Santa Cruz Island, 3/14/2024, National Geographic Endeavour II
Aboard the
National Geographic Endeavour II
Galápagos
Today we spent a full day on the second largest island of the archipelago, Santa Cruz. We had a great introduction to the natural history and conservation of the Giant tortoises of the Galapagos by visiting the headquarters of the National Park and the Darwin Center and exploring their migratory route in the highlands. It was impactful to see them in their natural environment.
We also had the opportunity to visit the town and farms to learn about the human history of the islands.
Karina López was born in Guayaquil, Ecuador where she received her bachelor’s degree in Tourism and Hospitality, a second technical degree as a Professional Guide of Ecuador, and a third diploma in French language at the Alliance Francaise.
We started our expedition by visiting one of the oldest islands of the archipelago and quite a fantastic one. We explored the beach in the morning and the inside of the island in the afternoon. Our first outing was a snorkel exploration of a small islet located on Gardner Bay, where we observed sharks, sea lions, sea turtles, spotted eagle rays, and many colorful fish! The temperature of the water, great visibility, and an abundance of life made for an outstanding first deep-water snorkel. We also walked and swam on a beautiful white sand beach next to the big colony of sea lions that live here. In the afternoon, we hiked on Suárez Point. This is the only site in the archipelago where we can find the very famous waved albatross. We walked a rocky trail and spotted marine iguanas and lava lizards with nearly every step before reaching the nesting grounds of Nazca boobies and the albatrosses. These wonderful and magnificent marine birds nested and displayed for their mates. We observed the beauty of these animals as we enjoyed the sunset. It was a spectacular first full day.
Towards the end of our expedition, we arrived at Española Island. Small and relatively flat, from a distance it seems like Española doesn’t have much to offer, however Gardner Bay has one of the most beautiful beaches of the archipelago, with white coralline sand and turquoise waters, it is no wonder why a colony of Galapagos sea lions has chosen it as its home. Sea lions are oblivious to our presence, taking a rest after their long hunting trips in the ocean. Once everyone returned on board, we set off to our new destination, Punta Suarez. This place is full of wonderful Galapagos creatures, and as soon as we set foot ashore, the usual “inspectors” (Espanola mockingbirds) came by. The rocky trail led us past a couple of beaches and along the coast, with its colonies of seabirds, like Nazca boobies and swallow-tailed gulls. The highlight of Espanola was the waved albatross, an endemic species, elegant in flight, which has chosen this island as its sole home. We feel very privileged to have been able to explore the very remote and special world of the Galapagos Islands.
Our day on San Cristóbal Island was full of pure magic and laughter. We started bright and early with an epic adventure. We disembarked for a hike at Punta Pitt, where every step felt like walking through a living postcard. There we saw unique red-footed boobies, frigatebirds, and blue-footed boobies. Some brave souls took a refreshing swim in the sea, laughing and soaking up the last rays of sun. In the afternoon, the excitement continued with a landing at Cerro Brujo beach. The powdery white sand felt like walking on clouds as we strolled along the dreamy coastline, each wave crashing like nature’s applause for our journey. We were back on board just in time for a cocktail on the Upper Deck as we sailed toward Kicker Rock with a beautiful sunset that could have made poets cry. Finally, we gathered for our Farewell Toast. Between laughter, cheers, and snapshots, we celebrated a week full of unforgettable memories. We weren’t just travelers anymore — we were a family of adventurers, forever connected by this incredible journey.
