Today the National Geographic Endeavour II anchored at Espumilla Bay, and our early risers began preparing at sunrise for the pre-breakfast activities, which included kayaking and hiking along the shoreline of James Island. After breakfast we repositioned to Buccaneer’s Cove, which would be our snorkel site of the morning. We also offered the glass-bottom boat and another round of kayaking. After an incredible snorkeling excursion with plenty of colorful fish and a coastal exploration aboard our kayaks, we return to the National Geographic Endeavour II for lunch while our captain repositioned the ship to the afternoon visitor’s site, Puerto Egas at South James Bay. Here, our guests had the opportunity to snorkel off the beach or take hikes along the intertidal zone.
9/1/2024
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National Geographic Endeavour II
Española Island
Today we visited Española, one of the oldest islands of the archipelago. We started with an early morning walk along a beautiful white sand bay with a colony of sea lions. We even had an opportunity to enjoy a close encounter with a pair of juvenile Galapagos hawks! Later, we enjoyed the warm waters of Garner Bay by snorkeling, exploring the shoreline, and looking for wildlife. In the afternoon, we visited one of the most spectacular cliffsides of the Galapagos on Punta Suarez. Here, we witnessed the courtship ritual of the waved albatross, the largest marine bird in the Galapagos and one with a beautiful love story. Nesting Nazca and blue-footed boobies and large groups of marine iguanas were some of the highlights of this amazing hike. The waves, the light at sunset, the famous Española blowhole, and the amazing landscapes made for a perfect first full day of exploration.
