To the southeast corner of the Galapagos lies Espanola, an island dating from 3.5 to 5 million years ago. It contains a high degree of endemism with a number of species of animals that only live here. The north has one of the most beautiful beaches in the world with turquoise water and white sand where sea lion colonies hang out. The eastern part of the island has large colonies of nesting Nazca boobies, colorful marine iguanas, and majestic waved albatrosses, which only nest here. By far, one of the most fantastic opportunities to see wildlife in its purest state.
7/16/2024
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National Geographic Islander II
North Seymour and Rabida Islands
Early in the morning after breakfast, we disembarked on North Seymour Island for a hike among the nesting grounds of many sea birds. On the trails, we saw several male frigatebirds in their courtship display, blue-footed boobies, and Swallow-tailed gulls. When it comes to showcasing adaptations of the Galapagos flora to dry environments, the incense tree forest is a highlight. The trail can be quite rocky, so those of us who wanted to explore North Seymour’s coast by sea had the option of taking a Zodiac ride. After our hike, we had a presentation on nature photography in the Cove Lounge aboard National Geographic Islander II . After lunch, we navigated towards Rabida Island. Once we arrived at Rabida, we had two options to either go deep-water snorkeling or snorkel off the beach along the coast of this beautiful red island. After snorkeling, we chose to kayak and walk along Rabida’s beach to search for wildlife. American flamingos were spotted in a brackish water lagoon. We came back to the ship after a breathtaking sunset.