Genovesa Island’s location in the northern hemisphere gave us the opportunity to cross the equator line twice in one week. The natural history of this island is very interesting. Because Galapagos hawks never colonized this island, short-eared owls are the top predators. This island also lacks terrestrial reptiles. The only reptile present is the marine iguana, which is smaller here than elsewhere in the archipelago. That may be the reason why the prickly pear cactus never evolved sharp spines here. Galapagos is truly a unique place on our planet.
5/12/2025
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National Geographic Endeavour II
Floreana Island
We started our day early at Punta Cormorant just as the sun came up. Nearby, the rocky outline of Devil’s Crown stood out in the distance. As we landed, sea lions were waiting on the beach, giving us a lively start to the morning. During our walk, we visited a large brackish lagoon that’s known for attracting flamingos. We were lucky to see a few of them, which can be rare depending on the season. The highlight of the day was snorkeling at Champion Islet. The water was calm and clear, and we saw a wide variety of marine life. Sea lions swam nearby, and we spotted plenty of colorful fish. In the afternoon, we went kayaking in a quiet, protected area, sharing the space with sea turtles and rays. We finished the day at Floreana Island’s Post Office Barrel where we joined the tradition of leaving and/or taking a postcard for hand delivery upon our return home. A beautiful sunset ended the day.