This morning we anchored at Urbina Bay, Isabela Island. Isabela is the largest island of the Galapagos Archipelago, covering 58% of the Galapagos Islands total land mass. After a wet landing, we started our hike in Urbina Bay. The geology of the area suggests that this entire area was uplifted in 1954. Here we spotted giant tortoises from Alcedo Volcano using the shade of the trees to rest, and further along the trail we saw Galapagos land iguanas, which show no fear of the close presence of visitors. After a wonderful hike among these giants, we started to make our way back to the black sandy beach for a quick dip in the ocean, to refresh ourselves before returning to the ship.
Our global explorers had Zodiac-driving lessons, and collected plankton samples so we would check out this microorganism under the microscope onboard. In the afternoon, we visited Tagus Cove, a place known by buccaneers that used the islands to repair their ships. Evidence of their presence can still be seen in some of the corners, where they carved graffiti into the rock faces. Here we offered multiple activities such as kayaking, paddle-boarding, snorkeling and Zodiac cruising, where we spotted sea lions, pelicans, penguins and flightless cormorants. To complete this perfect day, we hiked to the top rim of Darwin’s Lake to enjoy the magnificent view. It was another wonderful day in paradise onboard the National Geographic Endeavour II.
