National Geographic Endeavour II continued its itinerary with a visit to the small island of Sombrero Chino, located just 0.1 miles (150 meters) southwest of Santiago Island. Santiago has unique wildlife and a fascinating landscape of rocky shores and lava fields. National Geographic Endeavour II guests enjoyed simultaneous water activities: kayaking, snorkeling, and Zodiac rides. In the late morning, we enjoyed a boat ride along a chain of eroded tuff cones. As we navigated, we passed an enclosed saltwater lagoon. The lagoon was formed by seawater filtrating through the walls of a collapsed tuff cone. We even had the chance to spot a group of Galapagos American flamingos. By the end of the day, we were anchored by Bartolomé Island, a scoria / tuff island formation with a view of Pinnacle Rock. This sandstone formation is one of the most iconic views in the Galapagos. This particular landscape was featured in the movie, Master and Commander.
3/14/2023
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National Geographic Endeavour II
Isabela Island
We are experiencing an unusual rainy season in the Galapagos. We woke up to a beautiful blue sky at Urbina Bay with clear views of volcanos surrounding our ship. By 8:00 a.m., we were ready to explore Urbina Bay. The bay was underwater until 1954 when the powers of nature pushed the area up almost 20 feet. Over time, the area became the home and nesting grounds of many species, including land iguanas. The largest tortoise on Earth is found here near Alcedo Volcano. We made a wet landing. As soon as we disembarked, we observed a prehistoric creature basking on the beach, one of the well-known dragons of the Galapagos Islands. The black marine iguanas are the only seafaring lizards. Along the trail, we found yellow iguanas, or land iguanas. These iguanas do not swim and spend 99% of their time looking for food on the ground. We also observed giant tortoises and nesting mockingbirds. It was a hot day, and we enjoyed a little dip in the water to end our successful morning. We had a very busy afternoon with kayaking, paddleboarding, and snorkeling in Tagus Cove. We ended the day with a great hike and a dinghy ride during a magnificent sunset.
