We dropped anchor early in the morning at Urbina Bay, where calm waters and a clear blue sky welcomed the National Geographic Endeavour. After breakfast we embarked our Zodiacs for the next adventure, and as soon as we set off for the landing site, we spotted four Pacific green sea turtles and several Galapagos penguins. What a great start to our adventure! We landed at a black sandy beach, and we began our hike through the cotton and poison apple forest. To our surprise, we encountered giant tortoises from Alcedo Volcano, first a male drinking fresh water from a small pond, soon after another male appeared, walking towards us, and just behind him a female giant tortoise too! Our guests got amazing pictures and were fascinated with this emblematic species of the Galapagos Archipelago.
The sun but was out and the temperature was rising up with every passing minute. We could really feel the strength of the sun at this equatorial destination, and we fully understood why the Galapagos land iguanas were looking for shady areas as we walked by them. Everything is very green and lush here, and the Darwin finches were happily singing and jumping from one branch to the other, enjoying the abundance of food and water! To our delight, we found a very young giant tortoise looking for shade underneath a poison apple tree. After this great experience, we were happy to go back to the beach and take a refreshing dip in the water.
In the afternoon, the ship was repositioned towards Tagus Cove, a calm area inside the heart of a tuff volcano. Our guests had several options to choose from, including kayaking, snorkeling, Zodiac cruising, and hiking. There was an activity for each energy level, and every outing offered something special. This is a place that is known for penguins, flightless cormorants, sea lions, pelicans, brown noddies, and this afternoon was no exception! I was fortunate to lead an awesome hike, and although it was hard to disembark today due to the swells, it was worth the effort. Once we arrived to the last view point, we were greeted with a breathtaking landscape. Only here can we gain a true appreciation for how difficult it is to survive in this environment, and how grateful we are for this moment! Galapagos is happiness!
