These two islands are a world within themselves. In the morning, we visited North Seymour Island, where we observed nesting seabirds from a close distance. Two species of frigatebirds nested near blue-footed boobies. We enjoyed observing a colony of sea lions, marine iguanas, and crabs. In the afternoon, we navigated to Rabida Island with its striking red sand beach. We had a wet landing and explored the island’s underwater world, which is rich in wildlife. After our time in the water, we took a stroll along the beach to see nesting flamingos and sea lions resting on the sand. This was a full day of expeditions in the Galapagos Islands.
12/30/2024
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National Geographic Islander II
Santa Cruz Island
Santa Cruz Island means a day with giant tortoises. Today is the day to see the enormous reptiles, survivors from the time of dinosaurs. The morning started with a visit to El Trapiche Ecologico, a traditional farm that shows us how the settlers managed to produce the basics in the olden times, without electricity but with lots of wit and determination. Next, we headed for Los Gemelos, a pair of massive sink holes surrounded by the remains of the original forest and found in the highlands of Santa Cruz prior to the arrival of the first settlers. After Los Gemelos, it was about lunchtime, so we rode towards El Manzanillo, a private giant tortoise reserve that happens to serve amazing meals. Finally, a small group of us decided to visit the Rearing Centre for Giant Tortoises back in Puerto Ayora before returning to National Geographic Islander II for dinner, our evening briefing, and some live music.