It is our last full day in the Galapagos Islands aboard National Geographic Islander. We have had an excellent expedition. Today we woke up on Bird Island, one of the largest nesting grounds for boobies, frigatebirds, and many more marine birds. We started the day with a beach walk to observe the abundance of birds. Later in the morning, we all went snorkeling. In the afternoon, we hiked Prince Philip’s Steps. We observed the famous short-eared owl that hunts during the day. It has been an amazing experience with guests aboard National Geographic Islander.
4/3/2023
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National Geographic Islander II
Española Island
Today we arrived at Española Island. Located in the southeastern realm of the Galapagos, Española is the oldest island in the archipelago. We started very early in the morning with an amazing pre-breakfast kayak outing along one of the island’s cliffsides. We saw many seabirds nesting and resting on the rocks along the coast. After breakfast, some of our guests disembarked on a big coralline beach named Gardner Bay. We had the opportunity to walk among a breeding colony of dozens of sea lions. At the same time, deep-water snorkelers enjoyed the deep blue with its amazing marine wildlife at Gardner Islet. Later, some of our guests went for a remarkable second kayak outing. To end the morning, everybody enjoyed the stunningly soft white sand and the turquoise waters. Guests had a pleasurable time walking along with a group of very curious Hood mockingbirds. After a delicious lunch back on board, we enjoyed a presentation about Charles Darwin from naturalist Ramiro. In the afternoon, we headed to Punta Suarez. We found a group of jumping dolphins that blew our minds. Later, we observed marine iguanas on old lava boulders where they gather in large groups for warmth. We also spotted blue-footed boobies, Nazca booby nesting grounds, a Galapagos hawk, and various other birds. Every day in the Galapagos is an opportunity to rediscover the beauty of nature through unbelievable encounters. While visiting the oldest island of the Galapagos, today was no exception.