South Plaza & Santa Fe Island, 11/7/2019, National Geographic Islander
Aboard the
National Geographic Islander
Galápagos
After
a filling breakfast we went in search of wildlife, and shortly after our dry
landing encountered playful sea lions and land iguanas. The latter were in
great numbers. Their rapid growth population is mainly due to the lack of any
major predation from animals such as hawks, and competition for food. A large
population of cactus trees keep the land iguanas healthy and shaded.
One
of the most picturesque landscapes are found here; the ground is covered in
portulaca with striking color, and the low elevation allows us to see almost
every angle of it. Seagulls were plentiful, and many were seen nesting or
feeding and protecting their chicks. To make the morning even more interesting
some guests had a jump into the ocean from the ship.
In
the afternoon, we navigated to neighboring Santa Fe for more exiting
activities. Kayaks and paddleboards were lowered into the beautiful bay, giving
guests an up-close view of the landscape and wildlife Santa Fe has to offer.
Later, we landed on a white sand beach and encountered many sea lions -
individuals or in groups, all doing something fascinating! We walked along a
trail and found more wildlife, like the endemic Santa Fe land iguana, lava
lizards, and many land birds. Even the bay’s shallow water harbored plenty of
life like eagle rays, turtles, white-tip reef sharks and more.
Our day ended with a colored sky as
the sun settled into the horizon.
Patricio, better known as Pato amongst his friends, was born in the Galápagos Island. His family moved to the islands from the mainland and settled on the island of Santa Cruz over thirty-five years ago. Pato had an enchanted childhood in the islands...
When we woke up, already anchored in the bay of Genovesa Island, the sky looked overcast, a little dull to tell the truth. But as the minutes went by, it became clearer and clearer, sunnier and sunnier. The early birds went out on the last kayak and paddleboard outing, our fourth of the trip! In calm waters, at the inside base of a crater wall, great frigate birds and red-footed boobies perched on branches overhanging the sea.
The courtship season of frigates has begun, and the warbling “woo-woo” sounds reverberate around the bay. A new-born – and I mean NEW-born sea lion pup fascinated everyone. How often does one ever get to witness, and at such close range, the birth of a wild animal?
When the morning got too hot, it was time to get wet. Some folks chose to stay at the beach to swim and snorkel, while others chose to go deep-water snorkeling along the crater walls across the bay. Genovesa is located in the very northeast corner of the archipelago. As such, the warmer waters of the Panama current influence Genovesa more than the other islands we have visited so far; I measured the temperature at 81 degrees Fahrenheit! No wetsuit needed today, even if you do live in Florida!
The afternoon was dedicated to exploring a landing site known as “Prince Philip’s Steps”. To get there, one has to ride in Zodiacs a mile across the bay. On arrival, the 80-foot bluff rises up vertically. But no! A crevice opens up; a fissure angles in.
At the base of the cliff, a small colony of Galapagos fur seals reside. We were fortunate enough to find a young Galapagos sea lion – about 2 years old, on a rock right next to an adult Galapagos fur seal. Perfect conditions for a bit of comparison between two completely different genera of marine mammals.
Prince Philip was a long-time honorary member of the Charles Darwin Foundation, and explored the islands when they were first recognized and protected by Ecuadorian law. With a bit of concrete and a few wooden handrails, you can reach the top to find an ethereal world of noisy Nazca boobies, calling frigates and honking red-footed boobies. Its level trail is placed over uneven slabs of old pa-hoe-hoe lava, tilted drunkenly and cracked, opening holes here and there. Nazca boobies dominate the scene, while red-foots play a supporting role in the trees. Galapagos storm petrels flit over the lava crust, hoping to avoid the attention of hiding short-eared owls. One owl caught a storm-petrel, other owls waited in the distance.
The trail finally takes you to a view looking out at the East Pacific Ocean – looking south. If we could, the central islands of the Galapagos Archipelago might be seen from here – but no – as its 50 nautical miles away with hazy conditions most of the time…it seems there is nothing more out there. You are alone, on an island of birds.
Today we woke up at Chinese Hat in Santiago Island. Some guests went for a pre-breakfast stretch class in the nearby beautiful sandy beach. After a delicious breakfast, we disembarked for a Zodiac ride, followed by a snorkeling session along the shore of Santiago Island. The great visibility today allowed us to see plenty of wildlife, including Galapagos penguins, sea lions, whitetip reef sharks, and many other species of fish.
In the afternoon while some guests went for a walk on Sullivan Bay’s lava flow, others took a second snorkeling opportunity in the hopes of seeing a group of penguins wandering along the coast. We ended the day on the sky deck of
National Geographic Islander
appreciating the sunset while wine tasting.
Our exploration of the Galapagos islands has led us to Plazas Islet today. We had the opportunity to see our first
conolophis cristatus
land Iguanasm, and they were all over the place eating opuntia cactus! Others were seen fighting for a bite. Later in the afternoon we visited Santa Fe Island for some kayaking in the beautiful bay surrounded by marine turtles and rays. We then hiked along a trail and spotted our second species of land iguana, the
conolophus palidus
.
Back on board the activities continued with recaps, and naturalist shared new information about the Galapagos Islands. There is a lot to learn aboard
National Geographic Islander
!
