This morning we awoke in the channel between North Seymour and Baltra Islands. It was overcast and breezy, perfect conditions for the first outing of the day, which was an incredible hike in one of the best spots of the Galapagos Archipelago: the little island of North Seymour. Our guests enjoyed early hikes focused on photography, as well as natural history hikes, and we all were welcomed by Galapagos sea lions; a female was nursing its pup very close to the landing site. Galapagos land iguanas were spotted along the trail looking for food, as well as lava lizards. However this is a prime bird-watching site, and today we were not disappointed! Blue-footed boobies were resting along the coastal area, showing their amazing turquoise feet. Not far away, the male frigatebirds were impressing not only the females, but also our guests, with their red inflated gular pouches—we were so close that we could spot the iridescent green feathers of the backs of the great frigatebird. There are two species of frigatebirds found in the Galapagos Archipelago, and on North Seymour we got to see both of them. Many young magnificent frigatebirds were waiting for their parents, and several females returned to feed their young ones! Chicks of all ages are seen at this unique visitor site.
As we were heading back to the landing site, we were surprised by two blue-footed boobies that were performing the famous mating dance—it was an incredible opportunity to see their remarkable display!
We returned back onboard, and our guests got snorkeling gear ready for the afternoon activities. The National Geographic Endeavour repositioned towards the next destination: the red Island of Rábida.
Our guests had the option of snorkeling from the beach or from the Zodiacs, and it was a very successful outing for all. There were plenty of colorful fish, rays, white-tipped reef sharks and playful Galapagos sea lions. Later on, we returned to the ship and got ready for an optional walk on Rábida Island. The landscape features an extraordinary combination of colors, with a bright red colored beach contrasting with the green salt bushes. Sea birds soared above us, looking for their last meal of the day, and we spotted a flamingo in the brackish water lagoon, walking slowly, looking constantly for food. Our excursion ended with a great sunset, leaving excellent impressions with everyone—what a day!
Galapagos is a heaven on earth, and although this was just our first full day on paradise, our guests have seen so much. Everyone is excited to see where this expedition will be taking us and what is coming up next. The answer is simple: tomorrow we are going to the western part of the archipelago…
