Santa Cruz , 4/14/2022, National Geographic Endeavour II
Aboard the
National Geographic Endeavour II
Galápagos
We are about to finish our expedition aboard National Geographic Endeavour II. Today we visited Santa Cruz, the second largest island of the archipelago. We took buses to the north side of the island. On our way to see the tortoises, we observed the different vegetation zones found in the Galapagos. On the top part of this island, we saw one of the most unique forests in the world. The Scalesia forest once covered a big part of the island. Nowadays, we have just 1% left, and introduced plants threaten it. We stopped at the tortoise reserve where we observed big, medium, and small tortoises. Also, we enjoyed a delicious meal at the restaurant. In the afternoon, we finished our day on a gorgeous white sand beach with turquoise waters.
Charles was raised in the Galápagos Islands. He is the grandson of Rolf Wittmer, the first person documented to have been born on the island of Floreana after his parents, Margret and Heinz Wittmer, emigrated from Germany in 1932.
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We had a nice sunny day that started with an early morning walk on Espumilla Beach. We were surrounded by local animals, including blue-footed boobies, brown pelicans, a Galapagos hawk, different species of herons, and various shorebirds. This was followed by tours in the glass-bottom boat, Zodiac rides, and snorkeling. In the afternoon, we moved to Puerto Egas for hiking and swimming, which was amazing. At night, we had a barbecue dinner on the sky deck, followed by a star gazing experience. What an exciting day we had!
Our second day in the western region brought a lot of surprises and great encounters. We started the morning with a hike at Urbina Bay on Isabela Island. The popular visitors’ site is known for its unique geological formations and diverse wildlife. The bay itself was formed during a volcanic uplift event in 1954 when the sea floor was lifted several meters, exposing a vast stretch of rocky coastline. One of the highlights this morning was the opportunity to observe Galapagos giant tortoises in their natural habitat. These tortoises are endemic to the Galapagos Islands and are famous for their large size and longevity. Aside from the giant tortoises, Urbina Bay is also home to a variety of other wildlife species, including marine iguanas, sea lions, land birds, and Galapagos penguins. After the hike, guests had a chance to snorkel in the bay. They spotted a variety of marine life, such as sea turtles, penguins, and colorful fish. Alcedo Volcano is one of the active volcanoes on Isabela Island; it is the highest volcano in the Galapagos, reaching an elevation of approximately 5,600 feet. This volcano is known for its population of Galapagos giant tortoises. The slopes of the volcano provide an ideal habitat for these creatures. These giant tortoises have some unique characteristics compared to tortoises found on other islands in the Galapagos, including a larger size and differences in shell shape. We sailed to Tagus Cove during lunch. With its amazing human history, the site is also known for its historical significance and stunning natural beauty. The cove is named after the British warship HMS Tagus , which anchored in the area in 1814. Tagus Cove offers impressive views of volcanic formations, including tuff cones and lava fields. Here, we snorkeled, kayaked, hiked, and took a Zodiac ride to end another magnificent day in the Galapagos!
Our first full day of adventures started on North Seymour, known as a bird paradise for seabirds like the frigates and blue-footed boobies that nest here at this time. The dry zone of palo santo (incense trees), a few cacti, and the grass on this small, dry island make it an ideal place for birds to land. The second part of our adventurous day took place on Rabida Island. Here we practiced snorkeling and observed the wonders of the underwater world in the Galapagos. Many species of fish, turtles, and invertebrates were found during our first underwater session. Later, we landed on red mineral sand that is rich in iron for a visit to observe American flamingos and ducks. At sunset, we enjoyed the views and sea lions on the beach before we returned to National Geographic Endeavour II .
