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In Brief

World View

JUN 2021

5 Min Read

Secrets of South Carolina's Salt Marsh

South Carolina is home to about a half-million acres of salt marsh—more than any other Atlantic coast state. Find out what lies within this dynamic ecosystem on two brand-new itineraries.

Daily Expedition Reports

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Daily Expedition Reports

Sep 21

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National Geographic Islander

Española Island

After an overnight navigation that took us to the easternmost island of the Galapagos Archipelago, we set out early in the morning to explore Española Island. The eager kayakers enjoyed cool conditions and saw much wildlife, as they paddled along the rocky coast of the island. After breakfast, three Zodiacs with guides Lynn, Gaby and Gianna, went snorkeling below the cliffs of a small islet called Gardner. We spotted fish of a dozen species, a tiger snake eel, a sea turtle, and we admired the colorful and plentiful invertebrates on the rocks, but best of all we were entertained by an unruly gang of juvenile sea lions! They pulled on our flippers, dove and twirled around us, and blew bubbles in our faces. What fun!   Then, we joined Vanessa and Paola on one of the most beautiful beaches in the world … without a hotel on it! Gorgeous light, brilliant fine white sand, and close contact with peaceful sea lions.   Captain Cifuentes moved and re-anchored the ship after lunch to the western point of Española. Here we had the choice of hiking on a long rocky loop trail, taking a shorter hike, or a Zodiac cruise. We were all delighted with our outings, and everyone saw the elegant waved albatross. In the water there were more sea turtles and barking male sea lions on patrol. On shore there were nesting blue-footed boobies, piles of marine iguanas, many sea lions (including both tiny babies and some really huge territorial males), and the large lava lizards endemic to this island. But the albatross, the fluffy feather-duster albatross chicks, the pairs of bobbing and clacking dancing birds, and the ones we watched take flight into the strong breeze off spectacular high cliffs – these are images that we will not soon forget.

Daily Expedition Reports

Sep 21

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National Geographic Endeavour II

Floreana Island

Today we woke up at Punta Cormorant where we disembarked for an early pre-breakfast natural history walk on Floreana Island. Blue-footed boobies were the stars and a number of couples performed courtship rituals. We even had the chance to see a father feeding its chick. After breakfast, we went for a Zodiac ride along Champion Islet. This was a great opportunity to observe different species of sea birds such as brown noddy terns, frigatebirds and swallow-tailed gulls. We also had the chance to go for a deep-water snorkel along the shore of this islet where sea lions played around us. In the afternoon, some guests went out on kayaks and paddle boards, while others went to visit Post Office Bay, where we learned about the human history of the Galapagos. We ended the day on the shore of Post Office Bay where some guests had a chance to walk along the beach while others went for a refreshing swim.

Daily Expedition Reports

Sep 21

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National Geographic Sea Lion

Columbia River, Fort Stevens & Fort Clatsop

Today began our first full day of exploration. The weather started cloudy but morphed into a warm, spring-like sunny day. Our stops included the historical Fort Stevens, a walk on the sandy beach to the wreck of the Peter Iredale , an investigation of the wonders held in the Columbia River Maritime Museum, a short visit to view the barking sea lions on the pier, and a stroll through the woods at Fort Clatsop. It was a diverse and interesting day, all with the prevailing threat of sunburn.

Daily Expedition Reports

Sep 21

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National Geographic Endeavour II

Gardner Bay & Española Island

Española is the oldest of the Galapagos Islands. It sits on the southeastern end of the archipelago. The Galapagos are volcanic islands that formed over a geological “hot spot.” As the tectonic Nazca Plate slides to the southeast over the volcano-producing area, new islands emerge. This means that the islands towards the northwest are the youngest and the ones on the opposite end are the oldest.

Daily Expedition Reports

Sep 21

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National Geographic Islander

Floreana Island

This morning we had an early wakeup call in order to visit one of the most famous spots in the Galapagos: Post Office Bay on Floreana Island. We were offered fresh fruits, snacks and coffee before we took Zodiacs to Floreana, where we followed the steps of the first visitors to the archipelago and heard stories of pirates, buccaneers, whalers, and early inhabitants.   Some of us went kayaking and others took Zodiac rides around this beautiful area, where baby sea lions played alongside us, blue herons chased crabs, and several sea turtles surfaced every now and then. We also snorkeled with several Galapagos sea lions and many kinds of fish, and later enjoyed a delicious local lunch made with fresh products that our highlands provide.   Our exciting afternoon began with the appearance of bottle-nose dolphins swimming close to our ship. We jumped into Zodiacs and saw them very close as they jumped and flipped and cruised near the bow. It was a truly amazing experience.   Our next outing was a nature walk around Punta Cormorant. We visited a beautiful small organic beach near a sea turtle nesting area. A great blue heron stood on the site as though posing for our cameras. We also spotted some sting rays in the shallows, ruddy turnstones on the lava, yellow warblers, many Sally Lightfoot crabs, and adorable blue-footed boobies.   At night, the barbecue was delicious and some of us even salsa danced to celebrate a fantastic day!