Gardner Bay & Punta Suarez, 10/20/2019, National Geographic Endeavour II
Aboard the
National Geographic Endeavour II
Galápagos
Española Island is the oldest of the Galapagos Islands, as it sits on the southeastern end of the archipelago. The islands are of volcanic origin and were formed because of the activity of what geologists call a “hot spot.” As the Nazca Plate slides to the southeast over the volcano, a new island is created. This means that the islands towards the northwest are the youngest, and the ones on the opposite end are the oldest.
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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The highlight of the day was implementing our tools of exploration. We had an amazing experience exploring the Galapagos coastline by Zodiac cruising, paddleboarding, kayaking, and snorkeling. We also had fun on land, crossing lava rocks and uneven terrain as we encountered magnificent wildlife. Photos by Andres Cruz and Ixora Berdonces
Today we continued to explore the western region of this unique archipelago. While hiking at Urbina Bay at the base of Alcedo Volcano, we encountered about twenty Galapagos giant tortoises actively feeding on the nutritious vegetation that can be found in the lowlands at this time of the year. After this exciting hike, our guests had the opportunity to swim from a black sand beach while our Global Explorers joined visiting scientist Professor Noa Shenkar and our undersea specialist on a plankton tow. Once back on board National Geographic Gemini , we observed the results of our tow under the video microscope and also looked at the ascidian samples collected by Noa as part of a collaboration with the Galapagos National Park and Charles Darwin Research Station. The afternoon was spent snorkeling and Zodiac cruising at Punta Vicente Roca among sea lions, marine turtles, flightless cormorants, penguins, sharks, and an array of colorful fish. We ended the day with a wine tasting event on deck to celebrate crossing the equator and a presentation by another guest scientist, Dr. Inti Keith, on the work of the Charles Darwin Research Station. It was another day packed with unforgettable experiences in the Galapagos!
Our day started with a heavy rain, but that didn’t stop our visit to the most populated island. Early in the morning some of us decided to visit the Charles Darwin Breeding Center to learn about the programs that the Galapagos National Park Service and the Charles Darwin Foundation share for the benefit of the wildlife in the archipelago. We observed the tortoise breeding program to recover populations that were decimated in the past due to human interaction (whalers, pirates, and introduced animals) that severely harmed this species to the point of extinction. After the visit, we gathered at a nice spot for a rehydrating drink and departed to different sites to get to know how Galapagueños make their living in agriculture. One group was taken to the hydroponic farm, and other groups were driven to El Trapiche, a sugarcane plantation. Once the visit was over, we had a wonderful lunch at another ranch in the highlands and afterward we took our official walk to observe the Galapagos giant tortoises in their natural habitat. Finally, back in town we had a few hours to explore and find some souvenirs to take home.
