Espanola Island - Gardner Bay & Suarez Point, 12/27/2021, National Geographic Islander
Aboard the
National Geographic Islander
Galápagos
Today we started our activities early. With paddleboards and kayaks, we explored the shoreline and cliffs of Gardner Bay. A sunny morning welcomed us to enjoy the beautiful white sand beach full of Galapagos sea lions and mockingbirds. Our young guests had the chance to interact with the sea lions up close and swim with them near the shore. Deep water snorkelers explored Gardner Islet where many playful sea lions also followed our groups.
In the afternoon, we went walking inland at Punta Suarez. The island was still not showing much green as the dry season has been extended. Marine iguanas piled up everywhere, showing the green and red colorations typical of this species.
Galapagos doves and lava lizards were all around the trail. We also came across some waved albatrosses still nesting on the island. Some juvenile albatrosses were already taking off to live on the wing for several years. Others sat around the nesting sites with fluffy plumage on their heads. Soon, they will all be gone when the wet season comes.
Ramiro is Ecuadorian, born in the highlands and raised by the sea. Growing up in the Galapagos was for him an opportunity to learn from up close the importance of understanding and respecting all forms of life. He started his studies in biology and e...
We woke up early in the morning as National Geographic Islander navigated along the northern part of Isabela Island. Slowly the sun appeared above the clouds surrounding Volcano Wolf. We spotted our first birds as Galapagos fur seals returned to shore from their night hunt. We enjoyed a great breakfast. Afterward, expedition leader Vanessa called everyone to the bow to celebrate as we crossed the equator. Our guests happily crossed the line. Approaching Punta Vicente Roca, the visitor site, we spotted Galapagos sea lions and a good number of ocean sunfish. The first activity of the day took place as we dropped anchor at Punta Vicente Roca. This is a spectacular geological site. The combination of the former volcano’s tall cliffs and the tuff cones formed later adds an amazing contrast to this unique visitor site. Our best tools for exploration, our Zodiacs, were lowered down, and off we went to explore the coast. We observed Nazca boobies and blue-footed boobies resting on the small ledges of the tuff cones. Galapagos sea lions swam close to our Zodiac, and Galapagos penguins rested on a broken piece of the tuff cone after feeding. What a wonderful sight! In a calm area, we found a good number of Pacific green sea turtles. The morning’s activities ended with snorkeling. Pacific green sea turtles, plenty of colorful fish, Galapagos marine iguanas and flightless cormorants surrounded us. It was a phenomenal experience! The ship was repositioned toward Fernandina Island. The youngest island of the archipelago, Fernandina is a highlight of our expedition. This island shows our guests the beginning of life. We observed animals thriving in the hostile environment. Pioneer plants like lava cacti grow on the lava fields, breaking down rocks little by little to create soil for the next generation of plants. Punta Espinoza is known for its huge colony of Galapagos marine iguanas. It is hard to distinguish the iguanas from rocks since they are so dark in color. On the other hand, colorful Sally Lightfoot crabs added contrast to the young, dark lava fields. We ended our walk as the sun was setting, returning to the ship with great memories. It was a fantastic day in the western part of the archipelago.
Our visit to Bartholomew Island started early in the morning. The tiny island showed incredible volcanic formations, and guests aboard National Geographic Islander enjoyed the landscape photo opportunities. Starting on the dry landing and all the way to the top (374 feet), we discovered spatter cones and lava bombs. After hiking up 365 stairs, we reached the summit of the volcano. The view of Santiago Island, situated in front of Bartholomew, was breathtaking and perfect for pictures. In the afternoon, we had the opportunity to snorkel near Guy Fawkes Islets. An eroded volcano offered the perfect habitat for different species of fish and marine invertebrates. Following the water activities, we got ready for a hike at Dragon Hill on Santa Cruz Island. A dry landing on a rocky pier led us to a dry vegetation forest. Plenty of palo santo trees and prickly pear cacti made an ideal trail for land iguanas. Land iguanas, vegetarian reptiles of pale-yellow and brown coloration, are one of three species endemic to the islands. The iguanas are found under bushes or even in the middle of trails.
This morning, National Geographic Islander anchored at the south of North Seymour Island. We enjoyed an early nature walk to see colonies of different species of seabirds and the unique Galapagos land iguana. The highlight of our excursion was probably the mating performance of the blue-footed boobies. We also enjoyed a very close view of male frigatebirds with their red gular pouches inflated. In the afternoon, we enjoyed an amazing time snorkeling off the red sandy beach of Rabida. The sea lions were very playful. We saw a variety of fish around the rock reef, including whitetip reef sharks and a diamond stingray. After this, we took advantage of the light during the golden hour. We walked along the shore of this amazing place and witnessed a feeding frenzy as brown pelicans and boobies plunged for fish. In addition, some guests went kayaking along the coast to observe and enjoy the wildlife and the impressive geological features in this area.
