Floreana, 3/21/2022, National Geographic Endeavour II
Aboard the
National Geographic Endeavour II
Galápagos
Floreana was the first island in the Galapagos to be colonized by people. Ecuador took possession of the Galapagos Islands in 1832 and established a penal colony on Floreana Island. When Darwin visited the Galapagos in 1835, the second island he landed on was Floreana. During his stay on Floreana Island, Darwin met with some of the convicts and explored the highlands.
Salvador Cazar studied biology at the Universidad Nacional Del Sur, Bahía Blanca, in Argentina and at the Catholic University of Ecuador. Between 1988 and 1994, Salvador worked as a naturalist and tour leader for several national and international to...
Liza fell in love with the ocean as a child growing up on the
Ecuadorian coast. Her passion for storytelling and photography began at the age
of seven, when she began filming her friends as they recreated stories from her
parents' library. Liza later...
Isabela Island accounts for over 50% of the total land mass of the Galapagos Archipelago. The island has five main active volcanoes, and every couple of years they present volcanic activity. Each volcano had developed its own kind of giant tortoise, from saddleback to dome-shaped carapaces. This interesting fact is what intrigues scientists and our National Geographic Gemini guests.
Our adventure on Santa Cruz Island began early in the morning with a visit to the Giant Tortoise Breeding Center. We observed the different stages of the program, where the main attraction was the hatchling corrals. After our morning walk, we headed to the highlands to visit the ecological Trapiche Farm where me met Mr. Cabrera, heard his stories, met his family, and learned about all the sugarcane products that he harvests from the farm. Next, we went to the Manzanillo Tortoise Ranch, and after a delicious lunch we started our nature walk looking for the giants. We learned about their ecological roles, their migration routes, and why these creatures are so important for the islands. At night, we enjoyed a great performance by the Ecoarte group, local musicians and dancers that revealed more about the culture of the islands. It was a truly unforgettable day and we left Santa Cruz Island with a deeper appreciation for this remarkable ecosystem.
During a calm and nocturnal navigation, we made it to the western region of the archipelago. Here, colder temperatures enrich the waters, providing better quality and quantity of food for the species in the area. This is reflected in the size and numbers of the marine iguanas and the amazing amount of sea turtles we saw during snorkeling today at Fernandina. We are so excited to keep exploring this amazing destination aboard National Geographic Gemini. Photos by Walter Perez and Ixora Berdonces
