Floreana Island, 5/6/2019, National Geographic Endeavour II
Aboard the
National Geographic Endeavour II
Galápagos
Floreana was the first island in Galapagos to be colonized by people. Ecuador took possession of the Galapagos Islands in 1832 and established a penal colony in Floreana Island. When Darwin visited the Galapagos in 1835, the second island he landed on was Floreana. During his stay is Floreana island, Darwin met with some of the convicts and explored the highlands.
Salvador Cazar studied biology at the Universidad Nacional Del Sur, Bahía Blanca, in Argentina and at the Catholic University of Ecuador. Between 1988 and 1994, Salvador worked as a naturalist and tour leader for several national and international to...
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Our day started with an invigorating hike to the top of a cinder cone known as Punta Pitt, located in the northeastern region of San Cristobal Island. After we returned from our hike, we started a great scenic navigation along the coast of San Cristobal on our way to Cerro Brujo. This afternoon we arrived at Cerro Brujo and had the chance to explore its coast by kayak along an impressive cliff made of volcanic cinder. Large fissures and caves have been carved over a long period of time by the action of waves and wind. We ended the afternoon with a navigation around Leon Dormido accompanied by a beautiful sunset.
Today we began our expedition by visiting a very special place: North Seymour Island. This small, flat island is located just north of Baltra. Despite its modest size, the island is a true wildlife hotspot. We walked among colonies of frigatebirds, land iguanas, and blue-footed boobies, enjoying close encounters with these iconic species. In the afternoon, we moved to another remarkable destination. Rabida Island’s unique red coloring comes from the high levels of iron in its volcanic material, which oxidizes and gives the soil and sand a rich, reddish hue. It’s easily one of the most photogenic spots in the archipelago. Here, we enjoyed our first dip in the ocean and snorkeled with fascinating marine creatures. Later, we strolled along the beach, observed flamingos in a coastal lagoon, and ended the day with a breathtaking sunset.
This morning, National Geographic Gemini anchored at Sullivan Bay on the eastern side of Santiago Island where we explored a recent lava flow and snorkeled with penguins from the beach. Afterward, our Global Explorers enjoyed Zodiac driving lessons. In the afternoon, we went back in the water, but this time at Bartolome Island to see whitetip reef sharks, more penguins, and beautiful, tropical rock reef fish. Before sunset, we walked to the summit of the island to get an amazing panoramic view and to learn more about the geological features all along the trail. It was a great way to finish our trip exploring the Galapagos Islands!
