In honor of Valentine's Day, this week's photos from the field feature romantic sunrises and sunsets from Vietnam and Baja California, animal courtships in the Galápagos, and undersea heart-hands in French Polynesia.
Just as the ship began its turn into our Urbina Bay anchorage, we crossed paths with an orca. At first it was a brief glimpse with a long interlude of nothing, but Captain Marcos turned the ship and off we went, north in the direction we thought it swam. Success! The large male decided National Geographic Delfina was worth bow riding! Mind blown. Later on shore, it seemed all the denizens of Alcedo Volcano were out for a stroll or snooze on the path, with giant tortoises and land iguanas barely opening their eyes when we passed. In the afternoon, we encountered rain in Tagus Cove, which let up just in time for a strenuous walk or easy panga ride along the coast to finish the day.
We spent the gorgeous morning exploring the town of Santa Rosalia, very prominent in the 1900’s as a French established copper mining town. The French company La Compania El Boleo leased the land from the Mexican government in 1855, and even though the mine closed in 1985, they created the small, bustling town we know today. We enjoyed exploring the town, local church, and museum. Guests also had the opportunity to enjoy local pastries and ice cream in the warm Baja California sunshine. We set sail at lunch and began to make our way up north toward the mid islands, encountering many seabirds, jellyfish, and stunning views along the way. After dinner we took advantage of the dark night sky, stargazing on the bow with Naturalist Dan Olsen.
Today we had an exceptional day exploring two of the most iconic islands of the Galápagos. In the morning, we disembarked at Seymour Norte where we explored some muddy trails looking for wildlife. There was plenty to see, including many land iguanas, as well as frigatebirds, which became the highlight after seeing males with their red pouches inflated to attract the females. In the afternoon, we went for a stroll along the lagoon, and to our surprise, we saw a large group of flamingos gathered. Our guests were delighted with this unique opportunity to observe and photograph these magnificent birds in the wild. It was a truly wonderful day for everyone here in the Galápagos.
As the early morning rays began to peek over the cone spattered profile of Floreana Island, our early bird guests woke to greet the day with a kayak excursion and Zodiac cruise along the shores. During their exploration, guests encountered juvenile blacktip sharks, marine turtles, rays, sleepy sea lions, and many birds, including a rare sighting of the white tern! After a delicious breakfast in the Beagle Grill, everyone headed out to further explore Post Office Bay, the lands where whalers, pirates, and the first colonizers of Galapagos explored. The group visited the ingenious Post Office barrel to continue a long existing tradition of hand delivering mail around the world. Afterward, we went deep into the earth (~30m) via a lava tunnel to explore the beautiful geological formations created by volcanoes. The day was far from over, as these were only the morning activities. After lunch everyone enjoyed a spectacular snorkel at Champion Islet where they encountered colorful reef fish, sea lions, rainbow runners, and more. A peaceful walk around Punta Cormorant at sunset to view flamingos and a storytelling session of the human history from Gaby after dinner, was the perfect way to finish a beautiful day.
Today’s morning adventure took us to Urbina Bay on Isabela Island. The highlight was spotting land iguanas and giant tortoises in the wild for the first time. Guests were thrilled to observe these incredible creatures in their natural habitat. The lush landscape was filled with Darwin's finches. In the afternoon, we hiked to a stunning viewpoint at Tagus Cove. The trail led us through dry, rugged terrain with glimpses of endemic plants. At the summit, the panoramic view was unforgettable.
