This week's photos from the field included iconic bird species in the Galápagos Islands, a pod of dolphins in Baja California, and an underwater cave in the South Pacific.
Galápagos is like no other place on Earth, and being on expedition is unlike any other kind of travel. Here’s a look at the unique shape a given day might take.
Learn how guests aboard select voyages with National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions can observe research and conservation in action through the Science at Sea program.
In this short film, learn more about the historic relationship between Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic and the way it shapes expeditions for guests.
This morning, we woke up with National Geographic Resolution sailing through a fjord. With trees, ice, and waterfalls surrounding us, it was truly a magnificent sight to behold. Our first day here in Patagonia will be spent taking our Zodiacs further up these fjords to see the glaciers that have carved out the splendid mountains that surround us. Coming from Antarctica, this was a whole new world. Today we have seen several species of birds and even some South American sea lions. After lunch, we deployed our kayaks to get an even more intimate look at this breathtaking landscape. It was an awesome first day here in Patagonia.
Today onboard National Geographic Quest, we arrived in one of the most remote areas of Costa Rica which has a rich biodiversity, Drake Bay. On the first outing, we offered different walks on private property owned by Costa Ricans, and they had trails in the primary rainforest for our guests to enjoy. For those who wanted to walk a little bit more, we offered a coastal walk and finished in the town of Drake. During the coastal hike, we saw the Central American spider-monkey, white-throated capuchin monkey, and different species of birds. The landscape along the coast was outstanding as the waves broke on the rocks and the sounds relaxed our guests. After the walk, we returned to the ship for lunch and then went for another outing on a Zodiac excursion up the Agujitas River where we saw a yellow-crowned night heron, a solo male capuchin monkey, and a show in the rainforest canopy.
We started early in the morning with kayaking and paddleboarding excursions along the coast in the western region of Santiago Island at Caleta Bucanero. Later, some of us went for snorkeling and a glass bottom boat ride, too. We had a chance to enjoy the beauty of the sea with lots of Galapagos sharks, sea lions, and many colorful fish. After lunch, we navigated towards Puerto Egas where we offered our guests a couple of options- to spend the afternoon at the beach, or take a nature walk along the coast, and both options were fantastic. We found lots of marine and land iguanas, sea lions, and migratory birds. Today we visited an island like no other which is very rich in human history and also happens to be the last visited by Charles Darwin on his famous Voyage of the Beagle. Today was outstanding!
The day began as National Geographic Endurance slipped into the scenic Errera Channel. As operations began, the guests could choose from a variety of exciting options including kayaking or heading to land to enjoy a gentoo penguin colony. Some even enjoyed the tranquility of a Zodiac cruise through massive icebergs and feeding humpback whales. In the afternoon, the ship repositioned to Neko Harbor. For the last operation of the trip there was another chance for a continental landing or Zodiac cruises through the brash ice and seals. As the day ended, the ship moved out of the protected waters of the Antarctic Peninsula and began the adventure of the Drake Passage. What a day!
We started our day with a gorgeous sunrise at Bahia Almejas, the southernmost area of Bahia Magdalena Lagoon. On our way looking for gray whales, we sailed with local “pangueros” who are the permit holders for this activity. First, we visited Margarita Island where hundreds of birds nest in the mangroves. Once in the lagoon, we witnessed different whale behaviors, including swimming alongside our pangas, spy-hopping, and breaching. What a sight to see! After returning to National Geographic Venture , we repositioned to visit Sand Dollar Beach on Magdalena Island where we found lots of treasures on our walk towards the Pacific. From blooming shore plants to middens left behind by the original nations that inhabited the peninsula, there was plenty to observe. The perfect ending to this wonderful day was our delicious Mexican fiesta dinner aboard.
