We started our morning by visiting Gardner Bay, one of the most beautiful beaches in the Galapagos. We observed many sea lions at the beach. In the afternoon, we took one of the most fantastic walks in the Galapagos at Punta Suarez. On the rocky trail, we spotted albatrosses, blue-footed boobies, gulls, mockingbirds, and finches. It all made for an unforgettable day.
As we started our adventure in the Galapagos Islands, we headed for about three and a half hours towards Bartolomé Island. A famous island used in movies, Bartolomé is located east of Santiago Island and is only 1.3 square kilometers (0.5 square miles). Our guests had options to start the day with an early morning walk or a Zodiac exploration to appreciate different geological structures and pioneer vegetation. After a thirty-minute walk up 372 stairs, guests took in an iconic view of the Galápagos, which is featured in the movie Master and Commander . After this activity, we finished with an underwater exploration of Bartolomé’s marine life. For the afternoon, we continued for an hour and forty minutes to the western side of Santa Cruz Island to explore Cerro Dragón, also known as Dragon Hill. The island is named after the endemic Galapagos land iguana. For our last outing, we took a 1.7-mile walk through a dry forest to spot the iconic iguanas and many endemic locusts.
The last full day of our expedition brought us to San Cristobal Island, one of the oldest in the archipelago. Located in the center of the Galapagos archipelago, Santa Fe holds unique wildlife. We started the day with an invigorating hike and exploration of the coast. Red-footed boobies were a highlight for all. Upon returning to the beach area, young and playful Galapagos sea lions frolicked with everyone who entered the water. The afternoon revealed a rugged coastline and one of the most incredible, fine coralline sand beaches in the Galapagos. Shorebirds looked for sustenance in the shallows as sea lions finished their day lazing on the beach. Our final day finished as we passed by Kicker Rock and a setting sun.
The third day of our voyage brought us to Wallace Island, a small provincial marine park in British Columbia nestled between Victoria and Vancouver. The Island offers excellent hikes, as well as Zodiac cruises and an opportunity for our undersea specialists to explore an underwater shipwreck. Guests looking to get their heart rates up enjoyed the aerobic hike that covers the entire length of the island. For the more casual hikers, the island has some interesting remnants of the small resort that occupied Wallace Island in the 1950s. After the morning activities wrapped up, National Geographic Quest weighed anchor to slip through Seymor Narrows, a narrow gap in the archipelago that allows guests to see the impressive ship handling skills required to navigate in the Pacific Northwest. A more relaxed afternoon allowed ample time for whale watching and birding on the bow, as well as relaxing on the sundeck and attending the presentation of National Geographic expert and artist, Antonio Segura, who joined the voyage as an ambassador for art conservation.
Today we explored the island of Santiago. In the morning, we visited Buccaneer Cove by kayak, Zodiac, and even glass bottom boat. In the afternoon, we visited Puerto Egas where we had our last afternoon excursion of this expedition in the Galapagos Islands. The landscape today was full of wildlife and amazing geological formations that offered great opportunities for photography, conversations, and good memories with our dear guests.