We spent a second day on Santa Cruz Island, the second largest island of the Galápagos Archipelago. This morning everything looked different from yesterday, the town of Puerto Ayora was at the other side of the island; the northern part of Santa Cruz was still green, this was the end of the rainy season. An early hike was offered at Cerro Dragon, where we observed common stilts, greater flamingos, marine iguanas, Galápagos flycatchers, yellow warblers, Darwin finches and Galápagos land iguanas. As an option, a Zodiac cruise was available, a delight for photographers who were able to capture blue-footed boobies resting on the lava rocks together with brown pelicans and plenty of colorful Sally Lightfoot crabs. The afternoon was spent at Eden Islet, another great place for a Zodiac cruise and a great kayaking opportunity. Every time we go out, there is something new to see and that is what I love about these excursions; wildlife is so unique and friendly here, and if you take your time you will see a whole lot and the animals will come to see you. This is what makes Galápagos magic!
- Daily Expedition Reports
- 26 Apr 2017
Santa Cruz Island & Eden Islet, 4/26/2017, National Geographic Endeavour II
- Aboard the National Geographic Endeavour II
- Galápagos
Vanessa Gallo, Naturalist
Vanessa Gallo’s grandparents arrived in the Galápagos Islands in 1936, making her the third generation of her family to live and work in this magical archipelago. She left the islands for the capital city of Quito for high school, where she discovere...
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Galápagos Aboard National Geographic Endeavour II
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Bartolome Island & Sombrero Chino
On National Geographic Endeavour II today, we explored Bartolome, home of a small colony of Galapagos penguins. Bartolome is one of the youngest islands, and it is located next to Santiago Island in the central part of the archipelago. After an amazing sunrise, we went ashore for a walk, and we were transported back to a time when the land was newly formed. We began our day by hiking to the top of a tuff cone known as the islet of Bartolome, named after the First Officer of The Beagle . Walking on this young island allowed us to understand the formation and volcanism of the Galapagos Islands. The rocks are a great way to understand the area and its geology. We spotted a few lava lizards and painted locusts, some of the very few animals on this island. As we reached the top, we had a great view. Our guests enjoyed the magnificence of Pinnacle Rock. After we visited one of the most iconic geological formations of the Galapagos, our breakfast was enhanced by dramatic views of the impressive volcanic landscape. We visited the beach near Pinnacle Rock, where we enjoyed how the sun made the sand sparkle due to a concentration of silica. Later, we went snorkeling along the channel between Santiago and Bartolome Islands. Many of our guests spotted whitetip reef sharks and very colorful parrotfish. The landscape was beautiful with lots of sea stars. We enjoyed the chance to be surrounded by Galapagos penguins and feel accepted as part of this environment. After a delicious Mexican lunch, we had lectures on the photography of reptiles and Darwin. Afterwards, we went to Chinese Hat Islet to snorkel from the Zodiacs. The area is home to a small colony of Galapagos penguins. In a sandy-bottomed, sheltered channel, our guests enjoyed swimming with whitetip reef sharks, rays, and many fish. It was a nice and sunny afternoon. After snorkeling, we had the chance to explore the unique, small volcano that formed an island in front of Santiago on a sunset Zodiac ride. After a spectacular day full of activities in the field, we returned on board. Every day in the Galapagos is an opportunity to reconnect with the beauty of nature through unbelievable encounters!
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National Geographic Endeavour II
Cerro Dragón, Santa Cruz Island
Today, National Geographic Endeavour II visited Cerro Dragon, located on the north part of Santa Cruz Island. We found one of the largest colonies of land iguanas. During our hike, we spotted the iguanas all around the trail. Some basked on the vegetation, and others were active. We saw the zigzag head movement they use to protect their territory and impress females. An Ecuadorian buffet lunch was set up in the dining room. We started with the traditional ceviche and ended with tres leches for dessert! We enjoyed snorkeling and Zodiac rides. We observed wildlife all over the place, including spotted eagle rays, sharks, blue-footed boobies, great blue herons, marine iguanas, and hundreds of other animals. They all reminded us why the Galapagos is so special.