Bartholomew Island and Chinese Hat, 2/9/2023, National Geographic Endeavour II
Aboard the
National Geographic Endeavour II
Galápagos
Our day began with a pre-breakfast climb on Bartholomew Island. We had the chance to learn about geological features like cinder cones and tuff cones, and we observed lava flows that date back no more than 200 years. We enjoyed snorkeling in the same area, and then we moved to another islet called Chinese Hat. We chose between snorkeling or touring around in a dinghy to observe Galapagos penguins.
Bernardo, known by his friends and family as Bernie, was born In the Andean city of Quito, located in the highlands of Ecuador. His grandfather, however, moved to the Galapagos Islands in the mid-70s, and worked as one of the first Naturalist Guides,...
On our very first expedition day, during the morning we visited the small island of South Plazas. Not too far from the landing site we spotted the Galapagos yellow land iguana. We saw many iguanas under the prickly pear cacti, taking advantage of the fallen pads, as it is their main food source on the island. Also on South Plazas, guests were impacted by the dramatic cliffs and the different species of marine birds flying around — one that especially stood out was the red-billed tropicbird. In the afternoon we visited the island of Santa Fe, where we enjoyed the first snorkeling opportunity of our trip in the beautiful bay. We were greeted by a colony of playful Galapagos sea lions underwater. After snorkeling, we landed on a white sandy beach to start our walk along the arid forest of the Galapagos Islands. We saw many giant prickly pears; the stunning formations with tree-like trunks captivated the attention of our guests. It was indeed a great start for our trip of a lifetime.
Today, our adventure began on North Seymour, where guests took their first hike on Galápagos soil. We watched blue-footed boobies performing their quirky courtship dance, their bright feet a striking contrast against the rocky landscape. Along the trail, we spotted both species of frigatebirds – the magnificent and the great frigatebird. We learned to tell them apart by their size, the color of their throat pouches, and flight patterns. Land iguanas lounged nearby with their golden scales blending into the dry terrain. In the afternoon, we reached Rábida, known for its red sands and stunning views. Here, our guests took their first snorkeling plunge, swimming alongside playful sea lions, colorful parrotfish, and the graceful silhouette of a sea turtle. Before heading back, we visited a small lagoon, where a few flamingos stood quietly, their pink feathers reflected in the still waters – a fitting end to an unforgettable day.
Today’s expedition took us to one of the most unique geological landscapes in the Galapagos Archipelago. We started with a walking exploration at Sullivan Bay, where we observed a relatively recent lava field formation from 1897: a vast field of pahoehoe lava stretching several kilometers along the east coast of Santiago Island. In the later morning, we spotted a feeding frenzy of blue-footed boobies and Galapagos penguins along the coastline. In the afternoon, we hiked to the summit of Bartolome Island. The presence of spatter cones flanking the island invited us to think about the geological genesis of the Galapagos Islands. As we were descending to the landing site, a dominant male sea lion was resting by the pier where our Zodiac drivers were expecting our arrival. At the end of the day we gathered in the observation deck of National Geographic Gemini to celebrate our successful week of exploration, while we commented on the importance of preserving the beautiful Galapagos Archipelago for future generations to come.
