Our journey continued as we arrived at Española, one of the oldest and most diverse islands in the archipelago. Gardner Bay is a coralline sand beach with turquoise waters. It is a favorite haul out for Galapagos sea lions, and young sea lions lazed on the beach as Española mockingbirds flitted about along the coast. The young sea lions swam and played among us as we snorkeled. The afternoon brought us to a rocky path filled with wildlife. Marine iguanas nested along the path, and numerous Nazca booby chicks practiced flying. They jumped from the rocks while their parents looked on. We spotted waved albatrosses along the southern cliffs. The first individuals of the season landed on the island to search for their lifelong mates. The sun dipped below the horizon, and the soundtrack of Española sent us on our way as we headed back to National Geographic Endeavour II.
2/20/2025
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National Geographic Endeavour II
Bartolome and Chinese Hat
The Galapagos never ceases to amaze and today was no exception. We began our morning with a landing at Bartolome Island, where we climbed the iconic boardwalk to the summit. Along the way, we spotted lava lizards basking in the sun and took in the breathtaking views of Pinnacle Rock standing tall against the deep blue water. The highlight of the day came in the afternoon as we explored Chinese Hat, a small cinder cone with striking lava formations. A Zodiac exploration took us along the shoreline where we spotted three Galapagos penguins resting on the lava rocks. These unique seabirds, the only penguins found north of the equator, stood side by side, preening and occasionally glancing towards the water as if contemplating their next dive. Guests also enjoyed snorkeling in the turquoise waters where sea lions twisted playfully and whitetip reef sharks swam through the currents. As the sun dipped below the horizon, we reflected on another extraordinary day in one of the most unique ecosystems on the planet.
