One of the most famous visitors to Galapagos was Charles Darwin. He spent nine days out of the nineteen on this island. Exploring this island on three visitor sites is like going back in time.
It is amazing to be able to say that the island is in better shape that when Darwin was here! This is thanks to the restoration programs carried on across the archipelago. Lindblad Expeditions adopted this island to support until declared free of goats and pigs.
1/18/2022
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National Geographic Islander
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.
1/17/2022
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National Geographic Islander
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.
1/11/2022
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National Geographic Islander
Early in the morning, we visited Punta Pitt at San Cristobal Island, the easternmost of the islands in the Galapagos. The impressive cliff side is a hallmark of the site. Hiking through lava formations led us to a trail with a unique landscape. It was a perfect nesting site for red-footed and blue-footed boobies. The surrounding landscape, perfect for photos, is so colorful due to the red and green Sesuvium. In the afternoon, National Geographic Islander anchored in front of one of the prettiest beaches in the archipelago, Cerro Brujo. We even saw a Galapagos sea lion on the white sand beach! Later the same afternoon, National Geographic Islander sailed around Kicker Rock. This impressive rock formation is an ancient volcano. It is famous for its shape and is a popular resting spot for marine birds. We enjoyed a perfect sunset at the end of the day.
