Santa Cruz Island, 10/24/2022, National Geographic Islander II
Aboard the
National Geographic Islander II
Galápagos
Today was the start of an amazing expedition, and we spent the day at my home island: Santa Cruz. It is overwhelming to return to places that we could not visit due to COVID restrictions.
Lindblad Expeditions supports the local communities in the Galapagos. Today we visited a school, Tomas de Berlanga, and our guests learned about the education of local children. Then we went to the highlands to see the giant tortoises in their natural habitat. In the afternoon, we went to the giant tortoise breeding center and visited the exhibition hall of the Charles Darwin Research Station. What a fantastic day at home!
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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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.
Today we woke up anchored at Floreana, a beautiful and mysterious island. This island was colonized in 1832 but today has a population of only 120 people. Our first stop was Post Office Bay, a historical site that was a landing spot for the famous naturalist Charles Darwin. Before him, an American captain named David Porter read the letters of the British whaling fleet to know where they were going and how to capture them during the War of 1812. Guests had a chance to go through the mail today to look for addresses close to home. If they found any, they took the letters to deliver once they return home. In this way, we maintain the whalers’ tradition by hand-delivering letters. Floreana is not only rich in human history but also in wildlife.
Back in the central area of the Galapagos archipelago today, we visited Santiago Island. This was the last island visited by Charles Darwin during his famous voyage on the Beagle. Santiago is rich in human history. Early in the morning, National Geographic Islander II guests started the day in the western realm of Santiago Island. We visited a gorgeous beach called Espumilla. We saw hundreds of sea turtle nests, as Espumilla is one of the most important nesting sites in the islands. After a delicious breakfast, we relocated the ship to Caleta Bucanero. Guests had the opportunity to kayak along the coast and enjoy tours in the glass-bottom boat. The day was perfect for water activities, and we went for a second round of kayaking. Some of us enjoyed snorkeling with playful sea lions, sharks, and colorful fish. After lunch, we navigated towards Puerto Egas. Guests chose between enjoying the beach or taking a nature walk along the coast. Both options were fantastic. On the beach, guests had a phenomenal time in the water, swimming with lots of tropical fish, sea lions, sea turtles, and sharks. The hike was very beautiful with interesting and unique landscapes. Today’s visit was outstanding!