As we get closer to our final day of expedition, guests on board National Geographic Islander II visited two special sites on Isabela and Fernandina Islands. After a 10-hour navigation and crossing the Equator, we stopped by Punta Vicenta Roca, located at the mouth of the seahorse- shaped island of Isabela. Here, we had the chance to admire the walls of the extinct Ecuador Volcano as well as the wonderful marine life. This side of the island gets drenched in nutrients from the Cromwell current. In the afternoon, we walked among the fascinating marine iguanas of Fernandina Island.
5/14/2024
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National Geographic Islander II
San Cristobal Island
We arrived at the beautiful landing of Punta Pitt very early in the morning. A gang of playful juvenile sea lions were rolling with the waves on the olivine-colored beach, barking loudly to greet us with comical choreography. Once we were ready to start our walk, we were surprised by a red-footed booby who desperately and laboriously cut little branches of saltbush with the apparent purpose of getting nesting material. The effort it made to cut a few little twigs was completely inspiring. Look how he does it! Then, on the summit of an eroded tuff cone, we saw blue-footed boobies nesting. It was too early to start to work so they were sleeping, and in few cases, taking care of their newborn featherless chicks! Later, we returned to the green beach, and we swam with sea lions and colorful tropical fish. In the afternoon we headed to a special bay where one of the most beautiful beaches in the Galapagos exists. We strolled on the white coralline beds and swam in the turquoise water, then finally sailed around an ancient and dying ash cone in the middle of the sea, called Kicker Rock.
