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Expedition Stories

Close up of Super Diego, the Galápagos tortoise

A group of children study some written material while out in the woods

Meet Super Diego: The Galápagos Tortoise Who Saved His Species

After fathering hundreds of offspring through a breeding program set up to save the Española Island tortoise species, Super Diego has finally retired to the wilds of his youth. Here is his remarkable story.

Daily expedition reports

Daily Expedition Reports

5/24/2022

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National Geographic Endeavour II

Urbina Bay & Tagus Cove, Isabela Island

We continued our journey along Isabela’s coastline. On our fourth day, we visited two unique sites located at the slopes of some active volcanoes. After dinner, National Geographic Endeavour II anchored in Urbina Bay. In the morning, we went for a short walk along the uplifted coastline of the Alcedo Volcano. It didn’t take long until we were greeted by the iconic Galapagos giant tortoise. These dome-shelled tortoises are only found around this volcano. We also spotted beautiful land iguanas for the second time. After an hour and a half of navigation this afternoon, we anchored at the famous Tagus Cove, a popular landing spot in the past for sailors and navy ships from many countries. As we looked outside the ship, we noticed tall tuff walls from two majestic cones, the same ones that Charles Darwin explored during his visits onboard HMS Beagle. Finally, we concluded a very full and active day with water activities: kayaking, snorkeling, and a strenuous hike over the tuff cones along Darwin’s Lake.

Daily Expedition Reports

5/24/2022

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National Geographic Endurance

Væroy, Reine, and Trollfjord

Throughout the evening, we sailed north, and in the morning we woke up at Væroy Island, one of the many islands of Lofoten, Norway. The small bay we inhabited is home to Mastad, a small village that once had a population of 150 people. Now, only a dozen people use the village as a summer getaway. The island is particularly famous for the rarest of Norwegian dog breeds, the lundehund (puffin dog). This dog has six toes on each paw, making it particularly suited for climbing rocks and reaching the difficult cliff sides where puffins nest. The puffins were an important dietary staple and a source of extra income for the islanders. Væroy is also known for the former practice of catching and killing white-tailed eagles through hidey-holes to protect their sheep. This practice was discontinued in 1968 when Norway placed the eagles under protection. In the afternoon, we moved further north to another island in the Lofoten chain, Reine. This island is well known throughout Norway for its picturesque scenery of tall mountains, red houses, and cod. Hundreds of thousands of cod are left drying on racks in the traditional method that dates back more than a thousand years. It is a stunning sight to witness, and it can be an overwhelming experience for your nose. We spent the afternoon walking among the racks and taking in the sights around town. During another scrumptious dinner onboard, National Geographic Endurance sailed to one of the most impressive fjords in Norway–the Trollfjord. Only 100 meters wide at the entrance, the rock walls of the fjord skyrocket out of the water, creating quite a dramatic scene. Towards the back, the channel opens slightly into a calm bay. We all stood on deck soaking up the glorious view.

Daily Expedition Reports

5/23/2022

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National Geographic Quest

Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness and Sawyer Glacier

Early in the morning, National Geographic Quest entered Tracy Arm and sailed up toward the Sawyer and South Sawyer Glaciers. There was a little ‘liquid sunshine,’ aka rain, and fluffy wafting clouds, which is typical Southeast Alaska weather. The fjord has tall, sheer cliff faces and lots of waterfalls that we observed today. We all hopped into our Zodiacs, and the naturalists provided interpretation in front of the Sawyer Glacier. The harbor seals seemed quite curious about our presence. We observed a few minor calving events and lots of bergy bits floating around in the inlet. After the Zodiac tours, there were briefings in the lounge until we spotted a black bear. The ship maneuvered expertly, and we watched the bear eating from the intertidal zone for quite some time. Continuing down the fjord, we saw a variety of birdlife near Holkham Bay and Stephens Passage. We finished our evening by passing by the Five Finger Lighthouse as the sun was setting.

Daily Expedition Reports

5/23/2022

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National Geographic Islander

Seymour and Rabida Islands

Early in the morning, National Geographic Islander anchored near the coast of North Seymour Island, where a dry landing waited for us. Even though the trail was rocky, it was wonderful to observe the palo santo forest that covers this small uplifted island. Nothing compares to the diverse wildlife found here. Galapagos sea lions slept on the white sand beach, and we realized that frigatebirds were everywhere. Males of both species, great frigatebirds and magnificent frigatebirds, displayed their beautiful red pouches. They are always trying to attract the attention of the females. Blue-footed boobies, also nesting on the ground, danced around while land iguanas basked on the rocks, enjoying the warm temperature. In the afternoon, the red sand beach of Rabida was the perfect site to practice snorkeling. We looked for different species of fish. The highlight is always the company of Galapagos sea lions. These animals love to play with the guests. After a refreshing snorkeling, we walked along the red sand beach. The red sand is due to a high concentration of iron. Our walk led us to a brackish water lagoon with close to ten Galapagos flamingos. It was the perfect way to end a great day.

Daily Expedition Reports

5/23/2022

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National Geographic Endeavour II

Fernandina and Isabela Islands

This morning, we went exploring on Fernandina Island, the youngest island in the archipelago and one of the most active islands in the Galapagos. The morning was spectacular! We enjoyed walking alongside big herds of Galapagos marine iguanas, flightless cormorants, playful sea lions, Fernandina’s endemic snake, and much more! After a delicious lunch and some time to rest, we went exploring again. This time we explored the coastline of Punta Vicente Roca on Isabela Island. Our first Galapagos penguin posed for pictures, and sea turtles popped their heads up to breathe several times. Blue-footed boobies and brown noddies were also part of the show. We finished our day by crossing the equator with a fun winetasting organized by our expedition leader and crewmembers.

Joining us on any expedition means signing up for adventure; and the reward for your curiosity is inevitable—the most exhilarating experience of pure discovery possible.

Sven-Olof Lindblad