Isabela Island, 5/23/2023, National Geographic Endeavour II
Aboard the
National Geographic Endeavour II
Galápagos
Walking at Urbina Bay, it’s hard to imagine that this area was the sea floor before 1954. The exuberant vegetation of this visitor site is home for giants! What a great to surprise to see a good number of Alcedo giant tortoises along the trail, walking and grazing. What’s more, we saw male Galapagos land iguanas sunbathing. Galapagos is a place for unique nature moments!
Vanessa Gallo’s grandparents arrived in the Galápagos Islands in 1936, making her the third generation of her family to live and work in this magical archipelago. She left the islands for the capital city of Quito for high school, where she discovere...
The day began with clear skies over Puerto Ayora, the main town on Santa Cruz Island and a central hub for visitors to the Galápagos. We visited the Giant Tortoise Breeding Center where we saw baby tortoises up close and learned about Lonesome George, a powerful symbol of the archipelago’s unique biodiversity. We then headed into the highlands, beginning with a visit to an ecological farm that demonstrated coffee production and hydroponic farming. The experience offered valuable insight into sustainable practices and the lifestyle of the island’s early settlers. Our final stop was El Manzanillo Ranch, located along a giant tortoise migratory route. After enjoying lunch at the ranch, we explored the grounds and observed the tortoises roaming freely—a magical end to an unforgettable day.
We began our day with a very active snorkeling excursion, where some of our snorkelers saw several whitetip reef sharks, a few sea lions, and fish of all kinds. We also kayaked and went paddleboarding. The geological formations are impressive here, such as the world-famous praying monk that captured our attention while on a Zodiac ride. If that wasn’t enough, we had a few rounds of glass bottom boat rides, a fabulous tool that allows us to have a clear view of the fish, and especially those sharks. Soon after lunch, we had an adventurous wet landing on Puerto Egas, with its black sandy beach that we had all to ourselves. We walked along the shore and intertidal pools of Santiago with sightings of marine iguanas, sea lions, shore birds, and Galapagos fur seals. After cocktail hour and a fun recap, we enjoyed a barbeque dinner on the top deck.
Isabela is the largest island in Galapagos and today we had the opportunity to explore Elizabeth Bay and Punta Moreno. These two visitor sites are very close but very different from one another. Elizabeth Bay is covered with black lava and a mangrove forest, which becomes a perfect shelter for many species. The bay is home to flamingos, brown pelicans, and white-cheeked pintail ducks. This combination is a good reflection of the colonization of flora and fauna of the Galapagos.
