Fernandina Island and Punta Vicente Roca , 7/19/2021, National Geographic Endeavour II
Aboard the
National Geographic Endeavour II
Galápagos
In the western islands of the Galapagos archipelago, we hiked Punta Espinoza on Fernandina. Afterward, we put on our wetsuits and jumped into the water to explore the marine life off the coast of Fernandina. After lunch, National Geographic Endeavor II sailed north to Punta Vicente Roca. Here, we searched the cliffs for wildlife, including Galapagos penguins, marine iguanas, sea lions, fur seals, blue-footed boobies, and Nazca boobies. To finish our day, we enjoyed a wine tasting while crossing the Equator line and celebrating another day of adventure.
José Guerrero Vela is an Ecuadorian permanent resident of the Galapagos. His mother was born in the islands and his grandfather was one of the first generation of teachers in the Galapagos, which has always inspired him to promote education as the ma...
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We arrived at Academy Bay on the southern side of Santa Cruz. We observed Puerto Ayora shining with the first sunrays of the morning. Santa Cruz, in its majesty, was surrounded by clouds that promised to refresh the sky with a sweet and warm rain. It is a blessing for the forest and for our souls to be part of the tropical experience. Our day started with amazing sightseeing of the iconic reptiles of the Galapagos, the giant tortoises. The first tortoises we saw were in captivity, raised to reproduce and to replenish the population in the wild. The baby tortoises were so agile, walking hurriedly and happily in their safe surroundings. Up in the mountains, adult tortoises were living their best lives, watching visitors with the inquisitive patience that characterizes them. Thanks to the tortoises, we have the volcanoes we know now, islands with tropical forests teeming with life. The air was fresh, and we walked in the tropical rain, making our way back to National Geographic Endeavour II. We were so happy.
Today we had an optional early wet landing at Cormorant Point’s visitor site, searching for flamingoes and turtles. We also had a fun opportunity to see a few sea lions, Sally Lightfoot crabs and many birds. Back on board for breakfast, we repositioned to our snorkeling site. Today’s underwater wildlife was surreal. Sea lions, fish of all kinds and colors, turtles, sharks, rays, scorpion fish, lobster, eels, and more were encountered. We are currently experiencing the changing seasons and the wildlife is mating, for warmer water will incubate the eggs. We boarded National Geographic Endeavour II for a delicious Mexican lunch as we repositioned again for our visit to the world-famous Post-Office Bay. Before we disembarked, we enjoyed the Darwin presentation given by Naturalist Celso Montalvo. Today we exchanged post cards left from previous visitors to have them hand-delivered, just like the ones our guests are leaving behind. Some of us further explored the bay, opting for kayaking, snorkeling, or enjoying a pleasant walk along the beach. We ended the day with our recap and briefing about our next destination. We are now deeply united with this magical feeling of love, coexistence, and respect for one another as the result of exploring this special place, the Galapagos Islands.
Today we arrived at Española, the oldest island of the archipelago, in the southeastern realm of Galapagos. We started our activities early in the morning with snorkeling; some guests opted for deep-water snorkeling, to enjoy the deep blue with amazing marine wildlife at Gardner Islet, while others chose to snorkel from the beach. We finished our morning activities with a visit to Gardner Bay, to enjoy its coralline, stunningly soft white sand beach and turquoise waters. Later in the afternoon, we headed to Punta Suarez. There our guests enjoyed the presence of lots of sea lions playing at the coast. We also saw marine iguanas, gathering in large groups over old lava boulders for warmth. We observed many different birds as well, including blue-footed boobies, nesting Nazca boobies, and the Galapagos hawk. It was an amazing first full day in Galapagos!