We arrived to the southeastern most island of the archipelago. We got ashore in the morning on a white sandy beach where Galapagos sea lions were frolicking in the water with our guests. After a short navigation, we arrived at Punta Suarez and walked along a rocky terrain where we had impressive cliffs. At this site, we observed the endemic Galapagos waved albatross, Nazca boobies, as well as the most colorful marine iguanas in Galapagos.
- Daily Expedition Reports
- 09 Jul 2023
Gardner Bay & Punta Suarez, Hood Island, 7/9/2023, National Geographic Endeavour II
- Aboard the National Geographic Endeavour II
- Galápagos
Gilda Gonzalez, Naturalist
Gilda was born in Ambato, located in the very heart of the Ecuadorian Andes. Since she was a child, she loved animals, often rescuing street cats and dogs. Her parents always made sure there were nature books and plenty of Jacques Cousteau’s videos a...
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Exploring Galápagos
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Santiago Island
We began our day with a very active snorkeling excursion, where some of our snorkelers saw several whitetip reef sharks, a few sea lions, and fish of all kinds. We also kayaked and went paddleboarding. The geological formations are impressive here, such as the world-famous praying monk that captured our attention while on a Zodiac ride. If that wasn’t enough, we had a few rounds of glass bottom boat rides, a fabulous tool that allows us to have a clear view of the fish, and especially those sharks. Soon after lunch, we had an adventurous wet landing on Puerto Egas, with its black sandy beach that we had all to ourselves. We walked along the shore and intertidal pools of Santiago with sightings of marine iguanas, sea lions, shore birds, and Galapagos fur seals. After cocktail hour and a fun recap, we enjoyed a barbeque dinner on the top deck.
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Isabela Island
Isabela is the largest island in Galapagos and today we had the opportunity to explore Elizabeth Bay and Punta Moreno. These two visitor sites are very close but very different from one another. Elizabeth Bay is covered with black lava and a mangrove forest, which becomes a perfect shelter for many species. The bay is home to flamingos, brown pelicans, and white-cheeked pintail ducks. This combination is a good reflection of the colonization of flora and fauna of the Galapagos.