Isabela & Fernandina Island, 4/26/2023, National Geographic Islander II
Aboard the
National Geographic Islander II
Galápagos
We spent the day exploring the western part of the Galapagos Islands. We visited Punta Vicente Roca, on the north side of Isabela Island, and Punta Espinoza on Fernandina Island. On this remarkable day, we observed some of the archipelago’s most iconic species, such as Galapagos penguins, sea lions, and marine iguanas.
Javier grew up on Santa Cruz island where his grandparents first arrived in the 1940´s. Veritable pioneers, his grandparents settled in the highlands where they found a place to raise their children.
At 6:30 in the morning, some guests joined us for an expedition on North Seymour Island, which is slowly losing its green color due to the beginning of the dry season. It is a perfect time of year to see blue-footed booby couples starting to reproduce with the typical courtship displays and a good number of male frigatebirds with their red gular sack inflated. We encountered a good number of healthy land iguanas since they still have a lot of food, thanks to the previous wet season. While navigating to Rabida Island, bottlenose dolphins escorted National Geographic Islander II for at least 45 minutes, and guests had an excellent time watching them. In the afternoon, we snorkeled from the beach with colorful fish and young, playful sea lions who put on a great show. At the end of the day some guests took a walk on the red colored sand and watched American flamingos behind the dune at a saltwater lagoon. Others went kayaking along the coast full of land and sea birds.
Today our guests explored Santa Cruz Island. After a delicious breakfast we landed in Puerto Ayora, which is the home port for most of the tour boat operations in the Galapagos. This town is also where the Galapagos National Park headquarters and Charles Darwin Research Station are located. Today our guests hiked into giant tortoise territory and learned about the iconic giant tortoise restoration project.
Our expedition onboard National Geographic Islander II took us to the captivating South Plaza and Santa Fe Islands where we were treated to an extraordinary day of wildlife encounters, breathtaking landscapes, and a deeper understanding of the islands’ unique ecosystems.
