Chinese Hat and Sullivan Bay, 8/23/2024, National Geographic Islander II
Aboard the
National Geographic Islander II
Galápagos
Today we anchored at Chinese Hat, an islet off the coast of Santiago Island. This recently formed monogenic cone has a paradisaic view full of colors, including blue, black, and red. We started our morning with water activities and had a great time exploring the coastline by kayaking, Zodiac tours, and swimming.
Later in the day, we continued to the eastern side of Santiago to Sullivan Bay. This popular visitor’s site offers amazing views. The lava field allows guests to experience what feels like a glimpse into outer space. The red colors of the basalt made us feel like the first humans stepping onto Mars.
Felipe’s connection with the Galapagos Archipelago dates back to his great grandparents, who came to the islands in the 1930s. The Wittmer family moved to the island of Floreana and were one of the first families to settle in the Galapagos. Felipe’s ...
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With a very relaxing stroll in the morning at Darwin’s Bay on Genovesa, our day started. A very relaxing snorkel followed at the cove. In the afternoon, we finished a beautiful week on board with a visit to Prince Phillip’s Steps where we relaxed a little bit with an easy hike as well as observed waders and fur sea lions.
Today we explored the northcentral part of the archipelago, and we visited two amazing sites located around Santiago Island. In the early morning, we visited Chinese Hat, a young crater islet surrounded by turquoise water where we kayaked and snorkeled in search of beautiful tropical fish and Galápagos penguins. In the afternoon, we visited an area in front of Bartolome Island from where a famous geological formation can be seen, Pinnacle Rock. At Sullivan Bay we had a close encounter with the Galápagos penguins who were posing for our cameras and displaying on the rocks by the beach. Afterwards we had an extraordinary hike on a vast lava field where the pahoehoe flows make an incredibly texturized landscape. On this hike we witnessed the very beginning of the establishment of life. We ended the day with a visit to the nesting site of the Galapagos penguins.
The first full day of our expedition started with a visit to the small and wonderful South Plaza Island, home to a variety of wildlife, including the famous Galapagos land iguana. It was so amazing to walk nearby this unique reptile while they were heating up their bodies with the first rays of sun. During this fun walk we also spotted different species of birds, such as swallowed-tailed gulls, Darwin’s finches, frigatebirds. The highlight was walking through the colony of Galapagos sea lions. These adorable mammals were resting on rocks, and some mothers were nursing their babies. Back on board National Geographic Islander II , a delicious breakfast was waiting for us so we could have energy for kayaking along the coast of this tiny island. The afternoon was adventurous and exciting, as our guests snorkeled inside the calm bay of Santa Fe, having the chance to play with Galapagos sea lions, different colorful fish, and even a Galapagos shark! Following this incredible adventure, we went ashore to the exclusive home of the Santa Fe land iguana. It was really fascinating to walk in a forest of gigantic Opuntia cactus looking for the iguana. And there it was!...light yellow, on top of a rock, receiving the last rays of sun. What an amazing day.
