It is our fifth day exploring the Galápagos Islands aboard the National Geographic Endeavour, and yet we continue to be amazed by this wonderful paradise. Every day, our discoveries confirm why this destination is also known as the living laboratory. Today, our expedition took place on the northern side of Santa Cruz, the second largest island after Isabela. For the very first time during this week, we were able to see land iguanas in the wild. Because we are at the end of the rainy season, there are still very good conditions for these reptiles, and we spotted them all along the walking trail during this morning’s nature hike. Some of the other highlights of the day included sightings of a greater flamingo, blue footed boobies, and both black and white-tipped sharks.

We completed our day with some water activities, including a deep water snorkeling outing, kayaking, and a zodiac ride. The weather today was perfect for our activities—the temperature of the water was very nice, and the diversity of wildlife underwater was great.

At sunset, we all gathered at the bow of the ship for wine tasting as we circumnavigated Daphne Major Island. It was a great night to be out on deck, and everybody made a toast to a wonderful day in the Enchanted Islands!