Santiago Island, 2/12/2025, National Geographic Endeavour II
Aboard the
National Geographic Endeavour II
Galápagos
Early this morning we arrived at Santiago Island, and we had the chance to go to two different visitor sites. We started before breakfast with a relaxing stroll along the beach where we saw boobies and pelicans actively feeding.
Later on, we went to Buccaneer Cove where we kayaked, snorkeled, and deployed the glass bottom boat. After lunch, we went ashore to visit Puerto Egas and had a great time snorkeling, walking, and kayaking along the coast. We had fun watching sea lions, finches, mockingbirds, shore birds, and Sally Lightfoot crabs.
Gilda was born in Ambato, located in the very heart of the Ecuadorian Andes. Since she was a child, she loved animals, often rescuing street cats and dogs. Her parents always made sure there were nature books and plenty of Jacques Cousteau’s videos a...
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Today was our first full day in the archipelago, and we enjoyed every minute of it. The hike in the morning was extraordinary. We spotted Galapagos land iguanas and frigatebirds everywhere. Our afternoon was full of adventures as well. Guests enjoyed their first time in the waters of the Galapagos. To finish the day, we went for a stroll along a red sand beach. It was such an amazing experience! We walked amongst sea lions and saw colorful flamingos. We definitely had a great start to a marvelous expedition that has just begun.
Genovesa welcomed us early as we navigated into the massive collapsed caldera of the volcano that makes up this isolated island. We immediately noted the thousands of birds that were in flight around and above us. Located on the outer perimeter of an archipelago and close to highly productive deep waters, this remote island is home to hundreds of thousands of birds. Whether landing at the small coralline beach or hiking Prince Philip’s Steps, we were surrounded by avian wildlife with a constant soundscape of activity. Throughout our visit, we encountered great frigatebirds, Nazca boobies, swallow-tailed gulls, red-footed boobies, and Galapagos doves. Short-eared owls were an absolute highlight. In the late afternoon, these owls hunt along the outer cliff areas of Genovesa. As the sun dipped in the distance and we returned to our floating home with a calm sea before us, we were content with this little world unto itself, the Galapagos.
Today’s expedition took us to two of the most visually stunning sites in the Galápagos, Bartolome Island and Chinese Hat, with each island offering a fascinating view into the archipelago’s volcanic past and unique wildlife. We began the morning exploring Bartolome Island, a landscape dominated by rugged lava fields, spatter cones, and the iconic Pinnacle Rock. The hike to the island’s summit rewarded us with panoramic views of the surrounding islands, showcasing the beauty of this young volcanic terrain. Along the trail, spatter cones, formed by past eruptions, stood as a testament to the island’s fiery origins with their reddish coloration contrasting against the black lava flows. Below, Pinnacle Rock rose dramatically from the sea, a striking geological feature shaped by time, wind, and waves. In the afternoon, we navigated to Chinese Hat where we were fortunate to witness an intimate moment in Galápagos wildlife, the courtship ritual of Galápagos penguins. These charismatic birds engaged in elegant mating behavior. Nearby, a sea lion mother was comfortably resting upon the rugged lava flow. From volcanic landscapes to rare wildlife encounters, today’s journey through Bartolome and Chinese Hat was a reminder of the incredible diversity and geological wonders of the Galápagos Archipelago.
