Today we explored two small islands full of wildlife and radiant colors. In the morning, we explored North Seymour, a 0.73 sq mi island that hosts a colony of frigatebirds. As soon as we landed, we observed swallow-tailed gulls nesting. These photogenic birds are endemic to the Galapagos. They nest all year on the islands, so it’s quite common to find nests, chicks, and eggs along the rocky shores. We observed land iguanas, which are not native to North Seymour. They were introduced by an American captain named Allan Hancock in the 1930s. Although the island is dry, the iguanas survive and reproduce here today. It was a great day spent exploring the islands!
4/22/2025
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National Geographic Gemini
Floreana Island
On board National Geographic Gemini , we started our day just after sunrise kayaking along Loberia Bay. It was a very special outing as we had sea lions join us close to our kayaks. There also were baby blacktip reef sharks, spotted eagle rays, and sea turtles. In the afternoon, we snorkeled with sea lions and then we visited Cormorant Point. We encountered more sea lions on the beach, blue-footed boobies along the coast, and flamingos in a lagoon behind the beach. To close Earth Day, we all watched the premiere of the documentary, Sea Lions of The Galapagos, by Disney. Certified Photo Instructor Ivan worked as a field assistant and photographer on the project, which made it a very special and personal event for our guests, especially after experiencing sea lions up close and hearing Ivan’s stories about the shooting of the film.