South Plaza and Santa Fe Islands, 5/1/2025, National Geographic Islander II
Aboard the
National Geographic Islander II
Galápagos
Our expedition onboard National Geographic Islander II took us to the captivating South Plaza and Santa Fe Islands where we were treated to an extraordinary day of wildlife encounters, breathtaking landscapes, and a deeper understanding of the islands’ unique ecosystems.
Salvador Cazar studied biology at the Universidad Nacional Del Sur, Bahía Blanca, in Argentina and at the Catholic University of Ecuador. Between 1988 and 1994, Salvador worked as a naturalist and tour leader for several national and international to...
On the first full day of our expedition, we visited Bartolomé, a famous island located on the eastern side of Santiago Island. We had an early start with a morning walk and a Zodiac exploration. After a walk up 372 stairs, we were rewarded with an iconic view of the Galápagos, made famous in the movie “Master and Commander.” We finished our visit with an underwater exploration to observe Bartolomé’s marine life. In the afternoon, we continued toward the western side of Santa Cruz Island to explore Cerro Dragón, also known as Dragon Hill. The site is named after the endemic Galapagos land iguana. We took a 1.7 mile walk through a dry forest to spot the iconic iguanas and many endemic locusts.
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.
