Genovesa Island, 5/20/2022, National Geographic Endeavour II
Aboard the
National Geographic Endeavour II
Galápagos
Today is the last day of our expedition in the Galapagos Islands. For our final stop, we voted to visit Genovesa Island. This island is known as the bird island. Here we found Nazca boobies, frigatebirds, owls, and the largest red-footed booby in the world. During our first outing, we observed many different species of marine birds found in two different locations. After that, we had the chance to snorkel and kayak in the collapsed crater of Genovesa Island.
Charles was raised in the Galápagos Islands. He is the grandson of Rolf Wittmer, the first person documented to have been born on the island of Floreana after his parents, Margret and Heinz Wittmer, emigrated from Germany in 1932.
Enter travel details to receive reports from a single expedition
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Send Daily Expedition Reports to friends and family
*By clicking the submit button, I authorize Lindblad Expeditions to email me; however, I am able to unsubscribe at any time. For more details, see our Privacy Policy.
Please note: All Daily Expedition Reports (DERs) are posted Monday-Friday,
during normal business hours. DERs are written onboard the ship only and do
not apply to land-based portions of expeditions.
We took a good look at a few giant tortoises in Urbina Bay, Isabela Island, but we all wanted a bit more giant tortoise information. These gentle giants are one of the most charismatic of the Galapagos characters. Where to start? At the Giant Tortoise Breeding Center managed by the Galapagos National Park Directorate in Puerto Ayora. Here, we saw them in all shapes and sizes, from babies a few months old to venerable reptiles older than all of us! Lindblad Expeditions supports local initiatives aimed at potentially diminishing the introduction of new invasive species. Granja Integral Ochoa is a place that provides this beneficial support. The hydroponic system is highly efficient and generates fresh vegetables without having to import them from mainland Ecuador. And the quality is so high we serve them to our guests and crew on an almost daily basis. Plus, the Ochoa family makes you feel at home with their warmth, freshly brewed coffee, and scrumptious empanadas. The day wasn’t over yet. Next, we went to Manzanillo Ranch for a meal and more interactions with Santa Cruz giant tortoises. Lunch was fabulous and the tortoises plentiful. It was another wonderful day in paradise!
It was a wonderful day on Santiago Island. The fun activities we had planned for the entire day kept us busy as we learned about the unique ecosystems of this magnificent archipelago. We explored the island and its surroundings by kayaking, snorkeling, and hiking. There was so much to discover. Who would think that in such a small area we could find so much diversity? That is definitely the magic of the Galapagos Islands at its best.
Today we explored the central part of Isabela Island, surrounded by active volcanoes. We visited Urbina Bay on the slopes of Alcedo Volcano during the morning and in the afternoon, the beautiful bay of Tagus Cove below Darwin Volcano. They are both very interesting places on the island, marked by the amazing productivity in this part of the ocean, which becomes a very important source of food for the marine life we find here.