North Seymour and Rabida Island, 9/22/2024, National Geographic Endeavour II
Aboard the
National Geographic Endeavour II
Galápagos
Today we visited two of the most beautiful islands in the Galapagos Archipelago. In the morning, we went to explore North Seymour to search for sea birds and land iguanas. In the afternoon, we had a blast snorkeling at Rabida Island. We finished the day with a spectacular sunset as we walked along the beach on Rabida.
Javier grew up on Santa Cruz island where his grandparents first arrived in the 1940´s. Veritable pioneers, his grandparents settled in the highlands where they found a place to raise their children.
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Our first full day spent exploring this enchanted archipelago was filled with surprises. After breakfast, we walked along the beach of Gardner Bay to enjoy a colony of friendly sea lions. We got to know some of the famous birds that Darwin observed during his visit to this island, such as finches and mockingbirds. Afterwards, we practiced snorkeling and enjoyed swimming in the turquoise waters of the bay. In the afternoon, we visited Punta Suarez, one of the most amazing sites in the Galapagos. We saw marine iguanas basking on the rocks, blue-footed boobies, frigates, seagulls, and a great colony of Nazca boobies. The day’s highlight was a few waved albatrosses, a bird that usually migrates at this time of the year. We finished our day of incredible experiences with the tame wildlife and the spectacular scenery of this volcanic archipelago.
Our wonderful expedition has come to an end. Our arrival to the eastern part of the archipelago gave us another perspective of the island’s landscape. We observed visible erosion on the older rocks, amazing color contrasts, and a vast array of wonderful wildlife, including seabirds like the red-footed booby around Punta Pitt. This afternoon, we visited a beach at Cerro Brujo. We observed so many shades of blues and sea lions. This was followed by a circumnavigation of Kicker Rock. With frigatebirds in flight and bottlenose dolphins passing by, we enjoyed a peaceful sunset, ending an amazing voyage that will remain in our hearts.
Today, we visited the island of Santa Cruz, home of the largest town in the Galapagos. After breakfast, we visited the giant tortoise breeding center of the Galapagos National Park service. We encountered several species of Galapagos giant tortoises that are part of different conservation projects. After the visit, some of us took buses to the highlands of Santa Cruz to visit a hydroponic farm and a family-owned coffee farm. After lunch at “El Manzanillo” ranch, we explored the natural habitat of the Galapagos giant tortoises. We encountered several individuals and a couple of tortoises mating. After the visit, we spent time in Puerto Ayora, the largest town in the Galapagos, and enjoyed some of the local stores. After dinner, a group of local musicians came on board to perform and delighted us with quite a show.
