We are in the last full day of expedition aboard National Geographic Islander II. We have moved out of the western region to the central part of these enchanted islands. Today we visited two different places on Santiago Island. The day started with a stunning pre-breakfast kayak. After breakfast, guests enjoyed snorkeling and glass-bottom Zodiac trips in Buccaneer Cove. Later in the day, the ship moved location to Puerto Egas, where we took a long walk along the shore. We found grottos used as a resting place by fur sea lions. Guests enjoyed the beach and took a stretching class. We finished our great day with an amazing sunset.
4/17/2025
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National Geographic Islander II
Plaza and Santa Fe Islands
The sunrise was spectacular today! It was a pleasant morning to explore the magical wildlife present on South Plaza Island, an uplifted area full of endemic species. As soon as we disembarked on a little pier, dozens of sea lions came to say welcome. Just a few yards inland, many land and marine iguanas shared the same ecosystem with seabirds, such as swallow-tailed gulls and pelicans. Along the cliff we saw frigates, boobies, shearwaters, tropic birds, and petrels gliding along. After breakfast, our guests enjoyed kayaking and swimming from National Geographic Islander II , while others took part in a stretching session with our wellness specialist on board. In the afternoon, we motored to Santa Fe Island to snorkel with sea lions. Our guests were astonished to encounter these creatures and so many multicolor fish so close that we felt part of their aquatic world. Later, we disembarked on a very small beach which is home to a colony of sea lions. Further inland we spotted some Santa Fe land iguanas resting at the foot of giant prickly pear cacti. It was an amazing day! Galapagos is a breathtaking place.
