Bartholomew Island and Chinese Hat Islet, 1/2/2020, National Geographic Endeavour II
Aboard the
National Geographic Endeavour II
Galápagos
We began our day going uphill to the top of Bartholomew Island, we had a magnificent view of the Pinnacle Rock. Later on, we went snorkeling from the shore and from Zodiacs. We also had some outings on the glass-bottom boat, and saw several schools of fish, sharks, and a large female marble stingray.
For the afternoon, we went snorkeling in deep waters and found all kinds of fish and a flock of Galapagos penguins swimming in the area, and most of our guests swam along with them.
Gilda was born in Ambato, located in the very heart of the Ecuadorian Andes. Since she was a child, she loved animals, often rescuing street cats and dogs. Her parents always made sure there were nature books and plenty of Jacques Cousteau’s videos a...
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This morning National Geographic Endeavour II welcomed the dawn upon arriving at Fernandina Island, the youngest volcano of the archipelago and still in formation. We took a walk along the shoreline of Espinosa Point to see one of the largest colonies of marine iguanas in the Galapagos. We also encountered a couple of Galapagos snakes, flightless cormorants, sea lions and a Galapagos hawk. Afterwards, we had an amazing time snorkeling. We saw sea turtles as well as marine iguanas nibbling on the rocky bottom of the sea to feed on the algae. Then, our captain repositioned the ship at the southeastern side of the island where we enjoyed the impressive spectacle of incandescent lava reaching the ocean. Without a doubt, this is one of the highlights of our Galapagos experience this week!
As this journey begins, National Geographic Endeavour II awakens at North Seymour Island, almost dead center in the archipelago. This low-lying, uplifted volcanic island does not appear to hold much, however it is brimming with wildlife as we land. Walking among great and magnificent frigatebirds, with males trying to attract mates, we encounter Galapagos land iguanas highly camouflaged against the rocky background with endemic lava lizards fleeting about. The bright cerulean color of the blue-footed boobies stands out as we explore this land before time. The afternoon brings us to Rabida Island and its incredible contrast with its deep red, oxidized volcanic landscape, the only such island in the Galapagos. Exploration along the coast with kayaking or snorkeling, we encounter the ocean busy with wildlife, including Galapagos sea lions, whitetip reef sharks, and colorful reef fish. A sunset walk along the red sand beach allows us to get close to the sea lions as the sun dips below the horizon.
During our final full day of exploration, we arrived at Santiago Island. This Island has many visitor sites and so much to offer our guests using many tools of exploration, such as our glass bottom boat, kayaks, Zodiac rides, paddle boards, and snorkeling activities. Santiago Island has been restored and it is common to see endemic and native animals and plants that only belong to this Island. This expedition is an experience that will stay in our guests’ memories forever.
