Santa Cruz Island, 6/6/2024, National Geographic Endeavour II
Aboard the
National Geographic Endeavour II
Galápagos
Today we are back to civilization as we visited the biggest human settlement of the archipelago, Puerto Ayora. This was a GIANT day, we observed giant tortoises by the dozens and learned about the joint efforts of the Charles Darwin Foundation and The National Park Administration as we explored the Giant Tortoise Rearing Center.
We also visited the farm which provides the leafy greens for our expeditions, and they taught us about the benefits of hydroponic technology. Later, we visited the migration route of the giant tortoises to see them once again, but this time in their natural habitat in the wilderness. What a humongous day we had.
Cristian was born and raised on Santa Cruz Island, at the heart of the Galapagos Archipelago. He had the privilege of enjoying the beauty of the natural world of Galapagos every weekend, sailing in his family's small fishing boat. His parents passed ...
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In the morning, we visited North Seymour Island where we enjoyed an unforgettable wildlife encounter. During our walk, we observed numerous great and magnificent frigatebirds nesting in the trees and shrubs, while blue-footed boobies nested on the ground. Along the trail, land iguanas roamed freely while feeding on cacti, completely unbothered by our presence and allowing our guests to observe them up close—a truly memorable experience. In the afternoon, we arrived at Rábida Island. From a distance, the island’s striking red color was visible, a result of the iron in the lava oxidized by the salty water. At Rábida, we offered snorkeling from the beach. Playful sea lions swam close to us, almost inviting us to join their games, and in deeper waters, colorful fish captivated our guests. After snorkeling, we returned on board and later headed back to the beach at 5 PM. Just a few steps from the landing site, we encountered many flamingos walking gracefully near us in a lagoon that has been their habitat for years. It was fascinating to watch them feed on small crustaceans while listening to their distinctive calls. Just before sunset, we returned to National Geographic Endeavour II feeling a little tired but thrilled after experiencing such a magnificent day in the Galápagos Islands.
Entering into the massive volcanic caldera that is Genovesa, we anchored very early to a welcoming committee of great frigatebirds, red-footed boobies, and swallow-tailed gulls. Genovesa has the only land-based visitor sites in the National Park north of the equatorial line and has the most concentrated population of seabirds in the Galapagos. This island is an outpost for the numerous avian species as it is on the outer perimeter of the Galapagos Archipelago and close to deep oceanic waters that provide an abundance of nutrition. Galapagos fur seals line the caldera wall as we land at Prince Phillip’s Steps. We also encountered nesting red-footed boobies and short-eared owls inland among the palo santo incense trees. The afternoon took us to a coralline beach with nesting great frigatebirds and swallow-tailed gulls. Galapagos sea lions laze upon the beach, with young pups awaiting their mothers’ return. The sun dips below the horizon as a golden glow bathes this isolated home for these incredible species.
Today we visited the Northwestern realm of Santa Cruz Island. The outing on Cerro Dragon allowed us to visit the home of one of the most emblematic creatures of the archipelago, the golden Galapagos land iguanas. After our hike, we went for a remarkable snorkel with plenty of colorful fish, playful sea lions, and lots of sea stars. Later, we arrived at Bahia Borrero where we explored the bay kayaking. The highlight of the afternoon outing was the number of baby sharks and rays that our guests found in the mangrove forest. We ended the day on the top deck with a wine tasting event at sunset, a perfect ending to a perfect day.
