Española Island, 10/31/2022, National Geographic Islander II
Aboard the
National Geographic Islander II
Galápagos
Today we woke up anchored next to Gardner Bay. Española is such a spectacular island with unique wildlife. We had the opportunity to take amazing photographs and enjoy incredible encounters with nature.
Anahí grew up in a small house by the beach in the Galápagos Islands. Along with her best friend, she used to wander during the days around mangrove trees, becoming a different animal every day. She used to camp on solitary beaches, snorkel with shar...
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The morning started with frigates nesting on the green bushes of North Seymour Island, with their impressive red gular sacs they inflate for mating easily visible. Blue-footed boobies were also seen on the lava rocks along the shore, and many land iguanas were feeding on flowers and salt bushes. This year has seen a lot of rain, and now there is plenty of food for terrestrial creatures. As soon as we arrived at Rabida Island, our younger explorers had fun jumping from the stern of our ship to cool off and play on our inflatable platform. In the afternoon, we went kayaking and snorkeling from the beautiful and unique red beach. We spotted rays, sharks, sea lions, and many schools of different fish. We ended our day strolling along the beach and the brackish lagoon where flamingoes were preening their iridescent pink feathers. What a day we had, full of enjoyment, adventure, and funny moments.
Our first day exploring the Galapagos Islands was amazing, as our guests visited the most central and populated island of the archipelago, Santa Cruz. Our day started with a visit to El Trapiche, an historical site because the owner is one of the first settlers to have arrived in the 1950s. We had the best time learning all about sugarcane products, including moonshine. The adventures never stopped, as we explored a unique lava tunnel and visited Los Gemelos (The Twin Craters) that offered us a breathtaking view of the landscape. Possibly the most memorable excursion of the day was when we arrived at Manzanillo Ranch to look for the symbols of the Galapagos Islands, the giant tortoises. It was a special moment when we got to walk alongside these reptiles.
This morning began with an early hike up to Punta Pitt. The trail was a bit tough, with big boulders along the way, but the view from the top made it all worth it. We had an amazing view of Punta Pitt Beach and our beautiful ship, National Geographic Islander II . On the way, we spotted red-footed boobies nesting in the bushes and saw a few magnificent frigatebirds flying overhead. After the hike, we returned to the ship for breakfast and got ready for our last snorkeling activity. We explored the waters around Punta Pitt Beach and enjoyed swimming with lots of colorful reef fish. In the afternoon, we visited the white sand beach of Cerro Brujo. It was a peaceful place to unwind, and we had some fun jumping in the waves. Our final activity of the day was sailing around León Dormido, a dramatic rock formation where we took some great photos as the sun was setting.