Santiago Island, 11/20/2024, National Geographic Endeavour II
Aboard the
National Geographic Endeavour II
Galápagos
We are back among the center islands of Galapagos, and the day started with a pre-breakfast Zodiac ride where we had the chance to observe the seabirds of the area in action. We enjoyed several excursions throughout the day, always admiring the beauty of this part of the world.
We finished this wonderful day with a delicious open-air barbecue on the observation deck under the stars.
Paola was born in the major Ecuadorian port city of Guayaquil, raised near the ocean and rivers. Since childhood she felt a deep connection with nature, which led her to settle in the Galapagos Archipelago in 1998, on the central island of Santa Cruz...
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Today we anchored at one of the most beautiful islands of the Galápagos, a place where pirates and whalers stored water, food, and wood for their journeys across the Pacific Ocean. We landed early for a beach walk at Espumilla Beach where a spectacular blue-footed booby frenzy was taking place. They were all plunging at the same time! Later in the morning we had a chance to enjoy the ocean, having incredible encounters with giant mantas. In the afternoon we changed locations to Puerto Egas where we enjoyed a beautiful sunset along the shores of the island.
Are there pirates in the Galapagos Islands? Well, North Seymour Island has a large colony of frigatebirds known as the pirates of the sky. With a large wingspan of seven feet and weighing approximately a kilo, these fast and maneuverable seabirds are skilled thieves, posing a threat to other seabirds. Gulls and boobies share this island along with the pirates. We had a great nature walk focused on natural history and the ecology of the islands. It was an amazing morning on this small island. In the afternoon, we visited Rábida Island, known as the red island due to the high concentration of iron minerals found in volcanic rock. Snorkeling was a lot of fun. Rábida is home to greater flamingos. They gave a fabulous display right in front of our eyes. We captured their interesting social behavior in the best light of the day, just before sunset. As we departed the island, a Galapagos hawk gave us a pleasant farewell. What a fantastic day!
Today we had a wonderful time exploring Genovesa. The island is home to a seabird colony and an abundance of wildlife. Red-footed boobies, Nazca boobies, herons, and frigates are among the highlights, and today we had close encounters with species that are less common.
