Today was our last day in the western realm, and we started our expedition at one of my favorite visitors’ sites, Urbina Bay. Alcedo giant tortoises nest here, and we got to see many females and juveniles during our hike. It was a precious moment that many of our guests will cherish forever. After the hike, we had the privilege of hearing Dr. Sylvia Earl speak about, “What Darwin Didn’t See in the Galapagos.” In the afternoon, we continued our adventure in the ocean while swimming with penguins and sea turtles. It was an honor to share this ocean with Dr. Sylvia. Our day ended at the top of Darwin Lake with a breathtaking view of Fernandina Island and a heartwarming sunset!
- Daily Expedition Reports
- 06 Dec 2022
Isabela Island, 12/6/2022, National Geographic Endeavour II
- Aboard the National Geographic Endeavour II
- Galápagos
Gianna Haro, Naturalist
Most of Gianna´s memories seem to be dreams, made on flawless white sandy beaches with black lava rock contours and gorgeous turquoise ocean waters. Most of it happened while barefoot, in an enchanting place that some people regard as an ideal natura...
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Bahía Urbina and Tagus Cove, Isabela Island
As the sun rose, we headed to Urbina Bay, a visitor site found on Isabela Island at the slopes of the marvelous Alcedo Volcano. Isabela is home to a unique morphotype of dome-shelled tortoises and arguably the most pristine island of the Galapagos. We went for a short walk, and in addition to spotting the popular giants, we also observed the evidence of an uplift event which occurred in 1954. In the afternoon, we navigated for an hour to the historical Tagus Cove, the same place where HMS Beagle once anchored. With elusive octopi, fast swimming penguins, funny looking cormorants, and breathtaking views, we finished another great day in this enchanted archipelago.
5/6/2025
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National Geographic Endeavour II
Isabela Island
Navigation brought us to the largest island in the Galapagos Archipelago, Isabela. Holding half of all land mass in the Galapagos, it has a diverse selection of ecosystems that we were able to visit. Urvina Bay was geologically uplifted in the 1950’s, taking two square kilometers of seafloor that was thrust upward, in certain areas up to four meters out of the water. Intertidal species were stranded inland, and we walked upon this area. Galapagos giant tortoises and land iguanas were found on our trail, and we were surrounded by Darwin finches and Galapagos mockingbirds. The afternoon brought us to Tagus Cove where we explored the surrounding waters, encountering Galapagos penguins and Pacific green sea turtles swimming among the kayakers and snorkelers. As the sun dipped below the horizon, adventurous hikers took a fast-paced hike to enjoy an incredible view of Darwin Lake and the immense island of Isabela.