This week's photos from the field included sunsets in Baja California, animal close-ups in the Galápagos Islands and penguins in Antarctica and South Georgia Island.
This week's photos from the field included iconic bird species in the Galápagos Islands, a pod of dolphins in Baja California, and an underwater cave in the South Pacific.
Learn how guests aboard select voyages with National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions can observe research and conservation in action through the Science at Sea program.
In this short film, learn more about the historic relationship between Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic and the way it shapes expeditions for guests.
Early this morning, our ship anchored off the tranquil shores of Otoque Island. Guests eagerly boarded our Zodiacs to explore the island’s lush coastline and abundant bird life. The gentle waves lapped against the boats as they navigated through hidden coves, offering glimpses of the hundreds of frigatebirds, brown boobies, and pelicans that thrive in this secluded paradise. As evening approached, the ship set its course toward the Panama Canal, entering through the Pacific coast. The sun dipped below the horizon, casting a golden glow over the water. Passengers gathered on deck to witness this engineering marvel that connects two oceans. The ship glided through the Miraflores Locks, rising steadily as it transitioned into Gatun Lake. There our ship anchored for the night, surrounded by the serene beauty of this vast artificial lake. Guests enjoyed dinner, reflecting on their day’s adventures. The sounds of nature enveloped them as they prepared for another day of exploration through one of the world’s most iconic waterways.
The morning was beautiful, enhanced by the falling rain and misty clouds. Bernal Glacier and Parque Nacional Kawesqar offered stunning lighting for photographers, with glacial till illuminating the water in a mint-green hue and Magellanic fuchsia blooming in the bushes like ripe berries. Peale’s dolphins briefly cruised the shoreline as our staff brought guests ashore for an easy stroll along a botanical garden-like trail to view the glacier front. The Bernal Glacier is retreating, exposing the canyon walls until new vegetation begins to colonize. In the afternoon, we observed our captain and Bridge crew as they skillfully navigated the Kirke Narrows, a passage only sixty meters wide! Timing the tide was essential; we had to traverse the Narrows at slack tide when the currents were slow, allowing the ship to avoid obstacles and hazards. Once safely through the Narrows, we continued to Puerto Natales for the evening.
Our morning began with a stop at Los Islotes, part of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, for a sunrise snorkel with playful juvenile California sea lions. As they twisted and turned through the water with ease, it was such a joy for many to experience their curiosity so closely. We also enjoyed closer looks at the island from the bow of National Geographic Venture . The chorus of barking sea lions hauled out on the rocks was a raucous experience; we also observed a variety of birds, including Cocos and blue-footed boobies, and some California brown pelicans seeking refuge from the wind. After a fantastic brunch, we cruised the Canal de San Jose of the Gulf of California in search of wildlife, and it did not disappoint. Our first sighting was a humpback mother with her calf, cruising in the same direction as us. Then not long afterwards, the distinctly angled blows of sperm whales were sighted, while four mobula rays passed along our starboard side. And then the largest animals on our planet surfaced! Can you believe it? Blue whales!!!
Our first day in Panama caught us in the spectacular archipelago of Coiba, a former prison turned into a National Park and UNESCO World Heritage site due to its importance as the second largest reef on the Eastern Pacific. Guests explored Coiba Island Ranger Station, walking through its premises viewing scarlet macaws. Some guests exercised their upper body with paddleboarding, or sea kayaking with stingrays. At Cocos Island we enjoyed snorkeling along a healthy reef inhabited by whitetip reef sharks, hawksbill and green sea turtles, bicolored parrotfish, Cortez rainbow wrasses, a spectacular snowflake moray eel, king angelfish and many more forms of life. We also spotted an underwater tropical garden, where a geological feature formed by refraction currents created a bridge of sediments between it and a pinnacle known as a tombolo. Pantropical spotted dolphins accompanied our sailing. Photographers : Fico Chacón, Naturalist , Dan Baldwin, Undersea Specialist , and Ronald Calvo, Naturalist
The wind was so strong overnight that we arrived slightly delayed to our destination of Puerto Profundo. The dive team went scuba diving in some gorgeous kelp forests while guests got nearly as wet during two rounds of particularly rainy Zodiac cruises. Our surrounding scenery was so majestic, and a few lucky people caught glimpses of bow-riding Chilean dolphins! Back on board, we dried out, ate lunch, and cruised to our next breathtaking destination. At Seno Glacier, we all set out to explore the fjords by Zodiac cruises and even ventured up a riverbed. The rain continued to pour, the many waterfalls gushed, and wet fingers struggled to take pictures on phones as we all became drenched. A few lifejackets even got so wet that they automatically expanded!
