We started our first full day of exploration with a wonderful sunrise and perfect weather conditions. In the morning we went ashore to stroll along the trail of North Seymour, and with every step we found a different animal. First we saw the swallow-tailed gulls nesting, then sea lions, marine iguanas, land iguanas, and many frigatebirds nesting on the trees. Some male frigatebirds were displaying their ritual to attract the females, which consists of inflating their red gular sacs, then spreading and shaking their wings while making some rattling sounds. In the afternoon we had a great time snorkeling at Rábida Island, and later walking along an astonishing red beach with colonies of sea lions. Behind the shoreline we saw a flock of pinkish flamingoes nesting at the edge of a brackish water lagoon, while others were feeding on mollusks and microscopic shrimp. The sunset on the horizon was the icing on the cake for such a spectacular day of fun in the paradisiacal Galapagos.
4/9/2025
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National Geographic Gemini
Isabela Island
After breakfast, we boarded our kayaks and gently paddled the calm waters of Elizabeth Bay. As we glided through the mangrove channels, we were greeted by the sight of numerous green sea turtles swimming peacefully near us. We also spotted several juvenile blacktip reef sharks cruising through the shallow waters. The presence of golden rays added to the magical ambiance of the bay. At 2:00 p.m., we began our first afternoon outing with a snorkeling session along Punta Moreno. The underwater scenery was simply spectacular. We encountered more green sea turtles, and Galápagos sea lions added a playful element to the experience. The highlight for many was witnessing penguins swimming at remarkable speeds as they hunted small salemas. Later, we returned to shore to walk across a vast and striking lava field — a reminder of the islands’ volcanic origins. However, amid this seemingly barren landscape, we discovered true oases: brackish lagoons where several flamingos were wading gracefully through these pools, feeding on small crustaceans. As we neared the end of our walk, we had one last surprise — encounters with Galápagos penguins and the iconic flightless cormorants.
