Isabela and Fernandina Islands, 4/12/2023, National Geographic Islander II
Aboard the
National Geographic Islander II
Galápagos
Today, National Geographic Islander II explored the westernmost islands in the Galapagos. These islands are not only remote but also spectacular with unique lifeforms and dramatic landscapes.
Our guests observed the very elusive Galapagos penguin, flightless cormorants, and Galapagos fur seals among many more rare species on Isabela and Fernandina Islands.
We spent a fantastic day exploring via Zodiac tours, snorkeling, and hiking. We enjoyed nature at its fullest. Today was another grand day in the Galapagos.
Socrates was raised on Santa Cruz Island located in the heart of Galapagos Archipelago. After a childhood filled with swimming, scuba diving, rock climbing and volunteering in conservation projects, he grew very passionate about the outdoors and the...
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Our wonderful day in paradise started when Expedition Leader Jonathan Aguas announced over the PA system, “We are going to leave early because we’ve spotted dolphins!” Off we went in our Zodiacs for an experience of a lifetime, hundreds of bottlenose dolphins surrounded us. This was just the start of an incredible day on San Cristobal Island! We hiked at Punta Pitt and spotted all the species of boobies found in the archipelago: blue-footed, Nazca, and red-footed boobies. The scenery on this eroded tuff cone was breathtaking. The afternoon was spent at one of most beautiful beaches in the world, Cerro Brujo. The white, powdery sand beach is home to a large colony of Galapagos sea lions. Galapagos is a magical place!
Today, our adventure began early with a special pre-breakfast kayaking option for our early risers. We paddled along the calm waters of Gardner Bay. It was a stunning experience as we encountered marine turtles gliding gracefully through the water and playful sea lions. Along the shore, blue-footed boobies and a few pelicans delighted our guests with their presence, making the early morning outing truly magical. After breakfast, we set off for a spectacular snorkeling session around Gardner Islet. The underwater world was alive with sea turtles, and curious sea lions swam circles around us. Next, we landed on the pristine white sands of Gardner Beach. Here, we had the unique opportunity to interact with the Española mockingbird, a species endemic to this island. In the afternoon, we had a dry landing at Punta Suárez, one of the island's most iconic spots. As we walked further inland, we encountered the Nazca booby, the largest of the three booby species found in the Galápagos. But the real star of the day was the waved albatross, the largest seabird in the archipelago and endemic to these islands. We spotted several of these majestic birds along the trail, including many albatross chicks whose brownish-gray plumage blended perfectly with the surrounding vegetation.
Our visit to Floreana Island began early, with a pre-breakfast kayaking adventure along the calm waters of Post Office Bay. We encountered dozens of sea turtles swimming gracefully near our kayaks, providing an incredible start to our day. Later we embarked on a Zodiac ride along Champion Islet. Here, we were fortunate enough to spot the elusive Floreana mockingbird that is found on the neighboring islets. We enjoyed an incredible snorkeling session around Champion Islet and saw several whitetip reef sharks, eagle rays, sea turtles, and, to the delight of our guests, playful Galapagos sea lions! In the afternoon, we visited Punta Cormorant. During our walk we observed American flamingos, including several juveniles whose pale white feathers contrasted beautifully with the bright pink plumage of the adults. At the white sandy beach, we spotted sea turtles and a few sharks swimming close to the shore. We went back on board with lasting memories of this wonderful day in the Galapagos.
