Most of the Galápagos Islands are just the tips of larger, submerged volcanos; some, however, are the product of mechanical events where former submarine platform was uplifted a long time ago. North Seymour is an example of this being flat and dry, but it is located amidst highly productive waters. Various seabird colonies have made it their home, amongst them great and magnificent frigatebirds, native species of the Galápagos Archipelago. Each island we visit during our expedition is very different to the previous one, and Rábida has high elevations and a green vegetation cover. The most striking feature of this island is that its rocks and sands have high concentrations of iron oxide, giving it a reddish appearance.
5/11/2025
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National Geographic Endeavour II
Española Island
We started our expedition by visiting one of the oldest islands of the archipelago and quite a fantastic one. We explored the beach in the morning and the inside of the island in the afternoon. Our first outing was a snorkel exploration of a small islet located on Gardner Bay, where we observed sharks, sea lions, sea turtles, spotted eagle rays, and many colorful fish! The temperature of the water, great visibility, and an abundance of life made for an outstanding first deep-water snorkel. We also walked and swam on a beautiful white sand beach next to the big colony of sea lions that live here. In the afternoon, we hiked on Suárez Point. This is the only site in the archipelago where we can find the very famous waved albatross. We walked a rocky trail and spotted marine iguanas and lava lizards with nearly every step before reaching the nesting grounds of Nazca boobies and the albatrosses. These wonderful and magnificent marine birds nested and displayed for their mates. We observed the beauty of these animals as we enjoyed the sunset. It was a spectacular first full day.
