Santiago Island, 9/29/2022, National Geographic Islander II
Aboard the
National Geographic Islander II
Galápagos
Today, National Geographic Islander II came back to the center of the archipelago to visit Darwin’s favorite island: Santiago. Before breakfast, we departed with kayaks to explore the volcanic shores and look for wildlife. Some of our guests went to the beach to take a pleasant walk through a very lush mangrove forest that protects the nesting sites of Pacific green turtles.
After breakfast, we continued to explore with kayaks, snorkeling, and Zodiac excursions. Our guests were fascinated by the dramatic landscape and the unique wildlife that inhabits it.
In the afternoon, we visited Puerto Egas, located in South James Bay. We went hiking along the rocky shores, and some guests decided to stay and explore the beach, swim with sea lions, and practice yoga with our wellness specialist.
It was quite a unique day with beautiful sunny skies, abundant wildlife, and amazing scenery.
Socrates was raised on Santa Cruz Island located in the heart of Galapagos Archipelago. After a childhood filled with swimming, scuba diving, rock climbing and volunteering in conservation projects, he grew very passionate about the outdoors and the...
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San Cristobal has its own giant tortoise population, as well as endemic lava lizards and snakes. These are examples of adaptive radiation in the archipelago. We have had a successful week full of great memories. The unique and friendly animals found in this group of islands are not found anywhere else on our planet.
What a wonderful day on Española Island! This isolated island, located on the southeastern side of the Galapagos, is one of the oldest in the archipelago, geologically speaking. The volcanic landscape is breathtaking with high cliffs and white sand beaches. Española is home for many species that are not only endemic to the Galapagos but endemic to the island. Española mockingbirds, Española lava lizards, Española marine iguanas, and the waved albatross are the most representative of the endemic species. Early in the morning, National Geographic Islander II anchored at Gardner Bay. The spectacular pure white sand beach is beautiful. The sun was shining, and the Galapagos sea lions that call this paradise home rested near the aquamarine water. In the afternoon, we visited Punta Suarez. We followed a long, rocky trail as we explored. Myriads of colorful marine iguanas and marine birds were seen everywhere. We admired and photographed blue-footed boobies and Nazca boobies. We had a wonderful surprise today, as well. We spotted a couple waved albatrosses, one of the most beautiful marine birds in the world. During the last week in December, these birds normally abandon the island to venture into the open ocean for several months. At sunset, we returned to the ship with our minds filled with so many memories. Our hearts were replenished by the much-needed tonic of wilderness. Galapagos always evokes wonder in its visitors.
The morning was warm, and the sun woke us up early to explore Post Office Bay on Floreana Island. This legendary place is full of human history dating back to pirates, whalers, and early colonists. Some of our intrepid guests kayaked around the bay, where the many little islets are home to blue-footed boobies, seagulls, herons, and sea lions. In the ocean, rays and marine turtles started another day. We landed on the beach to visit the oldest mailing system in the Galapagos Islands. The site was established in 1792. Whalers set up a wooden barrel to collect correspondence from visitors passing through Floreana. Later, other sailors could deliver those letters to their next destination. This hand-delivery system has worked very well for around 231 years. We kept the tradition alive by taking some postcards and leaving our own behind in this historical spot. After breakfast, we motored a short distance to arrive at Champion Islet for snorkeling and tours around the islet in the glass-bottom boat. The snorkeling was outstanding. As soon as we jumped in the water, we spotted a wide variety of multicolored fish. The rocky lava is a benthonic wonder covered in barnacles, shells, sea urchins, and colorful sea stars. The highlight was a huge school of salemas. The final touch was a Galapagos shark that emerged from the school of fish for a few seconds before disappearing into the blue depths of the ocean. Our guests had a lot of fun playing with juvenile sea lions. A guest asked me what kind of marine species we would see before we snorkeled, and I guessed sharks; indeed, we saw around ten whitetip reef sharks as we drifted in the water. What a premonition! In the afternoon, we visited Cormorant Point, where we had a great adventure. We observed seabirds diving, flamingos in a brackish water lagoon, marine turtles mating in the water, and stingrays burrowing in the white sand to avoid predators. We had a great day! We enjoyed every single minute, and the nature was astonishing. The frosting on the cake was a spectacular sunset that decorated the sky and welcomed a night full of stars with a very clear Milky Way. We made some great memories and had unforgettable experiences.
