watched the noddies steal some small sardines from a pelican’s beak as it plunged into the water. Later in the morning, we snorkeled along the cliffs of Buccaneer Cove, where we watched several species of Galapagos fish, including Moorish idols, sea cucumbers, and creole-fish, among other charismatic marine creatures living in the Marine Reserve of the Galapagos. In the afternoon, we visited Puerto Egas, known for fur seals, marine iguanas, and land iguanas. Galapagos sea lions swam gracefully along the beach while guests enjoyed snorkeling. Another group went for a hike where they were they saw fur seals swimming by the grotto formations. As the tide was going out, shorebirds actively searched for food in the tidepools. This day was truly special, as it revealed the secret life of creatures found nowhere else on planet Earth.
As we approach the end of a wonderful exploration on board National Geographic Islander II , we visited the mysterious Santiago Island, or James Island as the pirates called it. Early in the morning, we kayaked along Buccaneer Cove’s cliffs and coastline, an anchoring spot for the pirates and whalers who wandered around this island to hide or look for food and water. Today, we just experienced the marine diversity and geologic landscape of the site. At the end of the day, we visited Puerto Egas. Some of our guests enjoyed relaxing on a basaltic eroded beach, and others went for a walk. A trail goes through the arid zone of the island and along the coastline. It was a nice opportunity to explore the intertidal zone.
North Seymour Island was busy this morning with blue-footed boobies courting and incubating eggs, land iguanas still sluggish and trying to warm up for a day of activity, and male frigatebirds hoping to attract the attention of a mate with their balloon-like gular sacs fully inflated. We then set sail for a couple of hours to Rabida Island, where we had our first snorkeling and kayaking session of the trip. The late afternoon was spent enjoying a stroll along the beach where playful sea lions returned from the sea and landed on the beach, captivating our attention. Further along the beach, we turned onto the trail that led to a lagoon and were rewarded with a small flock of flamingos.
