Bartolome and Santa Cruz Islands, 3/5/2022, National Geographic Islander
Aboard the
National Geographic Islander
Galápagos
A great morning was waiting for us as we reached the east coast of Bartolome Island, with a fantastic landscape and great volcanic formations. Of course, we couldn’t miss Pinnacle Rock, the remains of a tuff cone, on our hike to the main volcano. With 400 manmade stairs, the view from the volcano is breathtaking. We clearly observed the east coast of Santiago Island with its black lava field. Snorkeling was great, with the chance to observe a Galapagos penguin at his feeding site.
The afternoon gave us a chance to find Galapagos land iguanas basking around the trail of Cerro Dragon on Santa Cruz Island. Primary vegetarians, this reptile feeds mainly but not exclusively on Opuntia cactus. The iguanas remained still while guests of National Geographic Islander walked beside them. But the biggest surprise was observing Galapagos flamingos as they fed on tiny crustaceans surrounded by green vegetation.
María, who goes by her middle name Paulina, was born and raised far from the sea in the Andean city of Quito, the capital of Ecuador. She came to the Galápagos Archipelago for the first time on holiday when she was nine years old, and was smitten. Sh...
As we approach the end of a wonderful exploration onboard National Geographic Islander , we visited the mysterious Santiago Island, also known as James Island, so named by pirates. We started our day with an early walk along the beach. After a wet landing, our guests enjoyed the peaceful and unique landscape of beaches and a button/white mangrove forest. Along the sandy area, we appreciated green turtle nesting sites. By late morning, we move to Buccaneer’s Cove, an anchoring spot for pirates and whalers who wandered to this island to hide and to look for food and water. We enjoyed experiencing the marine diversity and the geologic landscape of the site. At the end of the day, we visited Puerto Egas. Some of our guests enjoyed a relaxing time on the basaltic eroded beach, and others went for a walk along the island. The trail goes around the arid zone of the island and along the coastline. It was a nice opportunity to explore the intertidal zone.
Isabela is the largest island in the Galapagos, occupying 50% of the total area of the archipelago. It is one of the most beautiful islands with its diversity in fauna and flora and its incredible underwater world. Early in the morning, National Geographic Islander anchored in front of Urbina Bay, one of the most spectacular sites due to its incredible natural history. In 1954, 2 km² of underwater floor was lifted towards the sea surface, bringing with it gigantic coral heads, marine animals, and tiny crustaceans whose eco-skeletons can still be seen as petrified bodies in the rocks. Just as we were getting ready to board Zodiacs after breakfast to head for the beach at Urbina Bay, Juan Carlos Avila, our Expedition Leader, spotted a pod of dolphins swimming near National Geographic Islander . We boarded our Zodiacs, and we approached them. The show they gave us was unforgettable. Many jumped very close to us, while others swam below us, all of them officially welcoming us to this beautiful part of the Galapagos archipelago. We walked inland on the beach, and we saw our first land iguanas basking along the trail. Many of them looked at us indifferently, while others simply walked through the bushes, looking for food. Near the end of the trail, we came across some tortoises that probably came down from the top of the Alcedo Volcano to nest. Just before noon, National Geographic Islander began the voyage north toward Tagus Cove. One of the most popular and well-known sites for visitors of yesteryear, pirates and buccaneers used the site as a hideout after attacking and looting the Spanish galleons. At 2:45 p.m., our activities began in Caleta Tagus, where our guests could choose between kayaking or deep-water snorkeling. The ocean was completely clear and calm, perfect for discovering the incredible underwater world that surrounds Isabela. A pleasant surprise was meeting Galapagos penguins, flightless cormorants, sea turtles, and sharks. The most incredible thing was probably coming face to face with three or four cat sharks that swam very close to us without even flinching. Then, we got ready for our last outing. Many guests opted for a walk around Lake Darwin, observing this beautiful natural formation of a brackish water lake located just behind Tagus Bay. We observed many finches throughout the palo santo forest. At the end of the trail, the gigantic lava flows rose in front of us, like silent witnesses to the explosive past of the Galapagos. I was with the guests who preferred the dinghy ride. Along the seashore, we saw many pelicans, sea turtles, and, of course, penguins and cormorants returning to their nests. Just before sunset, we returned to our beloved National Geographic Islander , tired but with the best memories of a day that will stay with us forever.
Today we visited the two youngest islands in the Galapagos. On Isabela and Fernandina, volcanic eruptions happen every two to four years and sometimes even more often! In fact, Volcano Wolf was erupting on Isabela Island just a few weeks ago! In the morning, we traveled around the north side of Isabela Island and observed the majestic landscape surrounding us. Suddenly, we spotted a pod of dolphins! More than 200 common dolphins were breaching and playing. What a way to start the day! Later, we gathered at the bow of the ship to celebrate the crossing of the equator as we entered the southern waters of the Pacific Ocean. Later in the morning, we explored the shore of Isabela from Zodiacs. This is what we call a Zodiac exploration. It is the best way to explore the rocky shore, which was dotted with iguanas, sea lions, Galapagos fur seals, Nazca boobies, etc. We also had the opportunity to snorkel with sea turtles, flightless cormorants, and penguins! Isabela Island is a paradise for sea turtles, sea lions, and many types of tropical fish. This makes snorkeling unforgettable. Fernandina, the youngest island of the Galapagos, was on our afternoon agenda. From the moment you step foot on this island, you are in a pristine place surrounded by hundreds of marine iguanas, sea lions, sea turtles, and red crabs. This is the youngest of all islands in the Galapagos, and there is lava everywhere! Mangrove trees grow out of the lava, marine iguanas rest on the lava, and sea lions call the lava on the shore their home. What a magical place!
