It was a fun morning as we crossed the equator onboard National Geographic Islander. As soon as we arrived to Punta Vicente Roca, we lowered our Zodiacs and the adventure started. We found a large number of blue-footed boobies resting on small ledges of tuff cone. We spotted several young hammerhead sharks in the water; they even swam close to our Zodiacs! We returned to the ship to get ready for snorkeling. Pacific green sea turtles and Galapagos penguins surrounded us, and it was amazing! We spent the afternoon at Fernandina Island, where we saw hundreds of Galapagos marine iguanas, Galapagos sea lions, colorful Sally Lightfoot crabs and the predator of the archipelago, the Galapagos hawk. It was a fantastic day in paradise!
11/14/2023
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National Geographic Islander II
Santa Fe and San Cristobal Islands
Our expedition is almost ending, and we spent our last day visiting the unique island of Santa Fe, located in the southeastern portion of the archipelago. Our morning started with multiple activities. While kayaking in Santa Fe Bay, guests were followed by playful Galapagos sea lions. Meanwhile, part of our group took a hike on a rocky trail to search for Santa Fe land iguanas. With its pale coloration, the species is exclusive to Santa Fe Island. Early in the morning, we found the iguanas emerging from nests as they got ready for the warmth of the sun. Finally, we were ready for breakfast! The morning had just started, though, and after breakfast we prepared for snorkeling. We were surrounded by sea lions in this calm bay. In the afternoon, we landed at the most beautiful white sand beach, Cerro Brujo. This was the first site that Charles Darwin landed the H.M.S Beagle on San Cristobal. Galapagos sea lions were sound asleep along the beach, and we enjoyed our last swim in the calm waters.