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Expedition Stories

A Rare Encounter with a Pod of Narwhal

Guests aboard our Northwest Passage voyage on the National Geographic Endurance experienced a once-in-a-lifetime encounter, observing a pod of the most elusive animals in the Arctic, the narwhal. After spotting these incredible creatures in Croker Bay, Canada, our team quickly deployed Zodiacs and headed out to give guests a closer look.

Daily expedition reports

Daily Expedition Reports

10/4/2022

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National Geographic Explorer

Amazon Delta

Today we entered the Amazon River, the biggest river on our humble planet. Water to the left, water to the right, water everywhere! Some swallows and martins came to greet us during our morning, and we enjoyed observing as they trapped flies and other insects around the ship. Local authorities came on board to perform duties for our official clearance into the country. While this was happening, we enjoyed a couple of presentations from the natural history staff. Thanks to Carlos Navarro, our on-board undersea specialist, we learned that the Amazon basin is home to 5,600 species of fish! That is not only a large number of fish species, but it also accounts for the impressive biodiversity of the Amazon River! Among all those species, we found the arapaima and the dangerous candirú. If the names are not familiar, it is because these species are only found in this region. They are worth some internet research, as I am sure their biology will surprise you! After lunch, we sailed deeper into the Amazon. The sun was getting low on the horizon and promised a great spectacle, so an impromptu cocktail party was organized on the sundeck. As the sun set, parrots flew above us, and pink dolphins approached the stern of the ship. It really felt as if they were the ambassadors of this river, giving us a grand welcome to their world! Tropical punch in one hand, a camera to photograph the pink dolphins in the other, and a beautiful sunset in the background. This was definitely a great way to end our first day cruising the Amazon River!

Daily Expedition Reports

10/4/2022

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National Geographic Endeavour II

Santa Cruz Island

Today was an exciting day on our expedition. We went back to civilization and visited the town of Puerto Ayora on the island of Santa Cruz. We wanted to see what life is like in the Galapagos, and we were eager to see a healthy population of giant tortoises in the wild. Early in the morning, we landed at the town’s main pier and headed to the Charles Darwin Research Station. We learned all about conservation programs of the past and present in the Galapagos, and we got to see the process to breed giant tortoises. This is one of the most iconic conservation programs on the islands. Afterwards, we walked through the town. We encountered a fish market that had some unusual customers, including sea lions and pelicans waiting for some leftovers. For the rest of the day, we planned to visit the highlands. We boarded our buses and headed to a local farm that produces coffee, sugar, cacao, and moonshine. Don Adriano, the owner of the farm, is a charming man who enjoyed showing us his craft. While the sugarcane juice was fermenting, he demonstrated why Spanish moonshine is called “agua ardiente.” He threw some of the moonshine onto the fire, which created a big flame. He encouraged everybody to taste the potent spirit, as well as his flavorful coffee, sugarcane juice with lime, and roasted coffee grains with “panela.” It was a really fun experience for everyone. The giant tortoises in the wild were the highlight of the day. A delicious lunch at “El Manzanillo” ranch gave us energy for our walk. We put on rubber boots and wandered near these antediluvian creatures, as Darwin described them. It was a magical experience to get close and personal with them. We heard about their history and biology from our naturalist, and we learned how to take amazing photos of them from our photo instructors. What a remarkable way to spend the day.

Daily Expedition Reports

10/3/2022

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National Geographic Explorer

At Sea, Atlantic Ocean

Days at sea in the tropics can be such multifaceted experiences. There are, of course, the classic experiences, like the opportunity to soak in the warmth, read a book on deck, or enjoy a chat with fellow passengers. These experiences are always taken at the appropriate “tropics’ pace,” nice and easy. The heat demands doing things nice and easy. At the end of the day, guests look forward to enjoying a cocktail, like a margarita, or in Brazil, a caipirinha. But there are other experiences on these days. There is the vastness of the ocean. One can turn 360° and get uninterrupted views all the way to the horizon, and this scene plays out before our eyes all day long. Of course, there were a few small fishing boats and marker buoys warning ships that there are fishing nets about. But none of these detract from the humbling experience when confronted with the vastness of the ocean. It is a sobering experience for us humans. During the morning, we went to the movies and watched the new version of Papillon . The film certainly depicted the hell that the prisoners experienced in the penal colony in the Îles de Salut. During the afternoon, we also had the opportunity to learn more about the incredible birdlife in the neotropics. The colors and complex songs leave us amazed. This was followed by a presentation on oceanography around the vast region of South America. Of course, the afternoon was broken up with the obligatory teatime, always a sumptuous affair on National Geographic Explorer . We all indulged ourselves with a cup of coffee or tea and some delicious cookies and cakes. Our day came to a close with cocktails, recap, and dinner. Days at sea are so very good.

Daily Expedition Reports

10/3/2022

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National Geographic Endeavour II

Floreana Island

Floreana is the first Galapagos Island that was colonized by people. Ecuador took possession of the Galapagos Islands in 1832 and established a penal colony on Floreana Island. When Darwin visited the Galapagos in 1835, the second island he landed on was Floreana. During his stay on Floreana Island, Darwin met with some of the convicts and explored the highlands.

Daily Expedition Reports

10/2/2022

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National Geographic Islander II

Floreana Island

After visiting the central islands of the archipelago, we headed south towards Floreana. One of the most beautiful islands in the Galapagos, Floreana was named in honor of the first president of the Republic of Ecuador, General Juan José Flores. When it was annexed to Ecuador in 1832, the island was designated as the first capital of the archipelago. With the first rays of sun, we boarded the Zodiacs and headed for the calm waters of Post Office Bay. We started the day with kayaking along the mangroves and inlets. In the treetops, we could see pelicans and some lava herons. In the ocean, sea turtles, rays, sea lions, and many colorful fish swam very close to our guests. The gentle sea breeze cooled the atmosphere. Little by little, the sun appeared through the clouds to warm the atmosphere a little and illuminate the mountains that, until then, looked cloudy. We were able to observe the geology of the place. The island’s mountains were once volcanoes, and below them, solidified lava flows as a silent witness to the island’s geological past, which happened millions of years ago. After touring the western part of the bay, we headed towards the landing beach to visit the enigmatic barrel used by buccaneers, pirates, and the first visitors to the archipelago hundreds of years ago. The post office barrel is considered the oldest mail system of the Eastern Pacific. We had the opportunity to share some of the human history of the Galapagos and the early settlers of Floreana Island. After breakfast, National Geographic Islander II was repositioned off Champion Islet. The temperature of the ocean was around 64 °F, which was not an impediment for our guests to enjoy an incredible snorkeling around the islet. We saw sea turtles, whitetip reef sharks, and many colorful fish along the rocky seabed. Curious sea lions invited our guests to play with them! Finally, our last visit was to Punta Cormorant, north of Floreana. Midafternoon, we disembarked on a beach with greenish sand. The green color is due to the high concentration of olivine, a glassy mineral that is abundant in the area. Walking inland, we reached a lagoon behind the beach. We saw some flamingos whose pink color contrasted with the green water. Walking inland, we reached the second beach with completely white sand. Its composition, unlike the first, is entirely organic. We saw stingrays and many sea turtles waiting for darkness to leave the ocean for the highest part of the beach to nest. In the air, pelicans and blue-footed boobies were in a feeding frenzy to catch some fish. It was almost 6:00 p.m. when we decided to come back to National Geographic Islander II . The sun, now in the west, reminded us that today was a unique day that will live in our memories forever.

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

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1.800.397.3348

1.800.397.3348